RE: Morgan Plus Six: Geneva 2019

[Harry Flashman]

Also, I just thought, twin turbo straight six. Probably easily tuned to (even more) dangerous levels, if cooling in that cramped engine bay allows...

It's not as if plenty of aftermarket electronic treatments for that engine and gearbox don't exist.

i suspect that at some point, one of these will be the most powerful roadgoing Morgan yet produced. I'll have mine in a matt NATO olive green, with black wheels please, for a sort of WW2 staff car on acid look, especially with those letterbox LED front lights.

Edited by Harry Flashman on Thursday 7th March 17:45

[cardigankid]

Lagerlout said:

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

Congratulations, looks fabulous in that colour.

[Kolbenkopp]

Anyone that can enlighten the unwashed about that modern looking aluminium chassis? How long has this been in use and more importantly, how is that to drive? The thing is unfortunately way out of my budget but looks like good value...

@Lagerlout: congratulations!

[RosscoPCole]

I'm on my phone so can't post a picture. Just saw a Jeep Renegade advert and noticed that the headlights of the Jeep looked very similar to the Plus Six. Anyone else agree? I alwAys thought that the MINI lights on the Aero 8 was a fantastic choice after the cross eyed Beetle ones.

[iguana]

Kolbenkopp said:

Anyone that can enlighten the unwashed about that modern looking aluminium chassis? How long has this been in use and more importantly, how is that to drive?

2001 on the Aero 8

[gareth h]

iguana said:

Kolbenkopp said:

Anyone that can enlighten the unwashed about that modern looking aluminium chassis? How long has this been in use and more importantly, how is that to drive?

2001 on the Aero 8

Different chasis on the +6, apparently twice as stiff as the aero chasis.

[giveitfish]

gareth h said:

Different chasis on the +6, apparently twice as stiff as the aero chasis.

I posted about it earlier, but if the rumour mill is right the new chassis is a development of the one under the just-replaced Aston Vanquish

https://www.topspeed.com/cars/car-news/morgan-may-...

The Aston "V-H" architecture is actually licensed from Lotus and is developed from the tech that went into the original Elise tub.

[Harry Flashman]

iguana said:

Kolbenkopp said:

Anyone that can enlighten the unwashed about that modern looking aluminium chassis? How long has this been in use and more importantly, how is that to drive?

2001 on the Aero 8

As above. As for how is it to drive, on the early cars, wayward. My first Aero (2003) was a handful near any sort of limit, including snap oversteer and issues when trail braking. But this was really a matter of setup of the rose jointed suspension - we did what we could, but it was never a benign beast. Entertaining, but pretty hairy.

My series II car (2006) was a lot better, but more sanitised. Still mental by any normal standards, though, but ABS made it a bit better under braking, and more weight seemed to settle it a bit. Rabidly quick car still, with a dynoed 368bhp. This new car will be quick, and hopefully better in the handling department.

Not driven a Plus 8, but NDA and others can report...(I've followed his car to Goodwood, and absolutely love it)

[iguana]

Yip I've driven new +8 am a massive massive fan, handling isn't the best, don't take that as me thinking its terrible however, but then are not many OEM cars I've driven that aren't improved by decent aftermarket suspension & a proper set up, but it's a bit unresolved as stock.

Hopefully the +6 will be a step on, personally I'd not have it as an auto but I'm not target market for a new one so doesn't matter what I think.

[Kolbenkopp]

Thanks Gents for the replies, _very_ interesting reading. Thought this looked a bit like a Lotus tub but did not know if so or any other background. Can't afford a Plus 6 -- but perhaps I only need to up my man maths game. They do not depreciate much, do they?

PS: for those wondering about performance tweaks on the B58 engine. Not an expert, but there's a very popular programmable after market box (aka Burger Tuning JB4) that gives good results. 400 bhp / tonne should be no problem and sounds rather lively .

[cardigankid]

Not everyone loved the Plus 8 handling. The suspension arrangement on the traditional cars is like a vintage car, that is the point, and it can still handle perfectly acceptably. I’m sure that the new car particularly if it is based on a VH chassis could be fantastic if a little less vintage - but maybe that’s what the wider potential market wants, particularly if it still looks like a traditional Morgan. Maybe the new chassis will be extended right down the range in due course. It may produce some fine cars but as I mentioned they are going to be more expensive. However it is automatic and that is a major red line from my perspective.

[DonkeyApple]

I suspect that if the bulk of Morgan’s are bought by people as they enter retirement then there has been a big cultural shift at this age point where the number of people who remember driving really bad cars and enjoying a spot of nostalgia has possibly earned while the number of people who have only ever driven really good handling cars while also becoming very used to auto has waxed?

I imagain the average 55 year old with money to buy a fun car has spent 30 odd years driving cars that handle extremely well compared to those of the past and has probably spent the last decade or more mostly driving autos. It’s always a shame in some regards when amazing products like Morgan evolve to adopt more of the modern world but ultimately it is probably the right thing. A little bit like those expensive restaurants that were very big in the 80s but find themselves today trapped with a very aging client base that they have to cater for to keep the lights on but knowing that they really need to update the decor and menu to attract the next generation if they want to survive long term.

Edited by DonkeyApple on Monday 11th March 09:58

[NDA]

There are many (if not most) high performance cars that are semi automatic (i.e. have paddles). I wouldn't write off the Morgan for being one.

Paddle shift on an 8 speed box mated to a powerful engine should be lots of fun.

[cardigankid]

Precisely because everything else I have is auto I want a manual box to play with. It wasn’t a criticism, just not what I want at this minute. Anyway I expect that they will offer a manual option.

[Kolbenkopp]

The auto box would bother me as well, I'd prefer the + in engagement and the - in cost, complexity and weight. Would also solve the, admittedly first world , problem with the auto gear lever.

Let's see if they bring a manual option later. Tech wise, everything should be available from BMW / ZF. And with the small type approval volume I would think (not sure) Morgan don't need to worry about fleet co2 emissions...