Morgan Plus Four

It may not look like it, but what you see before you is an all-new Morgan Plus Four. It is,  say the Malvern-based maker of what is probably the most traditional of all sports cars, “the most revolutionary advancement in the Plus Four’s 70 year history, with 97% new components, replacing the longstanding Plus 4 (+4) model”.

      To the untrained eye the new Plus Four may well look very like what’s gone before, that is after all very much the Morgan way of doing things.  But, believe it or not, beneath the Jeeves and Wooster exterior there lies a very modern motor car. Morgans these days sit on a bonded aluminium chassis and double wishbone suspension; beneath that long louvered bonnet – hand punched no less – there’s a twin turbo-charged BMW engine. There are airbags, traction control, central locking, an optional active sports exhaust system, heated seats, an optional Sennheiser sound system to which you connect by Bluetooth, – how very twenty first century – and, get this… A locking glovebox! It’s a Morgan first.

     Don’t worry Morgan fans, you still get a handcrafted ash frame.

        You still don’t get a boot though. Luggage space in the Plus Four is limited to what you can stuff behind the new, much more comfortable, seats; you finally feel as if you’re sitting in the Plus Four now rather than just on it.  Neither do you get electric, wind-up, or even glass, side windows. In fact the side windows – sliding Perspex affairs, like those of an old Land Rover – as per the door-tops, are removable. By which I manually removable, of course, as is the operation of Morgan’s now more easily foldable and stowable hood. It takes far more than just the press of a button to go topless in a Morgan, even a modern one.  But at least now both the windows and the new hood are now waterproof.

    Well, they’re nearly waterproof… Driving with the roof-up in a Morgan is still a pretty draughty affair, and at speed, that new hood, single skinned, resembling that of a Silver Cross pram, drums harder than jazz maestro Buddy Rich on the Johnny Carson show (Google it). Nice!

    Fortunately Morgan’s new side mirrors don’t jiggle anywhere near as much as the old ones used to, and neither does the new interior rear-view mirror, subtle improvements they may be, but they make an enormous difference. The new Plus Four, distinguishable by its cleaner, less cluttered lines and larger LED front and rear lamps which now incorporate the indicators – did you not notice the lack of separate pods on the wings for the orange lamps? – is the first product of Malvern’s Pickersleigh Road I’ve driven that provides as a clear view to the rear as it does to the front.

     The Plus Four is also the first Morgan I’ve driven to be fitted with the optional Dynamic Handling Pack. Developed by suspension specialist Nitron, said natty-named pack consists of stiffer springs, adjustable dampers and a rear anti-roll bar. It certainly sharpens things up, the steering feels more direct, the whole car more eager to change direct on demand. Quite whether or not the stiffer feeling suspension totally suits the acned tarmac of a Welsh Marches B-Road is still a matter of debate though. The kit costs an extra £1995. If it was me about to purchase a Plus Four, I’d drive ask Morgan if I could sample one with the Dynamic Handling Pack, and one without, prior to making any expensive commitments

    What can’t be quibbled over is just how involving the whole Morgan driving experience is – even here in the 8-speed automatic (I’d still tick the box marked manual, if it were me…). Under the Plus Four’s long, louvered bonnet you’ll find the same BMW 2.0 litre turbo-charged engine as you would in the Bavarian’s 330i executive saloon.  Here however, there’s significantly less weight to pull along. The Plus Four tips the scales (dry) at barely over a tonne and that German power plant packs 255bhp. Performance therefore is sprightly. Many a hot-hatch driver has sat agog after a Plus Four has left them at the lights.

    Yes, it’s draughty, it’s noisy, the hood reverberates like a sub-woofer at motorway speeds, there’s no boot, nowhere to put your ‘phone or sunglasses, there’s no footrest for your left foot, and with the roof up it requires a certain level of contortionism to even get in or out of. It is every bit as idiosyncratic as you’ve been lead to believe it is. But, it’s a delight, an indulgence, and perhaps maybe not something to be used every day.

    You could argue, that someone somewhere is building something similar, better; sometinh significantly more modern in feel, and for less money, (Porsche Boxster, Lotus Emira, MX-5?). The whole Morgan “experience” is not for everyone.  

    But even now, nigh-on 75 years since it was first unveiled, there’s nothing quite as a capable as making you, and those around you, grin as much as the Plus Four will.

Morgan Plus Four

Engine: 1,998cc, 16 valve, BMW TwinPower Turbo inline four-cylinder.

Power: 255 bhp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 295 lbft @1,550rpm

Transmission:  ZF eight-speed automatic with sport, sport+ and manual shift modes

Performance: 0-62 mph 4.8 sec

Max Speed: 149 mph

MPG: 45.0 (Combined).

Weight: 1,040 kg (dry)

CO2: 140 g/km

Price: from £74,406.49 (as driven £89,470.49 inc. VAT)

@bird_liam

Many Thanks to James, Henry, Andy, and Colin at Morgan Motor Company

www.morgan-motor.co.uk