Times they are a changing at Morgan: the new Plus 6 plonked a turbocharged straight six in an entirely new chassis, where once a V8 sat in prehistoric architecture. And, whisper it, the package works pretty damn well, too. Now it's the turn of the Plus 4 to be overhauled forthe 2020s, but not before the valedictory special edition.
This 70th Anniversary not only marks seven decades since the Plus 4's introduction in 1950, but also the end of production for Morgan's steel chassis. Once these cars are gone, all Morgans will switch to the new, aluminium CX platform.
It's only befitting, then, that these 20 Anniversary Edition cars are more than just any old Plus 4. That legendary chassis will be painted gold for the very first time, the body of every single car then painted Platinum Metallic - because it's 70, see? Each of these Plus 4s also gets a build plaque, embroidered headrests, satin dark grey wheels, a "motorsport-inspired front valance", a black Moto-Lita wheel and upgraded seats. Another nice tough is the photographic build record that will be presented to each owner of a 70th Edition.
The tweaks aren't merely aesthetic, either, with the Plus 4 70th Edition benefitting from an Aero Racing ECU map and sports exhaust to give the 2.0-litre Duratec 182hp - up from 156. The additional power is said to drop the 0-62mph time below seven seconds, along with "the sound to match its purposeful aesthetic."
Jon Wells, Morgan's Head of Design, said of the 70th: "A mix of premium tones, high-quality materials, and exquisite details reflect the essence of the venerable Morgan Plus 4, and provide a fitting tribute to the steel chassis that has formed its backbone since it was launched in 1950." Certainly it's an important derivative in the history of Morgan, and one that will be coveted by collectors many years from now; similarly to that Bentley Mulsanne from yesterday, cars like this just won't happen again.
In fact, 20 collectors have already stolen a march on the others and reserved one of the £61k Plus 4 70th Anniversary Editions. Sorry to be the bearers of bad news. However, Morgan says a "small number of late-production Plus 4 and Roadster models remain in the dealer network", so there's still the chance to nab a new version of a sports car that's charmed and beguiled many since the time that Britain was still rationing food - cars just like this one, in fact. Now's your chance!
1 / 3