If there was ever a David versus Goliath scenario in the automotive world, it would be plucky Worcestershire classic car maker Morgan taking it to the might of Stuttgart’s powerhouse, Porsche.
And that’s exactly what’s taking place with the British firm’s launch of its new Supersport 400 this week.
With 402bhp and 500Nm of torque, it is the most powerful Morgan road car to leave the Malvern factory, which employs around 200 staff and turns out 800 hand-made vehicles per year.
And priced at £135,558 after tax, it’s also more expensive than a 911 and other top end sports cars, like the Mercedes AMG-GT.
Morgan’s aim with the Supersport 400 is to drive the brand into the modern era by going toe-to-toe with these established rivals.
It has earmarked a younger demographic – high earners in their 40s and 50s – as its target audience, bidding to tempt them out of their Porsches and Aston Martins.
Watch out Porsche! This is the new £135,000 Morgan Supersport 400 – the classic British brand’s most potent car ever as the plucky Malvern maker takes on the might of Porsche
Powered by a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight six petrol engine lifted directly from BMW’s legendary ‘M’ performance division, the Supersport 400 claims to hit 62mph from a standstill in 3.6 seconds and reach a top speed of 180mph.
It is more powerful than the bog standard 911 (389bhp, 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and 183mph top speed), though starting at £103,700, the Porsche is somewhat cheaper.
But that doesn’t worry Morgan because the Supersport 400 is intended to mark a massive shift from its traditions.
For decades, it has typically steered away from huge power and instead concentrated on classic production methods – such as using ash for the frame, the structure that supports the car’s body – and sweet handling, which has forever been prioritised over pure grunt.
Until now.
Morgan has earmarked a younger demographic – high earners in their 40s and 50s – as its target audience, bidding to tempt them out of their Porsches and Aston Martins
The Supersport 400 retains the traditional Morgan look. It has the signature long bonnet, oval headlamps and striking grille. Curved front wings blend into the swooping design at the back
But while the Supersport 400 it undoubtedly its most potent production car yet, there’s more to it than just excessive power.
For instance, Morgan’s Dynamic Handling Pack, which was an optional feature on its previous most expensive model (the £102,000 Supersport), is standard on the new car.
The suspension upgrades include adjustable coilovers front and rear, as well as new valving and spring rates. Changes to the suspension geometry and damping should bolster its cornering ability too.
And there’s the facility to increase the performance and price, with a limited-slip differential an additional extra if customers want it.
It uses a 3.0-litre turbocharged straight six petrol engine lifted directly from BMW’s legendary ‘M’ performance division. 0-62mph takes 3.6 seconds and it can reach 180mph
It is more powerful than the entry 911 Carrera (389bhp, 0-62mph in 3.9 seconds and 183mph top speed), though starting at £103,700, the Porsche is somewhat cheaper
Because Morgan produces fewer than 1,000 cars a year, it doesn’t need to adhere to some rules around irritating safety features, like speed limiter warnings
Morgan’s advantage over powerhouses like Porsche
Despite its hulling power output, the Supersport 400 does retain some of Morgan’s conventions, namely shirking modern car features.
It doesn’t come with automatic lane-keeping or autonomous city braking. And there’s no speed limit warnings beeping at you endlessly when you go 31 in a 30mph zone.
This is due to it qualifying for some major legislative exemptions because of its sub-1,000-unit annual output.
The fact it produces only a few hundred cars per year makes it immune to net zero targets, such as the Government’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate and the ban on sales of new petrol and diesel engines from 2030.
This gives Morgan an advantage over rivals like Porsche (which produces 280,000 vehicles annually and has a massive production workforce of almost 45,000 people) because it can deliver cars that provide a simpler, old school, driving experience.
It still looks like a Morgan, too, with a signature long bonnet, trademark grille, and swooping hand-crafted wings.
But it is also brought into the 21st century with increased venting and lightweight forged alloy wheel.
Inside, the cockpit retains the traditional Morgan look.
It’s cladded in leather and dark wood, and it still has analogue clocks on the dashboard – though blended with the modern world with a digital driver’s instrument cluster.
To give it a classic look, customers can also spec an optional aluminium gear selector, which replaces the standard BMW-supplied stick that doesn’t quite blend with the Morgan’s vintage appeal.
Inside, the cockpit retains the traditional Morgan look. It’s cladded in leather and dark wood, and it still has analogue clocks on the dashboard
Matthew Hole, Morgan’s managing director (right), says the Supersport 400 ‘reamins true to Morgan’s core principles of creating beautiful and engaging lightweight sports cars’
Morgan’s factory in the Malvern Hills employs around 200 members of staff. It is visited by thousands of petrolheads every year who want to observe cars being built by hand
Breaking the US and European markets
Orders for the Supersport 400 are open now and there will be limited-run versions launched over the next 18 months.
Matthew Hole, Morgan’s managing director, said: ‘Supersport 400 is the purest expression of Supersport… all while remaining true to Morgan’s core principles of creating beautiful and engaging lightweight sports cars.
‘From the outset, our aim has been to create a vehicle that is sharper and more deliberate, ensuring the additional power is delivered in a way that feels balanced, intuitive and deeply rewarding for the driver. At the same time, a subtle design evolution gives Supersport 400 a more distinct and purposeful character.’
Hole adds that the Supersport 400 ‘reflects the progress we are making as a business’ while continuing to deliver ‘handcrafted construction, human engagement in the driving experience and a commitment to delivering pure driving joy’.
He says the brand’s shift in tactics has already seen it gain momentum in key overseas markets including the United States and Europe.
The car maker was owned by the Morgan family until 2019 before a majority stake in the business was sold to Investindustrial – an Italian private equity firm that also has a holding in Aston Martin – for an undisclosed amount.
The Supersport 400 will sit alongside the brand’s Super 3 three-wheeler and the Midsummer roadster – the latter being its most expensive car ever (upwards of £200k), though only 50 are being made.
Tens of thousands of customers and petrolheads every year make the pilgrimage to the Malvern Hills to visit the 116-year-old company’s factory to witness its hand-built cars and traditional manufacturing methods.