Morgan Plus 4

As fine a British institution as cold showers and buggery, and about as comfortable, the Morgan Plus 4 is an antiquated indulgence that you shouldn’t want but absolutely will the second you step aboard

• Comfort

  If you relax by sitting on the waltzers, then the Morgan is right up your street. The Plus 4 rides with a surprising lack of consistency and you'll be watching for potholes more than in most other cars.

  

• Performance

  The Plus 4 gets a modest but decent 2-0-litre unit provided by Ford. Performance is merely sufficient, and that's thanks to Morgan's inherently lightweight ash frame chassis construction, but it always feels slightly too fast.

  

• Cool

  A proper Morgan (by which we mean not an Aero 8) is only cool if you're not an old fart in his retirement. Be young, and preferably a blonde girl, and you're away.

  

• Quality

  It's built by men in a shed in Malvern. But don't dismiss it for this - Morgan has been around for over 100 years, all in the same family, so it must be doing something right to keep the customers coming back.

  

• Handling

  The Morgan doesn't handle so much as just steer vaguely. You point it into the middle of a bend and see what happens, making the necessary adjustments all the while. Stately and dignified stuff.

  

• Practicality

  Sit down. Breathe in gently. Morgans have no boot. None whatsoever. There’s also barely enough room in the cabin for you and a size zero model. If you need to bring a toothbrush go buy a BMW Z4.

  

• Running costs

  A Morgan’s utter timelessness means they hold their value extremely well, and the modern engines are reliable and frugal. If you can afford it in the first place you’ve nothing to lose from there. Except hair and fillings.