Morgan Plus Four review

The interior is largely shared with the Plus Six. So there's a digital display with more info than you expect, more leg and elbow room (despite a similar footprint to its 70-year old predecessor), and it’s only the fiddly manual roof and removeable window/weather shields that are awkward to use, don’t seal and cause a fair amount of ruffle and noise on the move.

The joy is in its simplicity, I bet.

Correct. With few of BMW’s complicated electronic nannies, the dash doesn’t require much: some dials for your heating controls, a button for your hazard lights and another for the aircon (if you specced that £1,325 option). On the centre console there’s a conventional handbrake instead of the old fly-off one, a robust manual gearstick (or BMW auto selector) and a Sport+ button to sharpen the throttle if you really must drip some pops and bangs into the soundtrack (and have paid £2,340 for the pleasure of the optional sports exhaust).

Everything, then, is where you expect to find it. Except for the volume knob, which you will find above your left knee. Optioned heated seats and can’t seem to find the button? That’s down there as well.

What about roominess?

You swing open the slim, cleanly styled and nicely trimmed door, and drop into a leathery embrace. Easier said than done, given the door aperture is pretty small. The seats are actually pretty decent with well shaped backrests and once comfy rest your elbow on the door top, peer down the long cheese-grater vents on the bonnet and exhale loudly. It’s a unique, life-affirming experience before you’ve even turned the key.

It’s worth bearing in mind that while the Plus Four’s touring capabilities have improved immeasurably, its luggage space hasn’t. There’s a slim space behind the seats, but beyond that you’ll need to be lashing your luggage to the optional (from £510) rear luggage rack if you’re planning a proper getaway. At least there's lockable storage inside now, though.

Dare I mention ‘tech’?

Oh, it's got some. Air conditioning is surprisingly necessary on a really warm day, stopping your knees and torso from cooking when the sun above and leather below are combining to par-boil the driver in between.

There's no screen for the standard stereo, instead you wirelessly connect your phone via Bluetooth then play your podcasts or music through that. Which does mean pulling over (or trusting a co-driver) any time you fancy a change in mood. The speakers have to work pretty hard to fight the general commotion of driving, especially above 60mph or so. That even applies if you have the optional Sennheiser premium audio (£3,120).

Oddly enough you've a better chance of hearing your audio selection with the roof down, owing to the vagaries of a Morgan soft top when it's in place. Choose what you listen to wisely: all eyes will be on you in traffic. Pedestrians love a Morgan, especially little ones.