I worked in automotive for 2 years. The cost cutting is insane. I asked to use one small component in the electronics that costed just under £1. No, we can't use that, it's too expensive. And I was working with an assembly of transistors. The STANDARD for these transistors was set in the early 70s and it is not accurate. The standard is so wide that we might get transistors that doesn't fit, yet is within the standard. So, if we get transistors from just one company that makes what we like, shouldn't that solve the problem? No, we can't rely on a single provider of components. If we are dependent on them they will jack up the prices. It is from experience though. Most manufacturers need one component from a certain manufacturer I know. It's not good and it's not cheap. I don't think any company that has hand built most of the car can compete with this. I doesn't matter if their products are good or not. They can never compete with the prices of the big ones. So hand built cars will get even more expensive compared to big manufacturers options. So don't expect prices of new Morgans or similar to drop. The gap will instead increase.
I think of a Morgan as s pair of British hand made leather boots by Barker or Loake.They will be more expensive than a pair of Nike trainers and not as fast.
@@nakoma5My dad apparently had one as a medical student in the early 1950s. His fellow students would pick up the rear (drive) wheel and prevent him moving off.
Modern Morgan is like "Look! We couldn't even be bothered putting a proper shifter that doesn't look like a s*x toy in it!, we are for the peeeepoool!"
Wow some interesting comments for sure. Firstly the plates were on the car for the review (maybe erroneously). Secondly there have been some build quality issues which fortunately KH my dealer have supported and sorted brilliantly. These issues were considerable and nearly caused me to sell the car. I’m pleased to report that these are now all resolved (or in process of being resolved) and I’m happy again with the car. The plus six is a very niche car, it’s very analogue and a little raw in it’s driving experience but that is what makes it unique and different to 99% of the cars available today. Then there are the looks of the car - every day someone will comment on it positively. Yes is has an auto stick (believe most Morgan’s are sold as autos). So it’s not a car for everyone but it makes you smile every time you see one on the road and more importantly every time I get behind the wheel 😊😊😊😊
I think you summed it up in the last sentence…. “So it’s not a car for everyone but it makes you smile every time you see one on the road and more importantly every time I get behind the wheel” ……. and that is exactly why you buy a car like this, to make you smile and turn back and admire it every time you walk away from it 😊 Enjoy!
I took my first Plus 4 for a long drive yesterday, on loan from a lovely dealer. Wow. What a great car, and fast, more than enough with 249bhp. The 6 is beautiful - what made you buy over the plus 4?
@@stevereilly Hi Steve - it was a close call as both are lovely cars. I believe upwards of 85% of Morgans sold are plus fours. My personal decision making thoughts were pro’s:- 1) size more room in plus six cabin for our dog and for luggage 2) power on a recent track day my car was easily keeping up with a 718 Spyder and out accelerating it on straights -it’s visceral. 3) Most Morgan’s are sold as automatics and with a dodgy knee the auto box wasn’t an issue for me. 4) Looks - I preferred the bigger chassis looks. Cons :- 1) Cost the six was a lot more expensive (less of an issue now I believe) 2) six is not as popular second hand 3) you can’t have wire wheels on a six - they look stunning on a 4 4) no manual available on a six and the auto box takes a bit of getting used to aesthetically. Overall a very close decision but the dog wouldn’t fit in a four so that was the clincher ( he’s a golden retriever). Choose your paint colour carefully and spec well and you won’t regret your decision to buy one. You feel part of the car and involved in the drive - a modern car with a classic shape 👍😊😊😊
As I puff on my ‘Royal Yacht’ mixture pipe tobacco, I can relate to your last point! Lovely car, bit pricey for me though. Thanks for making my pipe that little bit more worthwhile! Great video as always. 😊
James , a great honest review , thank you. I have wanted a Morgan since I was about 20, many years ago.They were supposed to be affordable , but we’re always out of reach for me.I recently drove one of the new aluminium chassis Plus 4’s at the factory.I enjoyed it very much but now I’m at an age where I can’t be bothered taking off weather protection and tying the shopping to a luggage rack and wondering if those antiquated wipers will work in a downpour.I couldn’t forgive Morgan for not galvanising the chassis or not giving the timber a decent amount of wood preserver , or not using rubber washers to stop the lights on top of the wing rattling. Well James after your wonderful review of the F Type I decided to buy one of the last P450’s and not the pricier Morgan.Saved a load of money and have AWD, Apple car play, a roof the goes down in 10 seconds and a glo 22:44 rious V8 engine.Also a boot (of sorts) and it’s also British.Other drivers are willing to let you out at junctions and it’s almost as pretty as a Morgan.At the Jaguar showroom were a couple that sold their Morgan and were also buying a new F Type.Im sure they will be enthralled by the modern conveniences.Get an F Type before it’s too late.
A mate and I hired a Plus 4 from the factory last year. A manual transmission is a must for both of us. There was oodles of torque from the engine without the danger of the six. Absolutely loved it. Now if Australia’s Road Safety Dolts would get off thrir lazy arses and alllw it to be imported we will boyh be happy to buy one. Each.
There are few cars I truly lust after being in this advanced of an age, but this got me like no other. I remember these when they were new with the Rover v8 being the new and cool version... Wish I was 20 again with a pocket of cash........
@@WhiteMouse77 Yours is a valid question. The solution is by allowing for the few portions that light up - facing towards the driver - to be visible. Furthermore, a good leather specialist will construct this leather "sock" (for lack of a better word) to include a leather push-button for the right side-button on the BMW gear & park controller. The back side and surrounding sides are non-illuminated plastics, thus the leather binding is most pleasing when touching the gear controller and looking at it, whilst emulating the car's interior leather & color scheme. I had that done on BMWs with that very same gear controller, therefore I wrote from an experienced point of view.
Automatic ? No bluddi way,thanks. Why is it BMW screws perfectly good cars with narrowminded marketing ? The BMW version of the Mini has always been a travesty,just as one example. So I'm a dinosaur,what of it ? A Morgan should have a manual gearbox available.....period. If you want an automatic buy a Mazda or some other Japaneseee thing with no heritage. I don't care for this version of a Morgan. I like Morgans.........that is MANUAL Morgans. Corrosion & poor radiators ? How will this car last for 50 or 70 years..... because Morgans do that,don't they ? Go to any Morgan club gathering & you'll see what I mean......any Morgan gathering.
These look ace and I saw a few on tour a few days ago, so you're timing for educating me is great :). I really admire the honesty on the ownership issues.
As an ex TVR owner (V8S in my case) from 20 years ago, I’d counter that where many of us seem to have ended up now is a VH-era Aston of some flavour (usually a Vantage).
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There’s a guy in my road with an Ineos Grenadier. It’s quite a vehicle. Another near neighbour owns an old Panamera. It looks extremely stylish. I bet they’re very cheap but 10+ years old. A friend in Nice has a brand new one. Extremely expensive. But he likes 911 performance yet is married with two children. He’s a lawyer.
Great video, but why would anyone pay £108,000 for a compromised Plus Six when they could buy a 10-15,000 mile DB9-era DBS Volante with a full Aston dealer service record for £80-90,000?
@@andydayes6624 Hi Andy take your point but they are very different to drive. You feel so much more of the driving experience in a Morgan it’s more akin to an old British sports car whereas the Aston is a GT car - both are good they just do different things vey well 👍
Been on the Morgan configuration while watching this video. One of these is definitely on the list if I win the lottery. Props to the owner buying this instead of a 911.
Gutting to see this getting panned in the comments. This is a great car, it looks incredible in person. You are paying for the experience, one that no other car offer new anymore. Yes there are compromises you have to make to live with one, but compromises are what keep cars interesting and not what theyve become, i think people need to try them.
@@lanmastersassistant659 totally agree - an Apple Watch is a technological masterpiece but people value an analogue watch - the Morgan is the automotive equivalent an experience a bit of theatre 👍
What a great car Greg, my father, who would have been 100 taught me never to lend your car or your wife to anyone else, in which order is your choice. With a hand made car sometimes things aren’t perfect, the chrome items are not made by Morgan. I am an individual with a Morgan for twenty years & still in love 🥰
Great video James - I have a 2022 Plus Four & have had no problems with the build or service - I think is a great car; I’ve had two TVRs’ a Chimera & a Cerbera Cheers HB
PlusSix and PlusFour is a hugely popular car here in Indonesia. In such a niche market (I mean, GBP120k starting price in a country where average annual wage for 270 million people is GBP3000? Yeah no...) I think our local Morgan dealer managed to shift at least 50 cars, which is crazy for a brand that's just introduced here in 2021. And some of them comes in wacky spec. There is this one PlusSix in my hometown that is actually daily driven. Like almost every morning whenever I did my morning exercise that car is being driven from and to the owner's workplace. At least 20km round-trip for at least 5 days a week since 2022. So there are people who drives Morgan everyday. Mad people, probably. I salute them, made my day slightly brighter. EDIT: Someone actually did a chiptuning and Armytrix race exhaust on a PlusSix. Weird seeing a 1950s shape but with the pop-and-bang-and-crackle soundtrack of Indonesian equivalent of ASBOs.
At 18:32 I noticed that the lower Philips head screw holding the license plate light lens is rusty. For the price would it be too much to ask that stainless steel screws be fitted? An easy fix but c'mon. But, props where props are due, the screws holding the steering wheel on are clocked properly.
Slot head screws don't belong on a car, they should have used cap heads partially recessed into the mounting face. I don't care if they don't look vintage, the car has BMW running gear.
@@4Kandlez You should take it up with MotoLita, and all the other suppliers of parts for cars. And the auto manufacturers of cars that used screws with slotted heads. That should keep you busy for quite a while.
Porsche owner, always loved the look of the Morgan family, but as you have said, the experience of many is displaced from the price tag. Common theme with British cars.
As a retired Aussie in the Philippines I won't get the opportunity to drive a Morgan Plus Six, or ever own one. Same goes for a Caterham. However, I'd go for a Caterham Seven 170, because it starts around thirty thousand pounds, and it has the amazing Suzuki 660c.c.turbo three cylinder engine, which is practically unburstable. It weighs only 440kg in standard form. That Suzuki three cylinder turbo engine also powers the very much loved "Multicabs" in the Philippines. They come in van and dual cab pickup versions, as 4x4 or 4x2. Obviously with the Morgan Plus Six having an excellent BMW engine, that's not likely to be a problem.
So, in summary, a fun car, but one with issues. Issues with a capital "I". Not what I wanted to hear when told that the price tag was now into the £100K realm However, I still remember the old Sir John Harvey Jones programme featuring his attempt to turn the company around on some ways. Including his remark that during his visit, he was left with the impression that it was a matter of pride within the company, to start with the tree and work upwards from there. :) "Eccentric" is the word to reach for when confronted with such anecdotes, and pretty much sums up the customer base too. Which wants something different with a capital "D". As long as Morgan keep supplying this, they'll keep going, and I suspect they'll emerge eventually as the only car company on the planet to celebrate 200 years of continuous production ... But, yes, £100K, that's quite a shock to be told that ...
I'll stick with my low mileage 2014 R231 SL500. Luxury coupe with a glorious V8 that converts to luxury Roadster. And only cost me £29500. But I do hope Morgan keep going. I always fancied an aero 8. But sadly there's issues with the engines in those so a big thanks to BMW there who no longer seem to be manufacturers of reliable engines. Though perhaps the 6cyl in this Morgan is better
An extremely enjoyable film. You did the car proud, James, warts and all. I'm old enough to remember a series called "Troubleshooter", where the former Chairman of ICI, Sir John Harvey-Jones would visit various companies to give them business advice. When he had reviewed Morgan, he advised them to adopt mass-production methods in order to maximise the opportunity of their 7 year waiting list & fix many of their quality issues. But Morgan said, "No thanks, we're sticking with our artisan approach." I've always wanted one. Perhaps when I retire, I'll sell both my current 2-seaters and buy one of these. One question: didn't Morgan once make a Plus 8, with a Rover V8 under the bonnet?
Before i bought my TVR Tamora I was looking at the plus 4 variant of these... kind of glad I went the direction I did now. Build quality on the interior was lovely though, felt pretty special... but even the 4 cyl version isn't cheep!
Great!! Lovely car... I have been talking to a Plus 8 owner. At 6'5" i Will not fit in that one... in the new Plus Four and Plus Six i do... now save some money to buy a pipe for smoking 😮
Just a note on the "BMW engine in the Toyota Supra": The BMW did NOT meet Toyota's endurance and reliability standards, and has 25 key modifications made to the ones fitted in the Supra, such as head gasket and valve train improvements. There are a few internet articles on that.
I think they should've just used the Lotus version of their 3.5 V6. Sounds better, pretty bulletproof, similar/more power, real Toyota engine and differentiates the two more. Would've made even more sense if they did all those mods.
just stop, it's just stupid what toyota fan boys come up with. The same brand that can't seam to produce a low power direct injetecd v6 without without destroing it self in a couple of years. Not even bmws high reving v10 was that bad. The b58 came out in 2015 long before the supra was even thought about. It's recived minor upgrades over the years. That you even mention head gasket just proves you got no idea what you are talking about. The part number has been the same from 15 to 19 when a upgraded power version was introudced due to emssions. Also if Toyota is so perfect. Why the heck don't they do anything to improve the quality on the Stelantis Proace they glady slap there name on. That if something is horrendus quality vise, from body to engines.
My Uncle had a Morgan back in the 80’s and my abiding memory of it was having to haul my cousin back in the car as she was unceremoniously hanging out the side of the car as we went around a corner when the door spontaneously opened itself. Fun drive though.
What a car! I don't see any of those issues listed as "issues". Corroding wing mirrors is not a build quality issue, but rather an issue with their door mirror supplier that needs to be addressed. And yes, I own a TVR! 🙂
I love Morgan, the niggles, the rattles and limitations I would put up with but the price is a little high and I wouldn’t want the unreliability. I’ve had a 911 and now looking for something a little different.
I have been driving a Morgan for 19 years with great pleasure. 10 years ago I downsized from a 6-cylinder roadster to a 4/4. A nimble, light fun car, with a slightly tuned engine and good enough to take me and my wife to northern Italy once a year. If I had the money today, would I want a new Plus Six? I don't think so. It is a completely different target group, but at the same time a problem for Morgan, because my generation loves its traditional older Morgan and we can forgive the car a lot. Anyone who spends £110,000 today and doesn't know Morgan won't want to forgive much. BTW, instead of buying a CX Morgan, I'd rather keep my 2007 Elise, which I've had since new.
@@GuusvanLienen no, but that is because James has awful posture generally (although I can't talk, I'm built very much like him and tend to slouch like he does!). What's more, in any brake application, that headrest is the difference between, at best, suffering painful whiplash or avoiding it - and in a full emergency stop, or a collision, life and death. Headrests are vitally necessary and should be compulsory for all cars on the road, with no exemption for classics.
The Morgan is to me an historical Miata, with a great, big, turbocharged BMW 6, or a V-8 or most commonly a 4, but in any case one of the ultimate British sports cars!
1:16 You're not helping with that common misconception. While the *chassis* was metal, the *frame* was indeed wood. That is the critical detail most people on both sides miss.
Have always LOVED these cars, however for me that gearstick really is a dealbreaker and would send me to the Plus 4 instead. Would happily sacrifice the straight six just to avoid it!
TY J! 🙏🙏 Great looking cars, but yes, factory should have ironed out so many of those bugs by now. I think a lot of TVR owners went to Aston or Lotus (Evora).
He must have bought them for a previous car that qualified and put them on when transferring the number. Or the company that sold them to him didn't know or decided they didn't care about the law if they're new.
Given a larger budget for my garage, this would be top of the list for quirky English open top, and I’d hunt a Six speed manual for it if budget was no issue
Volvo 142 from 1973 and onwards also made that strange whistle-noise. Owners jokingly claimed it was an extra safety feature, the car was simply alerting local wildlife to its presence.
I bought a new Morgan some years ago, and recognise most of your criticisms. However, the one I don't agree with you about is the lack of a boot. You could pack a lot of stuff behind the seats - easily enough for a weekend away for two.
Hello James. This is probably blasphemous but, I've never liked Morgans. It probably stems from the days (45 years ago) when I did a season racing one. The car tried very hard to kill me several times and left me with a lifelong dislike. That Plus 6 looks like a very different Morgan though; perhaps I might give it a chance. Great video James (they always are), I shall go away and think...
I've driven a Plus Four 4 weeks ago, as comparison to my Series 3 Lotus Elise 220S CR. Great drive for scenic purposes, great view over the bonnet. Way too long manual gearing, pity. BUT: Nitron suspension is now available as Option for 2024, and I am curious to know the difference with std suspension. My Elise transformed also tremendously well, and expect same for the Morgan.
So the point is if you don't have a pair of large knackers buy a Porsche, if you do buy a TVR, Morgan or Caterham. Nothing changed since the 90's then... Greg has a pair... Go on my son 💪😂
Yes…that awful looking gearlever spoils the interior of the otherwise very nice Ineos Grenadier too, and for that matter, all cars that use this BMW drivetrain unfortunately. The steering feels numb likely because it’s electric power steering.
I remember seeing a wooden chassis on Morgans in the past. Was that a misconception? I still want one and I'm not questioning their engineering. A old school 3 wheeler is peak dream to me
I think the ash frames were to shape and support the bodywork and interior stuff - seats, doors, picnic hamper, etc - (non-structural superstructure?), all of which was then bolted onto the actual (metal) chassis which held the pointy, bouncy, oily, turny squeaky bits. Possibly. Perhaps. Allegedly. Maybe.
@@EleanorPetersonMost combinations of metals mustn't have any direct contact or the touch points will rust horrifically. Morgan found ash wood worked excellently as connecting material between Aluminum and Steel on the theirs cars edit: I meant aluminium of course, please excuse the mishap
It's not a Toyota Jay mate, the whole point of this is it's hand made, has loads of issues, and is for old blokes like me (and you soon) as you say, to avoid buy a mass produced German posh Beetle... Same price as a GTS, but everyone thinks you're a w*nker in the 911, in the Morgan they just think you're excentric. The dealers are amazing as you note, as are the customers.
I never have seen the attraction of Morgans, a car for a Sunday afternoon Summer drive, but hardly practical. However, I have met the Morgan management at car events and they are nothing if not enthusiastic, which you have to be to try and convince me that their three-wheeler is a practical purchase.
@@richardharrold9736 Yes, of course. Considering they seemingly offer a steering wheel, a slightly dressed up shift knob shell would seem to be quite simple.
@@GoldenCroc maybe. But if I remember my brief time with an F11 Touring correctly, those shifters get quite warm. So if you put a thermally insulating layer of leather over it, that might cause it to overheat...
@@richardharrold9736 I had a car with the same gearbox and shifter, and I dont remember it getting scalding by any means, maybe lukewarm or so. Otherwise I would have thought of it more. Therefore I think any overheating issues arent that likely, and if it would cause an issue after all, you could easily make the design vented.
I almost bought one (4pot manual), love it. Smile on the face car. Went for last Elise due to driving feel. I did the Porsche thing too, way too dull, just a car. Thanks for the video, I don’t see Morgan lasting much longer, like Lotus.
Talk about moving with the times! I had a silver Plus 8 with a Moss 'box in the early 70s, and that was also "a thrilling drive". It was so thrilling* on wet, oily London streets that I got rid of it fairly pronto.... Unfortunately, I replaced it with a 3 litre Volvo-engined Marcos, which was also very "thrilling", not to say a little wayward in its behaviour. I bet that Plus 6 is a tame little thing, when compared to the Plus 8!😁 *for "thrilling", read terrifying. The only car I've had that was worse for wet road traction was a 351 Mustang. Completely undrivable!
The problem with Morgans’ is in my opinion a bit lack of the class. It is more the old LR Defender customer’s owner weekend car rather than “Honey, tonight we go to the opera”. That is the reason why we all are not running to Malvern but rather only focus on talking about it with admiration.
My Plus Four is nearly 3 years old. Fabulous car but I'm getting tired of the uncomfortable ride & unreliability. Such a shame as for me there's not much else like it.
Like Greg i hankered after a Morgan on retirement, I really loved the whole idea of them. So i test drove one, but was a little perturb admittedly it was winter when I was warned in the wet you can lose it on a sixpence, take it really carefully. Perhaps I would like to take out the plus 4 rather than risk the possibility of impending doom??? Then i checked the internet, and the issues at that time apart from absolutely no safety features of any kind on a very, fast and light car. Internet Forums were alive with upset customers being told do not drive their cars admittedly along side people that absolutely loved the car shrugged their shoulders and said its a Morgan. However for me a car at that price with very limited safety features and a seemingly constant dribble of issues (if the internet is to be believed) made by craftsman or not is sadly not for me..
People forget that an automatic is something someone might actually prefer. Not because of dynamics but because they might actually find it better. I’ve got a dodgy knee and clutch use is getting worse year on year. My wife has metal in her foot. So effectively a manual is as good as any mantelpiece ornament 😂😂😂😂 when I was in the market for a Morgan they didn’t offer it as an option. Now I just can’t afford one. Mind you I’m not sure I could even get in and out😂😂😂😂
This is what happens when a small, under resourced company tries to launch a new car. Lots of little things which they didn't have the time or ability to sort out go wrong....
