As a car enthusiast, it’s hard to not love Morgan. It’s a hilariously quirky and unusual automaker that makes some of the most interesting cars on the planet. It uses old-fashioned techniques, such as using wood for some of the body construction, combined with new-school techniques, such as using aluminum chassis. As BMW enthusiasts, though, Morgan holds a special place in our hearts, as its cars often use BMW engines. This latest one, the Morgan Plus Six, uses a BMW B58 engine and The Grand Tour’s Richard Hammond has just taken delivery of one.
Hammond’s specific Morgan Plus Six was spec’d by the DriveTribe audience, as he previously posted a video of his ordering process and let viewers choose options. Thankfully, it seems that the viewers have good taste, as his Morgan looks fantastic. It’s a mix of matte grey, gloss black and red interior and it looks really quite incredible, if I’m honest. He also has an optional upgraded exhaust with black tips, which look cool and sound fantastic.
More on that sound, though, as it sounds exactly like a BMW. That’s because it sort of is. The 3.0 liter turbocharged I6 under the hood of the Morgan Plus Six is the same engine fitted to many BMWs and even the Toyota Supra. In fact, it’s said to be the Supra’s spec, with 335 hp and 369 lb-ft. Though, Morgan admits it makes more than that and, with the optional exhaust, makes closer to 400 hp. That’s not surprising, as we’ve seen BMW’s B58 develop a lot more than 335 hp. In fact, the stock M340i in the US market makes a claimed 382 hp.
Hammond’s Morgan Plus Six is an awesome car and it presents a wonderful proposition. It’s an old-school car from a brand with a 100-year history of building cars in the very same factory and is extremely rare and special. And yet, it uses a reliable BMW engine that can likely be serviced at a BMW dealer if need be. What’s better than that?
