Morgan spiced: The new Morgan Plus Six combines classic styling with modern mechanicals

By Tim Pitt Monday January 27, 2020 7:09 pm

Nostalgia ain’t what it used to be. The Morgan Plus Six has a downsized, turbocharged engine and paddle-shift gearbox. It has electric power steering, LED running lights, a digital speedo and a Sport Plus mode. It even has remote central locking and puddle lights under the doors. A truly modern Morgan, then? Well, let’s not get carried away…

Regular readers may recall that, exactly a year ago, I took a road-trip in the final Morgan Plus 8. First launched in 1968, this rambunctious roadster once held the title of Britain’s fastest accelerating car. However, after BMW called time on its throaty but oh-so-thirsty V8, a re-think was required. After 51 years, Plus 8 was succeeded by Plus Six (now a word rather than a numeral). At £77,995, it’s Morgan’s new flagship sports car.

As per its name, the Plus Six is powered by a six-cylinder engine, again sourced from BMW. The 3.0-litre ‘B58’ unit usually resides in the Z4 M40i, along with the Toyota Supra. With 340hp and 369lb ft of torque driving – and occasionally spinning – the rear wheels, it serves up 62mph in 4.2 seconds. Crucially, it also ekes out nearly 40 miles per gallon in official tests. The Plus 8 struggles to halve that. (READ MORE)

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