Skip advert
Advertisement

New Morgan Plus Four revealed with 255bhp four-pot

All-new Morgan Plus Four mixes modern underpinnings with traditional styling

The Morgan Plus Four has been given its most extensive overhaul in the model’s history with a new chassis and engine, while still retaining the car’s traditional and iconic look. The Plus Four – note the new model replaces the numeral 4 with Four – has been the mainstay of the Morgan line-up since its debut 70 years ago and Morgan claims that despite its visual similarity with the old car the new one is 97 per cent new.

Advertisement - Article continues below

It should probably come as no surprise that the Plus Four’s underpinnings are closely related to those of the recently launched Plus Six and as a result it uses a version of the CX-Generation bonded aluminium platform which offers significant structural improvements while weighing in at just 97kg. Despite the passing visual resemblance to the Plus Six, the Plus Four’s body is narrower than its bigger sibling – 78mm overall and 104mm in the central body – yet when compared to the old Plus 4 Morgan says it offers improved accommodation and luggage space.

For the engine and drivetrain Morgan has continued its long association with BMW and the Plus Four features BMW’s B48 2-litre four-cylinder turbocharged motor in the same state of tune as used in the BMW 330i. That equates to 255bhp with up to 295lb ft of torque and, thanks to a featherweight mass of just 1009kg, the Plus Four accelerates from 0 to 62mph in a claimed just 4.8sec before topping out one mph shy of 150. Those are figures for the eight-speed automatic model – yes, that’s right, a Plus Four can be specced with an auto for the first time in its history – but the manual is only slightly slower, recording a 5.2sec time and an identical top speed. If the manual option is chosen torque is capped at 258lb ft.

Advertisement - Article continues below
Skip advert
Advertisement
Advertisement - Article continues below

> Morgan Plus Six review – the British brute with BMW power

While the new Plus Four obliterates the performance on offer from the old Plus 4 (150bhp, 7.5sec, 118mph) Morgan says the new car is more closely comparable with the outgoing Roadster with its V6 Ford-sourced engine. Indeed, the new Plus Four has seen a bit of price hike from the old model and is now more expensive than the old Roadster, too.

As with the engines the transmissions are sourced from BMW’s supply chain so the eight-speed auto features steering-wheel mounted paddles and a Sport mode that is accessed by pushing the gear lever to the left. The manual gains a ratio over the old Plus 4, now being a six-speed unit. As well as offering significantly better performance the switch to BMW powertrains has reaped rewards when it comes to emissions, too. Economy is broadly similar with around 40mpg being claimed but emissions have dropped by over 30 per cent when compared to the previous generation model.

The Plus Four retains plenty of the traditional Morgan design cues but many of these required significant work to the suspension components of the car, particularly the traditional wire wheels. These are a new 15-inch design which called for a redesign of wishbones, suspension uprights and braking components.

The Plus Four’s interior is a blend of new components already seen on the Plus Six and familiar Morgan design cues. The hand-made ash frame is retained as are the hand-beaten aluminium body panels and hand-trimmed leather. Traditionalists might bemoan the loss of the familiar Morgan steering wheel, its replacement being the same BMW-sourced one as in the Plus Six. The car’s day-to-day usability has also been enhanced by making ingress and egress far better than before.

The Plus Four’s standard equipment list has blossomed and features such as LED front and rear lights, central locking and ABS are now standard along with power steering and a mohair hood. As with all Morgans each one is hand-built to the customer’s specification and the company reckons there are in total one trillion combinations of options available.

The new Plus Four is available to order now with deliveries starting in the second quarter of 2020. Prices start at £62,995.

Skip advert
Advertisement

Recommended

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS review: the ultimate mid-engined sports car?
Porsche Cayman GT4 RS
Reviews

Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 RS review: the ultimate mid-engined sports car?

The Cayman GT4 RS is one of the most extreme road-going Porsches of all. It tripped up at eCoty 2022, but later examples we've tried have hit the spot
26 Mar 2024
Mercedes-AMG GT 63 2024 review – is AMG’s coupe finally a Porsche 911 beater?
Mercedes-AMG GT 63
Reviews

Mercedes-AMG GT 63 2024 review – is AMG’s coupe finally a Porsche 911 beater?

A new chassis, tweaked V8 and a larger, more practical interior provides AMG’s new GT 63 with everything it needs to take on the best in the business
22 Mar 2024
Porsche 911 Carrera T 2024 review – one of our favourite modern-era 911s
Porsche 911 Carrera T
Reviews

Porsche 911 Carrera T 2024 review – one of our favourite modern-era 911s

The lighter, sharpened-up Carrera T is one of the best 911s you can buy today, and an example of why less can be so much more
20 Mar 2024
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S (2011 - 2017): a stunning analogue Aston for hot hatch money
Aston Martin V8 Vantage S
Features

Aston Martin V8 Vantage S (2011 - 2017): a stunning analogue Aston for hot hatch money

The Vantage S is a V8 Brit that’s becoming even more appealing with age, especially given its price point in 2024
19 Mar 2024
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8
Mercedes-AMG G63
News

The new Mercedes-AMG G63 has arrived, and it still has a V8

Some of Affalterbach’s range-toppers are swapping eight cylinders for four, but the AMG G-class retains its V8 for 2024
26 Mar 2024
Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader
Land Rover Defender OCTA – front
News

Land Rover Defender OCTA: twin-turbo V8 and McLaren-style suspension tech for hot off-roader

The OCTA promises to be the fastest, toughest and most capable Defender yet when it launches later this year
26 Mar 2024
The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?
Toyota GR Yaris Gen 2 – front
News

The new Toyota GR Yaris costs £44,250 – too much for a hot supermini?

Our early impressions of the Gen 2 GR Yaris suggest that it’s an improvement in every area that counts, but can it be worth £18k more than an i20 N?
27 Mar 2024