Morgan Plus 8 first drive review

That six-speed manual also helps. It’s action, and that of the clutch, is very heavy, but that firmness and directness is a positive, lending the car a heft that takes getting used to but which complements the engine’s meaty performance once mastered. 

The revised steering system is also a qualified success. The once uncertain feel of the all-electric system is gone, replaced by a more dependable, and hydraulically assisted, if not sparkling, set-up.

As for the rest of the car, it is hard not to applaud Morgan’s ability to mould old and new tech. That a car that looks like this and that is built around a wooden frame can also be fitted with ABS and airbags is praiseworthy. That it can meet modern legislation and retain such charm is a lesson to other car makers.

The Aero-derived chassis contributes to all-in car weight of around 1100kg before options. It is assembled from a kit of 32 panels, which are glued together and then riveted for extra strength, before being cured in a two-stage heating process. Those aluminium panels are then supported by an ash frame, which lends the car both its light weight and decent rigidity.

The end result is a chassis that has a more than reasonable balance. Corner hard and there’s a touch of initial understeer followed by a touch of oversteer. Even on Aero-sourced 19-inch wheels it rides acceptably.

Foibles? There are a few. A cloth roof introduces inevitable compromises, the door locks are near-pointless and a frustration to operate — and the fuel filler seems angled solely to provoke the automatic spillage cut-off to kick-in. For brief moments they can make you wonder why you’d spend more than £70,000 on such a car.