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Morgan’s “new” AR Plus 4

Retro British automobile manufacturer Morgan Cars has released a limited-run AR Plus 4 to celebrate the model’s 65th anniversary. Developed by Morgan’s racing department, AR Motorsport, the AR Plus 4 is based on the regular Plus 4, which has been in production since 1950. How AR Motorsport did this was by completely revamping the Plus 4’s drivetrain in almost every regard.

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Starting at the front, you’ll find a Ford 2.0L 4-cylinder engine, which has been breathed on by Cosworth. In the final state of tune, it develops a snappy 168kW of power – making the AR Plus 4 the most powerful Plus 4 ever made. All that power finds its way to the rear wheels via a revised rear diff ratio. Looking further down the line, you’ll find the body now sits on a new adjustable suspension setup with uprated ventilated disc brakes up front. Bolted onto the hubs are a set of 16-inch alloy wheels wrapped in Yokohama ADO 48R tyres.

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Like all Morgan cars, stepping into the AR Plus 4 is like stepping back in time. Pull the door open via a twist of the chrome handle and you’ll find an untrimmed aluminium skin on the inside face. Sink into the leather seats and you’ll notice the same untrimmed aluminium used on the centre console and lower half of the dashboard. The rest of the interior is a mix of leather, aluminium and glorious box-weave carpeting on the floor, sills and transmission tunnel. There’s not many creature comforts in her, but thankfully you do get air-conditioning, and a “branded” radio with CD and MP3 functionality, pumping through a 4.1 channel sound system.

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The only other modern touches on an otherwise retro vehicle comes courtesy of full LED headlights and tail lights – and for one of the world’s oldest remaining family owned automakers, that’s a big thing. Morgan has seen a lot of things come and go along the years, but still they continue to cling to their history and build vehicles according to tradition. Carving bodies from renewable resources with the help of some of the most skilled craftsman in Britain, just like they did in the good old days.

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Some of you may not like the AR Plus 4, but those who do are in luck. Because there’s simply no other manufacturer in the world pumping out vehicles like this. There’ll be just 50 AR Plus 4’s made, by a company that hand-builds just 1300 vehicles per year.

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