Morgan Motor Company – creator of the iconic 3 Wheeler, alongside other classics – is set to reinvent itself with a modern sports car to rival the likes of Aston Martin.
The new flagship vehicle will arrive before 2024, on a new front-engined, rear-wheel-drive platform.
While Morgans tend to use traditional manufacturing processes, including wooden chassis components, the new car will use the latest in chassis and powertrain engineering, with a bonded and riveted aluminium box-section chassis.
Current top-end Morgans use an aluminium chassis but are based on a platform first seen in 2000, and have been highly modified since to meet manufacturing legislation. Morgan believes the new chassis will provide the right platform for its next wave of models, and can be modified for use into the next decade.
The platform will first be seen in 2019, on a new model internally named “Wide body”. This sports car, the company confirmed, will use a powertrain “never before seen in a Morgan” – pointing the way for an all-electric or hybrid model. The new flagship model will then follow before 2024.
Initially, the car is likely to be produced as a hand-built two-door coupe, fitted with a six-cylinder engine producing around 350bhp.
Performance will likely be close to the brand’s late flagship the Plus 8, meaning a 0-60mph time of around 4.5 seconds and a top speed of more than 150mph. It’s likely to be priced around the same level as the Aston Martin V8 Vantage, so approximately £120,000.
The new chassis is similar in weight and dimensions to the current one but twice as rigid, aiding handling and comfort. Morgan says it’s also suitable for a wider variety in driver size – a boon for any particularly tall, short or wide Morgan enthusiasts.
Crucially, the platform can also handle forthcoming electrification demands, providing space for batteries and electric motors if necessary.