British sports car maker Morgan made a name for itself building retro-inspired models with wooden frames and style straight from the 1960s, but its latest flagship, the Supersport, drags the brand kicking and screaming into the 21st century. It brings new looks, new tech and even a dash of carbon fiber to the historic brand. But don’t worry, at its heart, the car is still distinctly Morgan, with an ash wood frame that the brand says is around 10 percent stiffer than the Plus Six, which the Supersport replaces at the top of Morgan’s lineup.
A Morgan for the modern age
The wooden frame forms the basis of the car, and new aluminum bodywork is strapped to its exterior. The bodywork looks great, and is unmistakably Morgan. It’s got the same bulbous front end and long, swooping side skirts, but everything is renewed with a modern, minimalist flair. I really dig it, especially the rear end which now houses an actual functioning trunk!
Other modern flourishes on the new car include LED headlamps up front and a removable roof constructed from carbon composites, and there’s even wireless phone charging in the center console. Morgan, what happened to you?
Modern, but not too modern
At this point, you might expect me to drop the bombshell that this all-new, all-modern Morgan is the company’s first electric vehicle. Well, it isn’t. Instead, the Supersport retains the gas power of old with a BMW-sourced inline-six sitting at its heart. The turbocharged motor produces 330 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque, which is enough to get this lightweight sports car from 0 to 62 mph in 3.9 seconds and on to a top speed of 166 mph.
Power is routed to the wheels via an eight-speed ZF automatic gearbox, with no option for a manual, and a new steering system is said to offer “enhanced feedback and response,” Morgan adds. There’s also a new suspension system with front and rear anti-roll bars to improve handling.
The first Morgan you could live with
As well as making a lovely-looking Morgan, these updates have all been made with the aim of making the Supersport a Morgan that you could actually live with. It’s for this reason that the trunk space was added and a new audio system installed that Morgan says can hear your screams over the rushing wind.
All this practicality will set you back around £85,000, which is equivalent to about $110,000 at today’s rate. Sadly, while the Plus Four made a triumphant return to the U.S. last year, Car And Driver reports that Morgan doesn’t plan to bring the Supersport Stateside at the moment.
So, if you need another reason to leave the country after everything that’s going on right now, this could be the excuse that finally pushes you over the edge.
