The Morgan Supersport, A Purely Sensory-Driven Sportscar That Isn’t Perfect, But Is

Given our passion for mechanical watchmaking, a craft that is, in theory, obsolete in today’s digital age, I am well aware we have a thing for “doing it the old-fashioned way“. We often speak of tradition, craftsmanship, history and so on when it comes to watches. Sure, there are plenty of brands out there that push for technological innovation, but we tend to find ourselves gravitating to the ways of old on many occasions. And there’s an interesting parallel to be drawn between mechanical watches and sports cars. On one end, there are those who push the boundaries in performance, always searching to go faster or corner harder. And then there are those, like Morgan, who look at things from a different perspective. And although time certainly hasn’t stood still in the Morgan factory since opening its doors in 1910, they are still big on tradition! Built by hand, using old-school techniques, and even an ash-wood frame, their new Supersport is every bit a Morgan despite its modernised exterior. And I was lucky enough to test it on the road, with a surprise companion on the wrist joining in on the fun!

Pulling up in the Supersport raises eyebrows wherever you go. When I parked it in front of a friend’s house, his 13-year-old son wrote it off as an “old man’s car” just by looks. When I took him for a drive, though, that instantly got replaced by excitement. To me, that perfectly sums up what this Supersport is and does. It fuses the old with the new(-ish). It looks like every other Morgan that came before it, but drives more like a modern car thanks to BMW power. It’s a very exciting juxtaposition which, if you’re into cars like me, puts most others on the back foot. Allow me to explain…

The Supersport Formula

Labelling anything as “Super” raises expectations in many ways, but more than we’d like, perhaps, the end result can be a letdown. In the case of the Morgan Supersport, it’s very much a different story. The Supersport is the Morgan for the future, and I know that sounds a bit odd coming from a company that barely changed its production ethos since 1910, but it’s very true. It’s sleeker, tighter, and sharper than any Morgan before it, or so I am told. Visually, that makes complete sense, but the proof is in the pudding, or rather the driving, right?

The Supersport was introduced earlier this year to much fanfare, as it’s not often we get to see a brand-new Morgan. And from the outside, although it’s undergone a comprehensive rejuvenation, it still has that unique Morgan stance. You get that signature horseshoe-shaped grill, the round headlights, that stretched out bonnet, flared wheel arches curving down into the side sills, and a short overhang at the rear. It’s all just… nipped and tucked a bit!

Gone are the louvres, and in exchange is a new heat extractor just behind the grille, which hides BMW’s turbocharged B58 3.0-litre straight-six engine and gearbox pairing, similar to what you can find in the BMW Z4, the 340i, as well as the Morgan Midsummer. The engine feeds 335bhp to the rear wheels only, through an 8-speed automatic transmission and optional limited-slip differential. I know it doesn’t sound like a whole lot in today’s power-mad sports and supercar industry, but it only has to deal with 1,170 kilos of weight.

Other modernised touches are the LED head- and taillights with integrated indicators, the squared off front and rear ‘bumpers’ and the twin exhausts at the back. And then there’s the roof. Or roofs, I should say, as it comes with a hard- and a soft-top. For me, the soft-top is the way to go as it keeps a touch more of that Morgan DNA of old, but the hard-top certainly has its ups. Rearward-visibility is the biggest one, but wind noise, draft reduction and temperature control are likely to be better too.

The interior seems a bit tight, but it’s actually a very comfortable place to be. It comes with Bluetooth connectivity, but no touchscreen or haptic controls anywhere. The leather is very soft, the carpets are thick, and it is surprisingly spacious, all things considered. The small steering wheel is close to you, making light work of turning from full left to full right. Even darting from corner to corner comes naturally, as you accurately aim the nose of the car where you want to go.

It’s also quite practical, as you can reach every corner of the interior with ease. I, for one, although I’m probably taller than most Morgan clients, could adjust the right side mirror (which is done manually) from the driver’s seat, on the left. The sliding windows allow for accurate control of ventilation, but can also be removed entirely. Simply slide the interior door handle forward, pull out the window panels, and store them in the trunk. But don’t worry, the Supersport still isn’t perfect, and after my couple of days with it, I wouldn’t want it any other way!

A Real Headturner

Stepping into the Supersport is a bit of an adventure, both with the roof up and down. With the roof up, you get one foot in first, then manoeuvre your, ahem, rear-end, into the cabin and down in the seat, and swing your other leg over the door sill. For me, it was a bit of a contortionist’s exercise given my 2.01m frame, but once in, I was comfortable. And since the door/window opening is the same on the hardtop, I can’t imagine that being any easier to get in and out of. With the roof down, though, you simply step in and sit down in one swift motion…

When you’ve sat down in the Supersport, the long nose immediately hits you. You sit so far back in the car, you’re virtually on the rear axle. The engine and everything else are in front of you, so you have to be a bit cautious at first getting in and out of parking spaces, as the nose is far out. The view through that low, vertical windshield, though… stunning! That long bonnet, headlight bulbs and the tops of the wheel arches give you the feeling you’ve strapped yourself into a Spitfire or something!

The minute you set off in it, things start to fall into place. The seating position is rather good, the steering wheel is nice and close, and there’s a direct connection between you and the car. And everywhere you go, people will be looking at you. This is not a car for those who want to cruise along unnoticed. People will stare, point, give you the thumbs up, nod in approval, and with the roof down, ask you questions like what the heck it is you’re driving or compliment you verbally. It really is an all-in experience. Especially in this all-black finish, it makes you like you’re driving a retro-Batmobile.

Shakes, Rattles, and Getting Slightly Sideways

Trundling along in traffic is easy and very comfortable. In normal mode, the sound is present but never blaring, the ride is firm but never harsh, and the car is compact enough to navigate busy city streets and highway traffic jams without any issue. The visibility out is good, despite the low roofline and window, and the only time things get interesting is when you’re first at the traffic light with the roof up.

You also have power in abundance, even though it doesn’t produce a crazy figure of horsepower. Stomp on it, and it goes, really! Plus, you get treated to all sorts of thrill-enhancing sensations. The noise enters the cabin, vibrations run along the length of the car, the nose slightly rises, and you get a strong push from right behind you as the rear tyres grip up almost instantly. It is all very sensory, as you get to hear and feel every shake, every rattle, and everything that passes underneath you. And if you want to enhance that a little more, all you have to do is switch to Sport or Sport+ mode, and everything gets even more dramatic and exciting.

Pushing it out of a corner can cause the back-end to step out a bit before the car settles down again and shoots off, and it’s all very controllable. There’s a bit of play in the way it handles itself before the electronic stability control intervenes, which adds to the excitement. Even for drivers with little experience in such cars, the Supersport teases you to give it some go. One word of advice, though: keep the hooliganism for dry weather, and leave the ESP on until you feel absolutely at one with the car. Otherwise, things can get a little hairy. After all, the only other safety feature keeping you right-side-up-and-forward besides ABS and ESP is, well, you! Treat it well enough, though, and you will be smiling all the way!

I guess by now you’ve understood that I have fallen madly in love with the Morgan Supersport. Sure, it’s not for everyone, but as a usable, controllable thrill ride, it delivers on all fronts. It’s not the fastest machine in the world, nor the tightest-handling one, but that is never the idea with a Morgan. It’s all about pure driving pleasure, which is something that feels lost in the surgically precise speed demons of today’s sports and supercar field. And again, it’s not perfect. You will find flaws and quirks in the Supersport, which to me only helps to increase the whole feeling of it, as they give the car character, a personality, a sense of life!

All this does come at a bit of a cost, though, as the Supersport has a base price of EUR 162,950 (incl. VAT) in the Netherlands, but it may vary depending on where you live. In the UK, for instance, the base price is listed as GBP 102,000 (incl. VAT). If you then start messing around with the configurator and the options list, that price can rapidly go up. Nevertheless, you get a largely bespoke and hand-built car in return, one that is surely to turn heads, make people smile, and above all, give a spine-tingling ride every time you fire it down the road!

A Watch To Match

But what about that wrist-companion I mentioned, which you can see in the images? It’s the perfect match, made by Unimatic in partnership with Morgan themselves. The Modello Quattro U4-GMT-MMC borrows paint and upholstery from the Morgan catalogue (Sport Blue for the dial, for instance) and again combines ‘traditional’ mechanical watchmaking with a modern appearance. There’s an interesting parallel between the car and the watch, to be honest, as both lean on the past and present very much. The case is quite stout and modern, while the mechanics rely on century-old principles. There’s a disarming simplicity to it, similar to the Supersport, which I liked very much.

Despite its relatively bulky size of 40mm in width and 13.9mm in height, it wears very well. The fit and finish are excellent, and knowing that it uses a Seiko-sourced NH34A automatic ensures two things: it will keep working, and it will be relatively affordable. This one retails for GBP 895, to be exact, although at this point in time the 100-piece run is all sold out. But since this is the second collaboration between the Morgan and Unimatic, and a successful one at that, I’m pretty sure there will be a third one further down the road. Now, if only they would do a Batmobile-Black edition to go with this Supersport….

For more information on the car or the watch, please visit Morgan-Motor.com, LouwmanExclusive.com or UnimaticWatches.com.

Editorial Note: The car was on loan from Louwman Exclusive, in the Netherlands, for which we thank them. The information used in this article is sourced from Morgan and Louwman Exclusive unless stated otherwise. The images of the black Morgan Supersport and Unimatic watch are our own.