Morgan Plus Six Has An Aluminum/Wood Platform And A Supra/Z4 Engine


This is the Morgan Plus Six and, believe it or not, it is the first all-new Morgan since the Aero 8 was introduced 19 years ago! It has the classic design of other Morgan models but don’t let that fool you, it does have some modern-day tech and will be displayed at the Geneva Motor Show.


The most important thing to know about the Morgan Plus Six is that it isn’t powered by a V8 engine like its predecessor and instead uses a 3.0-liter straight-six. Not just any straight-six. The Plus Six has BMW’s B58 turbocharged engine. Yes, that’s the same engine powering the latest-generation BMW Z4 and Toyota Supra. Power sits at 335 hp and 369 lb-ft (500 Nm).

Mated to this engine is a ZF eight-speed automatic transmission which allows the Plus Six to hit 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.2 seconds before topping out at 166 mph (267 km/h). Alongside the use of a powerful engine and fast-shifting transmission, the Plus Six has a third ingredient that makes it achieve these figures: weight. Or, more accurately, its lack thereof as the sports car weighs just 2369 lbs (1075 kg).


Power is sent through the rear wheels and, with the exception of ABS, the Morgan Plus Six features no safety systems. A manual gearbox is on the way.

Underpinning the Morgan Plus Six is a new aluminum and wooden architecture dubbed CX. Morgan says that this architecture will underpin many of its future models and that it can support hybrid powertrains, electric powertrains, select safety systems and even some autonomous driving technologies.


The Morgan Plus Six incorporates two driving modes, namely Sport and Sport Plus. However, as the car is quite traditional, these modes only adjust the response time of the throttle and transmission – no trick magnetic or hydraulic suspension systems here.

In a world of interiors fast becoming dominated by massive screens, the Morgan Plus Six’s cabin remains very traditional and includes a multitude of wooden surfaces.

Morgan expects to build roughly 300 examples annually. Prices start at £77,995 ($102,668).

carscoops

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Limited Edition Ford GT 'Competition Series' Is All About The Track

Image
Ford's new GT Competition Series was built with weight-saving in mind, but also with an improved center of gravity for better road-holding. Among its features, you'll notice the lightweight carbon fiber racing stripes, A-Pillars and side mirrors, as well as the unique race-inspired Perspex acrylic engine hatch with integrated venting. Thanks to the manual latch and the carbon fiber prop rod, weight near the roof has been reduced, though Ford engineers went even further in their quest to make the car lighter, by making the bulkhead Gorilla Glass behind the driver about half as thick (and as light) as on other models. "The Ford GT has racing in its blood," said Ford exec Raj Nair, while adding that the Competition Series "was developed with the most hardcore track enthusiasts in mind, providing a tailored set of lightweight features and unique livery to match." There are also plenty of remaining performance features from the production car, such as
Read more

Alpine A110 Hits Geneva With Pure, Legende And GT4 Versions

Image
Renault’s reborn Alpine brand has been getting rave reviews for its new A110 and now, as promised, it’s revealed new versions of its coupe at the Geneva Motor Show. Following the success of the sold-out Premiere Edition, the A110 will now be offered in Pure and Legende trims. The A110 Pure is targeted at driving enthusiasts. It features one-piece Sabelt sports seats that weigh barely more than 13 kilograms (28.6 pounds) each and, combined with other weight-saving measures, helps keep the curb weight below 1,100 kg ( 2,425 lbs). It’s not entirely stripped out, though, and still comes with features like air-conditioning and satellite navigation. Buyers can also add upgraded Brembo brakes and an adaptive exhaust system and can upgrade to the adjustable comfort seats. Those come standard on the Legende model, which is geared more towards every day driving and grand touring and comes with leather upholstery. Customers can also choose between two Focal sound systems and two wheel
Read more

Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet Is A Crossover For Droptop Lovers

Image
Droptop crossovers have always been rather odd and the T-Roc Cabriolet is no different. It will be the only convertible Volkswagen on sale for the foreseeable future and will celebrate its public debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show in September. Rather than simply removing the roof of the standard T-Roc, Volkswagen has drastically altered the vehicle’s structure and body. In fact, its wheelbase is 37 mm longer than the standard T-Roc while its overall length is up by 34 mm. In addition, the Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet features structural strengthening in the underbody, side panels, cross members, doors, and windscreen frame to make up for the lack of a roof. The folding fabric roof developed by Volkswagen retracts in just nine seconds at speeds of up to 19 mph (30.5 km/h) and is similar in operation to the roof of the outgoing Golf Cabriolet. The presence of the soft top reduces trunk space by 161 liters down from the 284 liters of the run-of-the-mill T-Roc. We don’t think bu
Read more