The Morgan Motor Co, based in Worcestershire, has launched the all-new Morgan Plus Four as the successor to the Plus 4, which has formed the backbone of Morgan production since its debut in 1950.

The Plus Four (www.morgan-motor.com) is based on the bonded aluminium CX-Generation platform, so called because it made its debut in Morgan’s 110th year (2019); this is more rigid than the steel ladder chassis that it replaces, yet lightweight (just 97kg), and it is said to transform the car’s ride and handling.

The company has chosen BMW’s 2.0-litre TwinPower Turbo engine for the Plus Four — the first time a four-cylinder turbo-charged engine has featured in a Morgan car.

Steve Morris, Morgan Motor Co chairman and CEO, said: “The all-new Morgan Plus Four features rare craftsmanship, the instantly recognisable Morgan silhouette and industry-leading technology, thanks to our CX-Generation aluminium platform and the BMW powertrain.

“This new model displays some of the most celebrated features of our classic range and strikes the perfect balance between tradition and modernity.

“It represents a four-year development programme, carried out by our world-class design and engineering team.”

Head of design Jonathan Wells said: “This project presented design and engineering with an incredible task — to protect and preserve our core model’s unique proposition, while completely re-designing it.

“Almost every component has been evaluated and redesigned, and that has delivered an entirely new Plus Four.”