RE: Morgan Plus Six: Geneva 2019

[sideways man]

Just read this on the autocars news page;


Morgan has sold a stake in its company to Italian venture capitalist firm Investindustrial - and the British firm says the investment will allow it to massive expand its range and production facilities.

Announced at the Geneva motor show, the “significant new capital investment” makes Investindustrial the single biggest shareholder in the Morgan Motor Company. The amount the firm paid has not been disclosed.

The Morgan family will retain a share in the 110-year-old company, while management and staff will also have a share in the now-Italian-owned business. Morgan unveiled the Plus Six, its first new model in 19 years, at Geneva.

It has ruined my day.

There’s a thread already started on this subject in general gassing.

Edited by sideways man on Tuesday 5th March 19:35

[robemcdonald]

I absolutely love it. The gear stick doesn’t even bother me.

[Wacky Racer]

I auto box wouldn't bother me at all and I have owned two Morgans previously. Don't like the knob though.

[Bobajobbob]

AdamV12AMR said:

I *think* it's the same ZF 8sp that's in the new Vantage, therefore the speed of shifts will come down to ECU programming from the OEM, based on what they feel their customers want (rather than hardware changes).

Thanks, I could probably live with that though I'd prefer a proper manual.

[Robert-nszl1]

I've wanted a Morgan for years, and went to my local dealer yesterday on the back of this. I'm 6'4, and heavier than I should be and I just don't fit them. Not leg room, but the steering wheels on the older cars (Roadster and plus 8) are just too low. I couldn't bring myself to place an order on this new one blind, even though the ergonomics look much better. I then got in (well squeezed in!) a 3 wheeler without thinking I'd actually fit at all....and amazingly it's absolutely fine! Test drive booked, and am already looking at specs. The prospect of a summer of low speed thrills has made me more excited about a car purchase than I thought was possible at my age!

[chris_caradventures]

That steering wheel, joystick (or is it called 'sadstick'?) and lack of a manual option make me sad.

[GAFF1974]

Such a beautiful car. What a shame it’s got a German engine (great though it is) rather than Jaguar’s AJ126 superchanged unit, switching to the Ingenium straight six in the future.

[ITP]

griffdude said:

Quicker & cheaper, what’s not to like?

It’ll be interesting to see what it sounds like first hand.

Quicker and cheaper?

That misses the point of Morgan’s completely. No-one ever bought a Morgan because it was quick or cheap.
It’s all about the ‘alternative’ experience to most other cars.
Next thing will wondering how good the ‘infotainment system’ is.....
Not saying there shouldn’t be an auto available, but there should certainly be the option of a manual.

[Pumpsmynads]

I may be showing my lack of age (I wish) but does this have windows or not? And if so, they can’t roll down looking at the door!

[Harry Flashman]

Bobajobbob said:

AdamV12AMR said:

I've just turned 40, so (maybe optimistically) count myself as 'a new generation of customer'. My dad loves Morgans but, maybe because of this, they have always been the preserve of the generation above.

I'm on my 4th Aston Vantage, having graduated to the V12 last year, but I'm genuinely considering leaving AML for the first time in 8 years for this car.

I genuinely hope Morgan read the comments re: a manual option. If they added a stick and a third pedal, count me in

I'm on my second Vantage, having previously owned a Morgan, and this is the first car in a while that may tempt me from the Aston. Is the box a pure slush auto box or a quick shifter like the one in the new Vantage?

I bought my first Morgan at 30, so was way outside the usual demographic. There's a pic of it below.

It was amazing - quick, an incredible noise, and a unique thing to drive. Even 5mph was an event.

It was also awful - it was back at the dealer being fixed monthly, and had at least ten serious faults. Yet I loved it enough to try a Mk2 on higher miles, with the issues sorted. It still went wrong (but only in niggly ways). However, the real issue with ownership was the dealership service. On the one hand, it's lovely, and you feel like part of a club. On the other, it is massively inconvenient - no pick up or delivery, and a car that no-one but a Morgan dealer can or wants to work on. And in summer, no available appointments for weeks, so you ended up booking your service months ahead. And then having to scrabble around to get the car fixed when something major blew up. So, given that these cars need constant dealer attention, and I became busier on my Saturdays, and like actually driving my sports cars rather than looking at them broken down on my driveway, I bought a V8 Vantage.

The Vantage was nowhere near as much fun (but infinitely safer - both Aeros were psychopathic at anywhere near the limit). But the Aston was also problematic (the usual faults - nothing serious, but all expensive to remedy on an out of warranty car), but at least they picked it up and delivered it back when it went wrong or needed a service.

I then had a baby, so now run a CLS63 AMG shooting brake. Which is hilarious, wayward and ballistic, which is why I picked it over the empirically better RS6 (you can see a pattern here of heart over head in car choices), but I miss having a two-seater. (incidentally, the Merc seems to be rather more reliable that either Morgan or my V8V, which will shock no-one)

As for the auto box on the Plus 6, I'd have it. The ZF 8 speed is a great thing, and I live in London and am long over manual cars with a heavy clutch. In fact, I am really liking the look of this car. I shall test drive one when available and report back...if they have sorted the chassis a bit, just the looks and fact that nothing short of a true exotic will feel as special, this could have real draw for me. The noise of that turbo V6 will have had to be tuned to be genuinely great, though.

And my number plate won't be able to go on it, either.

My first one:

V8OAF1 by baconrashers, on Flickr

And the second:

FB_IMG_1540323851905 by baconrashers, on Flickr

Edited by Harry Flashman on Wednesday 6th March 20:10

[SFO]

the pic of the front looks a bit squashed .. as if it barely fits over the front axle

prefer it with the standard 18” disc wheels

[cardigankid]

Gecko1978 said:

GroundEffect said:

That shifter would cost around $0.5M to engineer and $1M to tool up if you wanted a new one. It's an eShifter, not just a bit of metal and rubber to the transmission - it carries a lot of safety protocol overheads.

really...surely we are talking about repackaging whats in the knob not anything else its just a bit of metal plastic an if there is circuitry inside surely it cool be in a different package. Same issue with the supra the gear knob screams BMW parts bin

I think that you are wrong, the issue needs to be looked at the other way around.

There is nothing wrong and a huge amount right with the BMW developed shifter. It is designed to allow drivers to engage easily with the technology. It fits in the hand like a Walther PPK and is as easy to use.

What is wrong is the flat veneered board next to it and the basic trim around it, which though no doubt more expensive looks totally alien and less comfortable than the way a Plus 4 or Roadster are finished. Do you really want to rest your arm on that? No. They should have taken the challenge, and made a really delicious calf leather overglove for it, then taken the shifter as the theme for a leather transmission tunnel using the same theme and geometry.

[B17NNS]

Smashing looking thing. Auto wouldn’t bother me at all. Please ditch that ridiculous shifter though.

[Nerdherder]

cheddar said:

Odd juxtaposition between old and new - neither one thing or the other - holds no appeal for me, when really it should

Agree on it being a weird juxtaposition, but to me it has Massive appeal. I’d daily drive this one.

[Jim the Sunderer]

That would do just nicely when my software company gets bought out.

With no products or customers it might be a while.

[NDA]

Pumpsmynads said:

I may be showing my lack of age (I wish) but does this have windows or not? And if so, they can’t roll down looking at the door!

Morgans have 'side screens' which screw on. Unless a storm has it's own name, most owners leave them off.

[Lagerlout]

Lovely car, NDA. I sold my Plus 8 I had for a couple of reasons.

It was manual, which was great, except there is no space to the side of the pedal to put your foot, hence why most of these are autos. After an hour the cramp in my left leg was so bad I had to get out of it. Being 6ft 3 I could just fit the Plus 8 but it wasn't really comfortable. Being such an amazing car I wanted to drive it loads. I won't go into how brilliant the Plus 8 is, but it's quicker than the just replaced M3 in a straight line and lairy as anything if you want some sideways action all whilst sounding like a Spitfire on full chat. Fab car and in no way an 'old mans' car. It's a huge event.

So when this popped up, I think they've nailed it. Better chassis, looks like Exige V6 front and rear suspension to me (!), much more room inside for tall guys, and think the whole thing will be better. It was already a great car in V8 form. I'm not a fan of the Fours and that old chassis, the alloy jobs are very good.

Anyway I went and placed an order. Hopefully get one of the first 50 in that ice blue. Starting to build them end of July apparently, but it's a Morgan so could be waiting quite a while lol

[rev-erend]

Steering wheel is on the wrong side.

[DonkeyApple]

rev-erend said:

Steering wheel is on the wrong side.

I think it’s part of the redesign to get more space for taller drivers.

[NDA]

Lagerlout said:

Anyway I went and placed an order. Hopefully get one of the first 50 in that ice blue.

Excellent!

I doubt I will swap out of my (still fairly new) +8 for a +6 - but the 6 looks terrific. It's going to be a rocket. A hooligans car.