Talk Morgan Forums Morgan Sports Cars Morgan Plus Four, Supersport & Plus Six (CX & CXV Generation Vehicles) Test Drive of the new Plus Four

As I have typed, perhaps too often, I bought into the idea of a Morgan foibles and all, as a substitute for a vintage Bentley, Aston or the like, fettling being my way of keeping costs to a minimum while also providing a degree of involvement that had been the norm with all my sports cars up till then. My previous sporting car had been an air cooled 911 of 80`s vintage, and I would suggest that driving it was a rather involving experience, though the later air cooled 911`s perhaps a little less so...?

Seems to me that modern sports cars with excesses of horse power which seems to require all sorts of digitally controlled decision making and activation to keep them out of the hedges, may have the potential get from A to B more rapidly, which may be where the confusion in evaluation creeps in, given us more err mature motorists, formerly equated fast with best, though those of us who have had the benefit of taking to the water under sail, already know the value can be in the journey and our enjoyment in it, as opposed to outright speed and early arrival...?

As a full time fettler of one kind or another, I gave up doing any work on my good lady`s cars when she bought her first Digital Mini Cooper, circa Y2K, and have to admit that today an element of challenge has crept into maintaining the old +8 much as it has to other tasks around the place, I guess it is just an age of man thing.. (-:

I had no real desire for a machine that looks like a Morgan and that has all the accoutrements expected of a F Type or 992 with Auto everything. For me a preferred Morgan is still a Trad, though I also accept that probably from day one folk converted their original V twin Morgans to more suit their personal preferences , be it converted to a small trades van or to suit more sporting needs, a process that carries on today but I suspect to a far lesser degree. As society evolved I suspect Morgan buyers preferences moved with the times and continually so. Today, I suspect most long term Morganeers may be of an age where a bit more comfort than even a modified Trad might be able to provide may be desired..?

I guess there will ever be fettlers by their very nature, but to fettle a Modern Morgan takes a different skills set, perhaps more suited to those in their 50`s more than those in their 70`s and beyond, more recent Morganeers perhaps less happy replacing king pins and greasing suspension and more into plugging up a PC to interrogate hardware or software issues, which is great for the MMC.

As for the mature Morganeers, I suspect they will be more than happy with the CX platform and the comforts it provides along with auto gear selection, though I suspect the younger prospective Morgan buyer might also expect all the auto control designs to be found in modern high performance machinery and may well be taken surprise to find themselves parked up in a hedge given the expected "stability" control does not exist..?

Me..? I would be back in a 90`s Porsche by now were it not for the tie between My Morgan and I. When I drove the new 993 as it was at the time, I thought in the process of seeking to make it a gentleman`s express and meet all the required safety and emission regs, it had become too comfortable and lost a degree of the all important driver involvement which along with it`s build quality was that which had initially attracted this former m/cyclist to the marque in the first place. Ultimately the then new Porsche had me go off in search of more involvement at lesser speeds than one might be inclined to drive at in order to feel really involved in controlling the 993...? For me the obvious answer to service my desires found me smiling from ear to ear and sitting in Kevin`s +8, I never even drove it before I agreed to buy it...(-:

Today, yeah well I am eighteen years older a tad more rotund, stiff of joint and popping prescribed pills, thus logically the Morgan takes a bit more effort to be enjoyed as it once was, and truth be told the restrictions that have crept in over the years causing me to contemplate the possibility that a 964 or 993 might be more suitable for the old codger I have become than it was twenty or so years back. I am not enamoured by Porsche`s early attempts at water cooling their failure rate of circa 3% is off putting which is unlikely to improve with age, thus the 997.2 is a possible sweet spot, jeez even the auto-box might be more desirable now that the family bus has been auto-box equipped for quite a few years now...Hmm..?

The old +8 still sits in the garage... and after our pootle round the Trossachs on Sunday last, it seems it is unlikely to be going anywhere soon, even if it just becomes more of a garage queen than it has been for some time now...

Each to their own priorities, though mine do not include a CX Morgan.

Exactly my opinion,.... Austrian,
I wanted a ,,new'' classic car and that was the old Morgan. Young buyers are getting older too. I hope the Morgan Company has made the right decision. Caterham for example, haven't made that many changes and are now even releasing a old version of the Super Seven.

Morgan #1 was a Roadster S2.
Morgan #2 is an Aero Plus 8.
For me the Aero chassis car hits the sweet spot between tradition and modernity.
I don't want the next step, the CX, but for Morgan to survive it must sell them to 40/50 somethings who love the brand image and story, but have grown up taking their car to a dealer every year. This can only work if the new market has no hands on experience of a true trad, which is why Morgan had no choice but to kill the old +4. A bit like "The King is dead, Long live the new King"!

It's a case of survival through evolution or go under and I don't think even the old die hard's want to see that

There will always be enough traditional (in need of greasing) cars around as time takes it toll on the older owners with low mileage cars.

The new investors have made a massive investment in a very unfortunate year and I hope they sell many Plus Fours.

There's a full test of the new Plus Four in this week's Autocar. As always seems to be the way with the mainstream motoring press, the tester didn't really seem to "get it". But he wasn't quite as rude about it as some of them are.

I think it is a great advance for them technically. I hope it is the right decision commercially but clearly they had reached crossing point.

We are all entitled to our own opinions for sure and as far as the MMC goes, for me it represents jobs which is by far the most important part of the equation today. I have oft times read of folk identifying themselves as the faithful relative to their Morgan beliefs, whereas I feel no need of any such connection.

I approached Morgan with a vintage perspective as a manufacturer who soldiered on with a quirky product that fitted well with my ideals of the time, I had no expectation of high quality engineering, being far more attracted to the coach-built aspects of assembly, all be it with somewhat basic power units and transmission of the day... Thus for me a Morgan did indeed provide aspects of vintage motoring, but without the costs so related, and with the advantages of modern engines and drive trains in terms of ability to keep up with modern traffic and simplified serviceability, that same formula still works for me today, though far more my ageing process than that of my Morgan, has determined It does not fit as many of my real world requirements of it, as once it did...

There are still many aspects of driving a Morgan that are very special and unlikely to be replicated when driving a more modern sports car, thinking the smile generation capability a Morgan creates on the faces of so many of the general public, along with the occasional thumbs up, which has a far higher desirability than the grimaces and envy that driving a red 911 had on a percentage of the public in my part of the world back in the 80`s... Best engineered cars in the world I doubt Morgans ever will be, but they still have their advantages for sure, and long may that continue to be the case.

George, when I drove my F 1973.5 Tangerine Targa to a dealer for sale two weeks ago, I had previously spent three days on an extensive farewell tour with her. I had numerous thumbs up reactions on this tour through the Eifel. If you drive a seventies or eighties Porsche today, it's very different than in her time. Back then it was in the eyes of the public just like today a 992 - a very expensive sports car, driven by dentists, lawyers or yuppies. Today, if you drive an F or G, even a 964 or 993, you will get a lot of sympathy. Almost as much as with a Trad Morgan. At least in my region. All G models are as comfortable as a CX Morgan. And you have a smooth entry into the car. Personally, I love the narrow 2.7 the most, no matter what people say about the durability of the engine. It is the synthesis of torque and willingness. From 964 and especially 993 there are also some returns from Japan that have an automatic transmission. They are very well maintained and relatively cheap, because most people want a manual transmission. Just as a thought. There are still many examples from this time, which are not absurdly overpriced.

But to stay on topic, the new Plus Four kills two birds with one stone. The new consumer class doesn't want to get their hands dirty. And the "Trad" experienced ones, who want to continue their journey, welcome the fact that their remaining bones are being protected. And if we're all honest, what's wrong with the CX chassis being more modern and performing...as long as you have the choice because there are still many "young" Trads as well.

I spent seven or so hours driving my 2015 Plus4 GDi yesterday and it did everything I needed it to (and returned 43 mpg on the gauge). Yes, it rattled and shook a bit on some bumpy bits of road, air con might have been nice whilst waiting in some roadworks as would an automatic gearbox. Overall though, we had a great day out, it was comfortable and had great performance. A new Plus Four would definitely be slightly better perhaps on all counts but for an extra (probably) £40k over what I could trade mine in for would it be money well spent? And the storage behind the seat is definitely one area the older car is better! I think people new to Morgan are going to get a wonderful car they can keep for life.