Lotus Emira v Morgan Plus Four – car pictures of the week
In the latest issue of evo, we test a pair of British sports cars on some of the best driving roads in the country – these are our favourite shots
Beyond being British and having two seats, two driven wheels and four-cylinder engines, the Lotus Emira and Morgan Plus Four share very little. In fact, they’re worlds apart, the Morgan representing British sports cars from generations ago and the Emira what they have become in 2024.
In evo issue 324, we find out which approach delivers the most driving satisfaction on some of the best roads we know in the Scottish Borders. You can read the full feature by picking up a copy of the magazine in-store or online via the evo shop.
The Plus Four is familiar to us by now. The quaint exterior hides a bonded aluminium chassis and a BMW-derived turbocharged four-cylinder engine, which develops 255bhp and 258lb ft of torque. Weighing just over a ton, the Plus Four sprints from 0 to 62mph in 5.2sec, and this example was equipped to tackle the demands of Scotland thanks to Morgan’s Dynamic Handling Pack. This brings uprated Nitron coilovers and a rear anti-roll bar to broaden the Plus Four’s handling ability.
‘Something very, very odd appears to be unfolding,’ said Adam Towler while chasing the Emira. ‘It is proving surprisingly easy to keep the Morgan in the wheel tracks of the Lotus. Dare I say it, using those quick bursts of acceleration on a typical give-and-take B-road, the Morgan actually seems to be closing the gap, snipping a few metres here and there, particularly out of slower corners.’
The Emira holds a decisive advantage over the Morgan on paper, its AMG-derived four-pot generating 360bhp and 317lb ft, and promises to offer the kind of Lotus characteristics we love in a usable, grown-up package. Is it more fun than the decidedly impractical but desperately charming Morgan? Pick up a copy of issue 324 to find out.
