Morgan Motors is best known for making classic British cars that Mr Toad might be seen bombing around country lanes in.
But the company’s new high-performance model is hoping to power the brand into the modern era and go toe-to-toe with Continental sports cars.
British luxury sports car maker Morgan has launched its most powerful model ever in an attempt to lure drivers away from their Porsches.
The Supersport 400 will be able to reach 60mph in less than four seconds and go on sale for £112,000, the historic marque said on Thursday.
It is part of the company’s efforts to target a younger demographic – people in their 40s and 50s – who may currently be driving Porsche’s 911 or an Aston Martin.
The Supersport 400 is also being aimed at those who want a simpler but still enjoyable driving experience, with the car lacking features such as automatic lane-keeping and speed limit warnings that have now become commonplace in other vehicles.
Morgan does not have to follow the same safety regulations as mass-market brands because of the company’s tiny size – it makes only a couple of hundred vehicles per year.
This also makes it exempt from net zero targets such as the Government’s zero emission vehicle mandate. The Malvern Hills-based company has said it intends to keep selling combustion engine cars well into the 2030s.
The Supersport 400 has a top speed of 180mph – making it slightly more powerful than a 911 – and is the follow-up to the previous Supersport model. Each one is handmade.
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.”
The 117-year-old company is beloved by sports car collectors and is celebrated for making chassis that have wooden frames made from ash, a traditional coach-building technique that makes vehicles strong but lightweight.
It was owned by the Morgan family until 2019, when they sold a majority stake to Investindustrial for an undisclosed amount. The Italian private equity firm also has a holding in Aston Martin.
Morgan’s other cars include the Super 3 three-wheeler and the Midsummer roadster. Only 50 of the latter were produced and reportedly sold for upwards of £200,000 each.
Each year, tens of thousands of petrolheads travel to the Malverns to visit the company’s factory.