2005 Morgan Roadster

The first Morgan car was built in 1908 – a three wheeler for the personal use of company founder, H.F.S Morgan. It was not until 1935 that the fledgling company built their first four-wheeled car, the 4/4. Morgan cars are unusual in that wood (from an ash tree) has been used in their construction for over a century, continuing until the present day. The Morgan Roadster was released in 2004, replacing the Rover V8 powered Plus 8. The new cars were powered by Ford Duratec V6 engines, available either in 3.0 or 3.7 litre capacity. Despite the smaller capacity, the V6 produced in 3.0 litre form 223bhp and 204lb-ft of torque. This is more than adequate, considering the kerb weight of 940kg, allowing for a 0-100km/h time of just 4.9 seconds and a top speed of 215km/h. The body is built from a combination of steel and aluminium around a traditional-to-Morgan ash frame. The Roadster on display is painted in the BMW hue of “Oxford Green”. Unlike the preceding ‘Plus 8’, the Roadster was available in 2-seater and 4-seater form – the Plus 8 strictly a 2-seater.