It may be still be winter, but that hasn’t stopped UK roadster manufacturer Morgan from showing off an adorable beach car. Called the Plus 4 Spiaggina, it’s the sort of jaunty, fun vintage sports car that will brighten up your day. While it may be a one-off for a Morgan collector, this is the sort of concept that deserves at least a limited run. Let’s dive into it.
From the cowl forward, the Plus 4 Spiaggina is identical to the standard variant of the outgoing Plus 4 roadster. However, go about five inches further and you’ll realize that the Plus 4 Spiaggina has no doors. Not just removable doors, no doors at all. The sides of this thing are completely open in beach car tradition, as they should be. You can almost smell the warm sea breeze wafting through the open cockpit.
Things get even stranger as you come towards the back of the Plus 4 Spiaggina. For starters, it has four seats done stadium-style. The front buckets sit nice and low but the rear seats are perched up high for a truly phenomenal viewing experience. They even have headrest that are integrated into a sport bar made of wood. It’s a Morgan, what else would it be made of?
In case significant practicality is needed, the rear seats fold down to create a wood-decked cargo area perfect for toting prawns, small barbecues, beach chairs, what have you. You could even theoretically sun tan on the open deck, although I’m not sure what weight the tailgate is rated for. Speaking of the tailgate, to enhance cargo carrying capacity, it bulges out from the main tub in a way that makes the Plus 4 Spiaggina look even more like a cheerful relic of the past. It’s a charming vintage look so perfectly attune with the Morgan brand.
Of course, we also need to talk about the roof because it’s crazy. This white hard-shell piece won’t just keep the sun’s direct heat off of the interior, it also hinges in the middle for a sort of Mercedes-Benz 300SL impression. While the practical purpose of this is to assist rear seat entry and egress, it looks completely bonkers in the best possible way.
Spiaggina is Italian for beach car, and the Morgan Plus 4 Spiaggina looks to live up to its name. From the open sides to the wood decking to the basketweave leather meant to recall wicker to the fabulous wire-spoke wheels, this one-off feels very Mr. Toad goes to the seaside. It’s a shame that Morgan will only make one as it seems like so much fun. Perhaps we need a twist on this concept featuring the new Plus Four that’s coming to America. Now wouldn’t that be sweet?
(Photo credits: Morgan Motor Company)
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Pft, who cares if it’s a one-off? Those pillars are made of wood. Everything special in this is made of wood. Just buy a used convertible/VW-based MG TD replica, spend a few hours learning cabinetry on youtube, go to Lowes for some wood and tools, and just fricking make one. Nothing about this looks terribly difficult for an amateur woodworker to achieve.
So, wait a minute… It’s a gullwing Morgan El Camino? Oh I love this.
For a more classic way of showing a SoCal Beach Buggy, should have slotted Mag wheels
That is F’in cool. Not beautiful, but it has timeless style. Only quibble I have is that those relatively low-profile tires won’t do you any favors on the sands. You’d need wider ones with flexible sidewalls that could benefit from lower pressure to flex across the surface rather than cut into the sand. I doubt they’d look good, but you wouldn’t be pushing it near as often
This…has a very specific subset of people that can drive this and not look like a complete twat doing so. Just like not many can be Terry Wiser as Bernie Lomax (Weekend at Bernie’s).
I am not one of those people and thankfully there’s a different Morgan product for me. I think.
Didn’t the Monkees drive one of these?
Man, you never will believe where those Morgan autos come from,
They’re made by little elves in a Malvern tree.
And what do you think makes their autos so special?
They’re made with magic hand tools, so there’s no machine assembly.
That front lower plate looks odd/unfinished. Is it missing it’s bumper?
It seems like both front and rear bumpers are missing.
I think I’m in love.
Me too! Where I am, you could drive this 9 months out of the year. It would be a blast!
I love this thing. I think there’s a VW kit that kind of looks like it (but a bit more Munsters). I may have to keep an eye out for the other, because I won’t get a chance at one of these.