Morgan reveals delightful one-off Plus 4 Spiaggina | GRR
La Dolce Vita comes to the Midlands! In one of the more unlikely one-offs of the year, Morgan has come up with its first beach car, inspired by the Italian good life and a concept more readily associated with the Isle of Capri than the Malvern Hills.
It’s the Plus 4 Spiaggina, Italian for “little beach”, and as incongruous as it sounds, it follows in the sun-filled and carefree footsteps of cars like the Fiat 500 Jolly Spiaggina, a sort of Mini Moke with added Italian sexiness that is now hugely collectable (and valuable).
Morgan’s confusing but beautifully crafted concoction is less Jolly, more jolly hockey sticks, keeping one of the most recognisable of classic English sports car shapes but adapting it with open sides and a roof canopy. That would be to protect occupants from the blistering summer sun (or should that be to keep off the Midlands drizzle?)
In fact the car is left-hand drive and undoubtedly destined for some sunny shore a long way from Worcestershire. We’ll guess the Italian Riviera. And maybe the home of someone high up from Investindustrial, the Italian investment group that owns Morgan?
Whoever the “very prominent Morgan collector” who commissioned it is, they obviously had a very clear idea of what they wanted. The result is very definitely a one-off but Morgan would doubtless build you one the same – if you paid them enough money.
This car cannot have come cheap, one look at the beautiful woodworking and leather and chrome finishes tells you that. The leather is basketweave pattern, in tribute to the 500 Jolly’s wicker seats, and the wood used in this bespoke cabin is teak.
The rear seats fold flat for a yacht style deck, accessed by a drop-down tailgate. The aluminium canopy frame folds at the centre, gullwing style. Under the new body is the now superseded steel chassis.
Whether you like the idea or not, you must agree it has been neatly executed. For Morgan, it’s all a demonstration of the firm’s ability to work with clients to coachbuild unique specials.
Next stop: the Riviera, just don’t forget to pack the tweed cap and driving gloves along with the budgie smugglers.