Vintage Spirit, Modern Power

As we pull up to Romeo Ferraris headquarter just outside Milan, it’s hard to know what to expect. We are here to pick up a unique British roadster from this famed Italian dealership. Romeo Ferraris has a significant history of prepping and campaigning Alfa Romeos and Abarths with success over the years, but we aren’t here to pick up either of those.

Instead, we came to get behind the wheel of one of the final Morgan Plus Sixes produced. Morgan stands as one of the world’s oldest car companies and has not deviated from the principles on which the brand was founded in 1910. Although the company began by producing 3-wheeled “cyclecars” - which have been revived and are once again being built today - for nearly 90 years, the core product has been lightweight 4-wheeled sports cars. These classically attractive cars are typically open-top roadsters, and from the beginning, have used engines from other manufacturers. 

The Plus Six is no exception to this, although the model debuted to replace the Plus 8, which had been in production on and off since 1968, it retained much of the classic Morgan look with exaggerated outboard fenders and a low-cut cockpit. Unlike the Plus 8, though, this new car utilizes a glued aluminum chassis, which is 100 kg lighter than that of the outgoing car, and 100% more rigid. That being said, the famed ash wood frame that Morgan is known, for still underpins the vehicle. Not only did the chassis receive significant modernization, but so did the powertrain. 

Sitting under the long hood is one of BMW’s most popular engines of the moment - the B58 twin-turbocharged inline 6- making the Plus Six the first factory-produced Morgan with turbocharging. With a power output of 335 horsepower, this lightweight car is capable of 0-100 km/h in just 4.2 seconds and a top speed in excess of 265 km/h. Power is sent through a ZF 8HP 8-speed automatic to the rear wheels. Although we may prefer a manual in a car like this, it is a responsive gearbox, and it fits the car well. 

In short, Morgan may have a reputation for doing things the “old way,” but we can assure you that after a few days behind the wheel of this Plus Six, there is quite a bit of modernity in there too. 

Leaving Romeo Ferraris, we point the Morgan east, heading towards the Altopiano di Asiago, an area with wonderful driving roads in the North East of the italian Alps. Starting off on the motorway, you can quickly tell that this is not the type of driving that Morgan designed this car for. Although it can easily lope along in 8th gear and has plenty of power to pass, the sharp steering and unassisted brakes take a lot of attention in places where you really would rather just cruise. Additionally, you can tell that, although the car has doors and a roof, Morgan didn’t really intend on you using them - cruising at 110 km/h, the noise in the cabin makes conversation difficult, and weatherproofing is minimal at best. 

But when we did finally get to the mountains, it all started to make sense. Tipping the scales at just over 1,100 kg, the twin-turbo six launches this car from turn to turn with the feeling that the torque will never end. When you get to that corner, the direct steering helps you dive into the apex, and you can easily control the car’s trajectory with the throttle. Sliding the car is easy and, since you’re practically sitting on the rear axle, you can feel everything that is happening. 

We had the transmission moved into S+ mode, which provides more aggressive shifting and holds gears longer. Importantly, it also gives additional pops and bangs from the exhaust that are quite addictive. 

If there was one downfall of this car, it would have to be the unassisted brakes. The pedal had minimal feel and proved to be difficult to modulate, even after a significant amount of time behind the wheel. 

As we head down from the mountains, we have time to reflect on the experience and how best to use the Plus Six. While the automatic gearbox initially implied a grand-touring focus, with the interior noise, minimal luggage space, a small fuel tank, and darty steering, that’s not the answer. But as a roadster that you can hop in on any nice day and use for your run to the shops or screaming up a mountain road, it is truly an experience. 

We loved our time in the Plus Six and wished that we could have spent more of our driving time up in the mountains. This car is sort of in a class of its own - classic looks that date back to the 1950s, but paired with a very of-the-moment engine and gearbox that give it a truly unique character. If you’re on the hunt for a fun roadster that has a high level of performance, there are plenty of options out there, but if you want one that is also charming and packed to the brim with character, there is really only one option - the Plus Six.

Many thanks to Romeo Ferraris