New Morgan Supersport name confirmed ahead of flagship sports car’s imminent reveal
British firm’s new model will feature classically inspired looks and a BMW-derived straight-six engine
Morgan has announced its all-new flagship sports car will be called the Supersport, with the 115-year old marque set to unveil its latest creation on 11 March.
The Morgan Supersport name is new, but is very similar to the ‘Super Sports’ moniker the manufacturer has used in the past, including for a convertible version of the V8-powered Morgan Aeromax.
Of course, Morgan is a brand very proud of its heritage, which is also why the reveal of the Supersport will take place at its headquarters at Pickersleigh Road in Malvern, Worcs, which has been the company’s home since 1914.
We already have a clear idea what the Morgan Supersport will look like, because pictures of a camouflaged prototype were released in January, and we can see the traditional lines of the outgoing Plus Six remain intact.
Although the design is instantly recognisable as a Morgan, the company says it has tried to project “a more contemporary aesthetic and an aerodynamically informed proportion” with the Supersport. Up front there’s the traditional horseshoe grille paired with twin circular lights that look larger than the Plus Six’s, and more akin to those of the exclusive Midsummer speedster.
A cab-back profile with a long bonnet remains, as do the sculpted wheelarches that flow towards those pronounced rear haunches. Some less prominent features, such as the three wipers on a flat windscreen, have been retained, while others, including the vent in the front wing, have been removed.
This test car also sports a hard-top – which we assume to be a removable item – with a soft-top canvas hood likely to be offered on the new model when it arrives this spring. There’s a twin-exit exhaust system, just like on the Plus Six, and rounded, retro rear lights.
Morgan has said the Supersport won’t be a direct replacement for the Plus Six – which is bowing out this year with the limited-run Pinnacle – although the newcomer shares more than just its looks with its predecessor.
For starters, the flagship will sit on an evolution of the company’s bonded-aluminium chassis called the CXV platform, and – although this is yet to be confirmed – we expect the use of wood for the car’s frame to continue, which is a signature feature of Morgans.
According to the firm, we can also expect “a range of new technical features and engineering enhancements throughout, all contributing to greater dynamic performance and driving enjoyment”.
BMW's straight-six 3.0-litre turbocharged engine will continue to power the flagship, just as it did in the Plus Six. A similar output to the old car – which put out 335bhp and 500Nm of torque through an eight-speed ZF automatic transmission to the rear wheels – is likely.
Morgan hasn’t hinted at a starting price for the Supersport, but given the Plus Six Pinnacle costs from £96,995, a similar sum for the new model is probable.
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