The 170mph aluminium-and-wood vehicle – one of the lightest sports cars in the world, with a limited run of just 100 – is worth around £130,000, and had been brought from the Morgan Motor Company's Worcestershire headquarters by boss Charles Morgan.
A former award-winning ITV cameraman, who had filmed in Lebanon, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan, Mr Morgan joined the 99-year-old firm in 1985, becoming the third generation of his family to take the helm.

Variously comparing his cars to cheetahs, Saville Row suits, and 'like firing a gun', he urged the executive-level audience not to 'chase the quick buck', but to make premium a priority.

He said: 'There are two sorts of luxury we're going to be offered in the future. There'll be marketed luxury, which is all around us, and there'll be authentic luxury. Authentic luxury has three points – one, it's got to be limited edition, or made specifically for you. Two, it's made from materials which are environmentally correct and still feel as nice when they're old. Three, real luxury is actually made by skilled persons.

'Even in this credit crunch, if you want to be 100 years old, don't go for the quick profit, think about your long-term strategy. Bear in mind it's got to carry you through the downs as well as the ups.'

Dr Jay Kettle-Williams, president of the chamber, said: 'His message was that quality will out. If it's harnessed with prof-essionalism, you've got a winning formula.'