Morgan Plus Four

REPORT 8

£62,995 OTR/£71,245 as tested/£279pcm (Morgan finance scheme)

WHY IT’S HERE

They claim the Plus Four is a modern Morgan. Time to see if it’s true

DRIVER

Stephen Dobie

ENGINES ARE ONE OF THE FEW COMPONENTS WHEELED INTO THE Morgan factory from an outside source. Namely BMW. They arrive on a crate from Munich before being shoehorned betwixt wood and aluminium barely touched. That’s been the case since the 4.4-litre V8 from the E39 M5 made its way into the gloopy faced Morgan Aero 8 over 20 years ago.

Our Plus Four shares its 4cyl turbo with the BMW 128ti hot hatchback that’s also joined the TG Garage, as well as Toyota’s entry level GR Supra. Handily, I’ve spent time in both of late, and they each highlight just how well this engine works with a standard 8spd ZF automatic slotted onto it with the neat click of a Lego piece. The result is a slick powertrain with predictable responses, albeit one which has kind of given its best by just 5,000rpm, peak torque subsiding a few hundred revs before.

I barely rev our mint Mog to its max either, not least because the longer ratios of its 6spd manual makes that an illegal activity north of second gear. Yet the fact Morgan dares strap a stick shift to it – as well as its own sports exhaust – ensures the engine feels notably different here. Quite how Morgan’s given it a faux-classic sound I’ll never know, but it certainly fools passers-by, who frequently ask how often it breaks down or whether the battery goes flat in the cold. They usually giggle at the 70 plate before walking away when I begin listing other cars utilising this 2.0-litre turbo.

Never mind explaining that with several hundred kilos less to shift in the Plus Four the engine not only imparts way more character here than in the 128 and Supra but sips less fuel, too. I’m continually amazed by how something with 20th century aero tops 40mpg with ease, touching 50 if my journey’s on major roads. Jolly good that it does, mind, else I’d be eking out fewer than the 250 miles I’m currently squeezing between fill-ups.