Cars

No carmaker in the world embraces tradition more than Morgan Motor Company. At his factory in the spa town of Malvern, workers still use generations-old techniques to hand-assemble cars not dissimilar to those their parents, grandparents or great-grandparents may have owned. The 4/4, introduced in the 1930s, is still in production. The same goes for the Plus 4, Plus 8 and Roadster, while the most primitive Morgan of all, the 3 Wheeler, has returned after a hiatus of several decades.

One of the company’s enduring traditions is its dependence on other manufacturers for the engines that power its cars. Since 1909, when H.F.S. Morgan used a Peugeot V-twin to power his prototype three-wheeled car, Morgan has not produced a single engine, gearbox or rear axle. Avoiding the considerable development costs was undoubtedly crucial to the survival of such a small manufacturer, but the resulting dependence sometimes left Morgan unable to chart its own course.

Plus 4, for example, shows how this dependency can manifest itself. When it was launched at the end of 1950, the model was equipped with a 2,088 cm3 Standard Vanguard four-cylinder, succeeded by the four-cylinder that equipped Standard-Triumph’s TR2, TR3 and TR4. When the TR4 – and its engine – ceased production in 1969, so did the Plus 4, which wasn’t revived until 1985, when Morgan began buying 2-liters from Fiat. The Fiat was ousted from the engine bay in 1988 by the Rover M16 four-cylinder, which, after Rover ceased production, was replaced by Ford’s 2-liter Duratec four-cylinder, the engine with which the Plus 4 is equipped today!

This model is a Plus 4, two-seater. Delivered new to Germany in February 1967, it was fitted with the Triumph TR4 engine, giving it a very pleasant ride. It was then exported to Arizona in the USA, before being re-imported to Europe by the current owner.

The car is very well maintained. Recent operations include :

• 4 new tires
• New exhaust system
• New high-power starter
• New headlamps
• New battery
• New soft-top window
• Brake system overhaul

This beautiful Plus 4 is an opportunity to acquire an automotive icon at a very good price!