1969 Morgan Plus 4

The Morgan Plus 4 owed it existence to the pre-war sports cars that had been coming out of the Malvern Link factory since the 1930s. It was a clear extension of the Morgan 4/4, which had been introduced after WW2, then powered by a 1267cc Standard engine and underpinned by a development of the same ash-framed chassis in use for approaching two decades. The Plus 4 was introduced at the 1950 Earl's Court Motor Show as the 4/4’s replacement.

The new Morgan was available in two-seat sports, four-seat sports, and more luxurious two- or four-seat drophead coupé forms, expanding this most English of sports car's appeal considerably. The Plus 4 was considerably more powerful than its predecessor, as it was now powered by a 2088-cc Standard four-cylinder engine.

While the Plus 4’s styling was very similar to the 4/4, its chassis was strengthened and lengthened (by 4-inches), and hydraulic brakes were fitted for the first time on a Morgan. Performance was much improved, and this was even more true with the 1953 model, which had a 1991-cc Triumph TR3 engine installed, and improved aerodynamics due to a more integrated radiator. When the 4/4 returned to the new car price lists in 1955 after a four-year hiatus, it moved to using the Plus 4's longer wheelbase.

The TR3 engine was replaced by a 2138-cc Triumph TR4 engine in 1962, following the option of front disc brakes in 1959. There are plenty of areas you should check when buying a Morgan Plus 4, most notably kingpins in its sliding pillar front suspension, a rotten ash frame (which will cost plenty to rectify), and corrosion around the steel cross members and the edges of the wings. But given that most of these cars are lovingly maintained and end up being family heirlooms, these points should be a worse-case scenario.

The Morgan Plus 4 was still clearly a 1930s sports car when new, but throughout the years it received updates and upgrades as the cars that donated their engines and gearboxes evolved—and a distant relative even remains in production today. Morgans truly are a timeless classic that are literally lovely to own and drive. Most people who own a Morgan end up doing so for a very long time.