First ushered in during 1950 at the Earl's Court Motor Show held in London, the Plus 4 has been one of Morgan's best-selling models over the years.
The name Plus 4 is derived from the fact that the car has greater power than the original Morgan 4-4, which was the British brand’s first four-wheeled Morgan built in 1936.
For the first four years of mass production, the Plus 4 had a flat-style radiator accompanied by the fitment of cycle wings. However, from 1954 on, the cowl-style radiator was introduced. This is the look of the car that people are commonly familiar with.
The latest Plus Four carries on the legacy of the company's longest-running nameplate, featuring several design, dynamic, and technological updates derived from over 70 years of evolution.
The front and rear lights, designed exclusively for Morgan, are developed without the compromises that necessarily accompany the use of an off-the-shelf lighting unit. The eight-inch headlights are slightly larger than previous models, reintroducing the car's original, traditional dimensions. The headlights house the indicators, removing the need for separate ones, a feature that has been carried through to the rear lights. Also, the lights now provide enhanced illumination.
The Plus Four also has completely redesigned front and rear wings, a new front splitter and a new rear diffuser. Both the front splitter and the rear diffuser are painted dark matte grey to minimise their visual impact and lighten the car's apparent weight. This detail is a nod to period Morgan sports cars, which often featured no front under-tray or bumpers, creating a strong horizontal line at the base of the wings and central cowling.
The Plus Four is more focused on driving feel rather than driven performance figures or lap times. It is available with manual or automatic transmission, powered by the latest BMW 2.0-litre engine. Zero to 62mph takes 5.2 seconds in the manual and 4.8 seconds in the auto. The top speed is 149mph for both. If you want efficiency, the automatic is the one to go for as it returns 45mpg. The manual sees that figure drop to 39mpg.
There has been an alteration to the standard suspension, which now features up-to-the-minute spring rates and re-valved dampers. However, an optional Dynamic Handling Pack has also been made available for the car. It is manufactured solely for Morgan and consists of new springs with single-way adjustable damping, an adjustable spring platform, and a rear anti-roll bar, all of which work to deliver an added level of dynamics and, in keeping with the Plus Four, driving exhilaration.
One of the first focuses of the company, in relation to the Plus Four, has been the enhancement of occupant interaction while marrying the old with appropriate levels of contemporary technology. The upgrades have included improvements to the Sennheiser audio unit, the LCD screen, interior lighting, and the key fob, in an effort to provide an heightened user experience, while maintaining the timelessness of the design.
The lightweight audio system, first introduced in the Plus Four in 2022, uses more 'invisible' speakers in the cockpit, situated directly under each seat, and higher-quality speakers in the doors. Just as with the previous audio system, the Sennheiser unit has achieved the magical effect of producing a wide soundstage directly in front of the passengers, where you can be
treated to an incredible soundtrack, not only with amplified volume but also with increased Bluetooth range.
The visual consistency of the Sennheiser premium audio system is maintained through the speaker grilles at the top of each door. The design of the speaker grilles is inspired by the classic louvres embossed on the bonnet of the Plus Four and features the Sennheiser logo.
The volume display and track ID are located on the LCD screen, between the temperature and fuel dials, positioned in front of the steering wheel. Other changes to the LCD screen include many updates to graphical displays, and all dashboard button lights are white.
As seen in the exterior lighting, the interior mirrors an illumination change, too, now including fade-in and fade-out technology. The position, direction, and arrangement of the lighting have been carefully designed and analysed to create the best scenario.
At Morgan, there is clearly no 'bespoke' department or section. Every car that goes into production is, in effect, bespoke as standard. In addition to the almost infinite number of possible colour and specification configurations, you can go even further and add materials and options to your new Plus Four. In this way, every Plus Four is, in essence, a 'one-off' and is as unique as the owner.