Along with its charming appearance, this unashamedly retro roadster does an excellent job of combining modern and traditional characteristics. Perhaps the best example of this can be found underneath, where a wooden frame is mounted to an aluminium chassis.
Powering the Plus Four is a two-litre, turbocharged petrol engine that’s sourced from BMW. This produces 255bhp and 350Nm of torque when mated to the six-speed manual gearbox. Alternatively, you can have a BMW eight-speed automatic, with a boost in torque up to 400Nm. Either way, the wind in your hair will certainly be bracing.
The Morgan Plus Four is a very distinctive car, so the natural rival to the Plus Four is the Morgan Supersport. The Supersport has all the same driving qualities as its sibling with crisp handling and a strong engine line-up, but also has road presence which can rival the most exotic supercars.
“A gentle run along a twisty road is where the Plus Four feels at its best. Roof down at 40-50mph on a summer’s evening, with the view of those curving wings ahead of you, the Morgan feels special in a way that few cars can match.” – Alex Ingram, chief reviewer
How to choose the best sports car
It’s common sense, but it pays to have a very good idea of your needs before setting foot in a showroom or beginning your online hunt.
Does it suit your needs?
Most sports cars will make some compromises on practicality, while limited load space and room for just two adults may not quite match your lifestyle. Similarly, larger performance machines will be more expensive to run, so there’s a balance to be found if you plan to use your sports car as your sole transport.
Convertible or hard-top?
At the cheaper end of the market, it makes sense to decide whether or not you want a convertible. Modern soft-tops are far more sophisticated than ever before – with the roof up or down – but at high speeds one with a cheaper fabric top will be less refined than the equivalent coupe. Again, a compromise may be required if you want the option of wind-in-the-hair motoring.
Properly test drive the car
Once you’ve decided on your requirements and budget, the next step should always be a test drive. Make sure you take the car to a proper twisty road and get a feel for its responses.
Pay attention to the steering, gearshift, pedals, suspension and performance through the gears; it’s likely you’ll be buying a sports car to have fun, so make sure you feel able to enjoy yourself.
Also check that you can fit behind the steering wheel; many sports cars can feel a little cramped inside if you’re more than six feet tall. If you plan on going on local day trips, or road trips further afield, make sure the car has enough storage space for all your luggage and anything else you’ll be taking with you.
The sports-car market is filled with models from prestigious brands. Picking one of these is a good idea if you can afford it, because their residual values will be relatively high. That’s a good thing if you’re buying on a PCP deal, too; high residuals usually equal relatively low monthly payments. Just don’t get too carried away with expensive options.
Now check out our list of the best rear-wheel drive cars…