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I know how much many of you enjoy chewing over some long form Morgan content so thought I'd share with you some concluding reflections on my time with the Plus Four. It was collected today to head to new (likely not greener given the verdant shades of the Yorkshire Dales) pastures. Below is a compilation of several posts shared today on instagram.
I first walked into the Morgan London showroom in April of 2022. There was no way, at 6’6” I was going to fit in one of the cars so having a look seemed low risk. I was mistaken. Four months later a beautiful oak green Plus Four was ready for my collection from the factory.
The two and a half years I had the Plus Four were wonderful. The car itself was faultless, and the service and care it received from Morgan was exemplary. Beyond it’s normal maintenance schedule it required no further attention. I used the car all year, in every month and every weather. It never let me down and delighted me every time I drove it. It redefined what driving enjoyment could look and feel like for me.
Driving a Morgan is a special thing that sits well apart from other automotive experiences I have had. It doesn’t matter if you’re launching your way around the closed circuit at Bicester Airstrip or slowly taking in the sights and scents and sounds from a narrow country lane, the car is equally at home and equally capable in both.
There is a refined rawness in a Morgan. It can be the gentleman tourer as happily as it can be the weekend warrior. The new chassis, combined with the now essential Nitron suspension, allows you to drive it like a modern sports car, while the traditional shape, bespoke and hand crafted, delivers all the pleasure of a classic. There really is nothing else like it available today unless you’re willing to part with some serious money for a top of the line resto-mod. And up against that competition the Morgan becomes a bargain in price while delivering with a more reliable and modern platform. I would love to see, at some point, a quality comparison review to this end. That said, you don’t have to turn to the history books to see a Morgan out classing competition, as Evo found recently when running the new Four against a new Lotus.
At every turn the Plus Four surprised me with a new layer of enjoyment and pleasure in the drive, but the real shock for me came not just in the car itself but in the company that made it.
Morgan is not a normal car company and I have become a convert to the brand.
The factory is beautiful and a testament to the company’s commitment to the humanity that is missing from so much of modernity’s output and production. Authentic, honest, transparent, open craftsmanship is visible in every facet of their production. The Company seems deeply invested in its employees welfare and care, and this has always been reflected in the conversations and interactions I’ve had with the wonderful people at Pickersleigh Road.
It strikes me that you can spend a lot on any number of sports cars out in the world today. Some of that money goes to the material, some of that to the assembly, some of that to the marketing, some of that to all the sundry bits and bobs of a company. One of the things I like about spending money on a Morgan is that a good chunk of that change is going to people, not robots, not high end assembly factories, but just regular men and women who make a living working their craft and trade. There are probably more cost efficient and tolerance reducing ways to go about building a car, but I don’t think there is a more ethical or human one. All that’s to say there is a beauty on the inside of Morgan that is reflected in the cars they make. The joy I have in driving it is honestly come by as it begins with the care of those involved in the car’s construction and carries right through to the faces of those who see it pottering down a Dales lane.
Finally, I can’t reflect on the last two and a half years of ownership without mentioning the Morgan community. I have made some real and truly wonderful friends I believe will be life long thanks to Morgan. Some at the company itself, like Matt Jennings, who makes the beautiful and inspiring films and images that Morgan release. Matt is just a wonderful human being and I am so thankful to know him. Others have come through the Morgan Sports Car Club. Jann, the Chair, is a remarkable force and a real challenge to keep up with on a B road. Finally, predating our Club involvement and friend made through the sharing of pictures and stories here, Julian has become a brilliant friend and our friendship has graduated well past cars. I am so thankful to know him and am confident I would not have were it not for our cars. There are many others I’ve come to know whom I have yet to meet in person but find to be kindred spirits in so many respects.
Owning a Morgan could be just about having a great car. But I have found it to be about much more than that. It’s being part of a fantastic history and remarkable company that doesn’t just make beautiful cars but takes seriously its opportunity to add joy to the world. It’s about being part of a eclectic and enthusiastic community with Morgan’s as the starting. It’s about driving a car that makes you smile, and then seeing a similar pleasure on the faces of those who notice the car going by. It’s about turning drives into adventures, everyday commutes into stories worth telling, moments into memories.
My Plus Four is a special car and I feel fortunate and thankful to have had my time with it. I’m excited to see what adventures it gets up to next!
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