- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru
2019 Morgan Plus Six. 1st generation
The Morgan Plus Six is a roadster, which has been manufactured by Morgan Motor Company (UK) since 2019. In 2021, the manufacturer introduced the first generation car to the market. The new Plus 6 is a sporty two-door, two-seat car that features 1920s-inspired design and new units.
The car is built on a new platform, but fully complies with the traditions of the old brand. The design of the new model is indistinguishable from the previous models of the company, which is known for its love to traditions. The hood supports are the only thing borrowed by the Plus Six from the Plus 8, which makes up about one percent of all parts. 99% of parts are brand new.
Exterior
The new Morgan Plus Six looks good and pleasantly unique. Its round headlights, long fenders and hood, sloping stern and a gorgeous interior with luxurious seats seem to have come from the past when cars were not so ordinary. By the way, the brand new headlights have become more efficient and are the first in the brand’s history to be equipped with a light sensor.
The car is distinguished by its small round rear-view mirrors and three windshield wipers, as well as eye-catching slots on the hood and stern. It is pretty hard to describe the rear optics… These are four cylinders growing out of the panel, topped with red or yellow lamp caps. All Morgan’s cars, including the Plus Six, are capable of giving a sense of joy and celebration to any romantic soul.
The 2019/2020 roadster is 3,890 mm long, 1,756 mm wide and 1,220 mm high. Thus, it is quite similar to the Plus 8 in terms of size, but has a 20 mm longer wheelbase. Moreover, due to the new layout of the units, the interior has become 200 mm longer and therefore more spacious. In compliance with the British sports car traditions, the car weighs 1,075 kg. The roadster can be equipped with an optional rigid composite roof.
Platform
The car is based on the new CX-Generation platform. It took three years to build it, and the manufacturer had to expand the staff of engineers for this occasion. Just as before, the load-bearing elements are made of aluminum profiles and sheets, but the ash frame has been preserved, although changed: its thickness has decreased, since the wood does not bear serious loads. The torsional rigidity of the body has doubled, and the weight has been reduced by almost 97 kg, whereas the dry weight of the sports car is only 1,075 kg.
Another advantage of the new platform is that now it takes less time to assemble cars. Now the hand assembly will take a month instead of two, as for the previous Plus 8, which will double the volume of production, up to 300 cars per year.
Interior and equipment
The car’s interior also corresponds to the retro style, but all the parts are new. There are some concessions to today’s realities, for example, the color screen of the trip computer, the automatic transmission joystick, the steering column switches or the leather flat bottom steering wheel. But the charming old-fashioned round devices and the natural wood finish create their own ambiance. Wooden elements, which can be of different colors, hide a central lock.
A subtle touch that emphasizes the exclusivity of each roadster: with the car, the owner receives a luxuriously designed hardcover book, which contains 52 pages describing the creation of the car in the voice of the craftsmen.
The company offers to create your own trim using the configurator. The future owner is free to choose paint color, wheel design, interior textiles, etc. The new Morgan Plus Six will provide its driver with ‘pure driving pleasure’: there are no electronic assistants, except for the anti-lock braking system.
Powertrains and chassis
The 2020/2021 Morgan Plus Six is the first Morgan’s car to be equipped with a turbocharged engine. The roadster comes with a 3-liter 6-cylinder in-line BMW B58 TwinPower engine developing 335 hp at 6,500 rpm and a torque of 500 Nm. The car is equipped with an 8-speed automatic transmission by ZF with Sport, Sport Plus modes and manual shift. The roadster is rear-wheel drive.
It takes the roadster only 4.2 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h. The top speed amounts to 267 km/h. The suspension of all wheels of the car, despite its retro-inspired appearance, is independent: there is a dual-lever suspension at the front and an independent four-link suspension at the rear.
