Morgan has announced that its Plus Four model will return to the U.S. market in early 2025, following official federal approval, marking the first time in nearly two decades that a four-wheeled Morgan will be available in the States.
Priced at $84,995, the U.S. version of the Plus Four might seem steep for a car with an inline-four engine and dimensions smaller than the Mazda MX-5 Miata. However, considering the craftsmanship involved, it can be viewed as one of the most affordable handbuilt cars on the market.
Each Plus Four features hand-formed aluminum bodywork mounted on a hand-cut ash timber frame. The exclusivity of this vehicle is another selling point, as Morgan’s 12 U.S. dealers are restricted to selling no more than 325 cars per year due to regulations in the FAST Act, which governs replica car imports.
Morgan has become the first automaker to successfully pass the complex regulatory hurdles of gaining approval to sell a modern version of a classic car in the U.S. This achievement allows the Plus Four to be exempt from certain modern safety standards that would otherwise have been prohibitively costly to meet.
Nonetheless, the company was required to develop a new onboard diagnostics system for the BMW-sourced 2.0-liter engine to comply with California’s stringent air quality regulations.
With this milestone accomplished, the Plus Four will be sold alongside Morgan’s Super 3 tricycle, which is imported under motorcycle standards. This raises the question of whether other automakers will be able to replicate Morgan’s success with modernized versions of classic cars.