Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Plus Four, Supersport & Plus Six (CX & CXV Generation Vehicles) PlusSix vs Plus 8, back to back

Yesterday I spent 30 min alone with Williams PlusSix.

I drove up to Williams in Tarka, my trusty Plus 8, so had an immediate back to back to comparison.

The first impression is getting in, it is easy, no more difficult than into my AMG A35. For the first time in a Morgan I didn’t have the steering column hard against the dash and in the highest position. With the seat adjusted, and the bladder lumbar support deflated, I had a good 4 to 5” between the seat back and the back of the cabin. Shoulder room is as the Plus 8.

Start up, all very modern and with first rate graphics. There is a photocell between the screen washer jets that turns the light on automatically, the DLR lights are always on. Into gear, drive off. Anyone who has driven to Williams will know the road across the common, with a cattle grid at each end. In Tarka you feel every bar, in the Six the sharpness is smoothed out. The Common road is anything but flat, in Tarka you know it is uneven, but the car tracks arrow straight whereas the Six is much smoother, but it tends to roll a bit and needs steering corrections. Talking of the steering it is precise, but a bit too light for me: I’d drop the tyre pressures to 22 and think of going up from 225 to 235 tyres at the front.

Through the town it is just like driving the A35, effortless, far, far more refined than any other Morgan I’ve driven or ridden in. It is as good as the A35 and far better than the M140i: it is incredibly easy to drive. And you can hear the indicator warning!!
Out onto the A46 I put the box into sport modem then Sport Plus. This is a VERY quick car, but as it had only run 300 miles, I didn’t exceed 4500 pm. I look forward to trying it when it has run 1000 or so. Overall it is best left in Sport Mode, which is how I drive the Plus 8. The standard exhaust sounds OK, far better than the one provided by BMW on the M140i, with the same engine. Williams has a sport exhaust to fit. It will never sound like the big V8, but it sounds better than most modern Turbo boxes.

I played with the paddles: honestly, they are pointless, the auto box is so good there is nothing to be gained on the road. On the track it will be different.

Back to Williams, trying to sum up the PlusSix.

Most importantly, the PlusSix is the nicest car to come out of the Morgan factory, ever.
Space, Grace and Pace (with apologies to Jaguar) in a small package: how have they achieved this in a car that is much the same size as the Plus 8? Amazingly there is foot room and the pedal positioning would make heel and toe work a cinch: I’m sure one of the models on this chassis will have a manual box.

It is a Morgan, without any doubt. All the visual and most of the sensations are what one would expect are there, some a bit muted. It makes my old Roadster look very old and not very nice and the Plus Six is, if ordered as a normal production model, not much more expensive. I expect the Roadster will fade out when MMC have used up their engine stock. Anyone considering a roadster should try the PlusSix.



Would I buy one? No.

Why? Because it doesn’t do anything the Plus 8 does better than the Plus 8, other than use less fuel. I prefer the Plus 8 seats, but I’m 5’8” and slim of hip. Taller, larger drivers will be far happier with the PlusSix. Some bemoan the lack of a manual box, but most modern performance cars don't have a manual box, especially in the target market MMC is aiming at.

I am slightly concerned that the ride/handling compromise has gone too far towards ride, talking with Henry Williams we both felt that a set of (expensive) sports shocks may be all that is needed. But as it is the car is far nicer than the M140i and more like my A35. Given that MMC developed this car for peanuts they have done an amazing job.

And finally, My Plus 8 is one of just 300, and possibly one of less than 100 in the UK. The PlusSix will be much more common! Also Tarka has further provenance as a MMC development/show car. I like to be different.

MotorPunk Magazine described the outgoing Plus 8 as a motoring incarnation of Raffles, the Gentleman Thug. The PlusSix is something else, more a John Steed: very refined, but capable of a surprising level of violence, but the iron fist will always be in a velvet glove.