America Gets Morgan's Supersport At Last, With A Smaller Engine And A Big Import Cap

Morgan has never played by the same rulebook as everyone else. While rival brands chase bigger numbers and flashier tech, the Malvern-based manufacturer has built its reputation on stripped-down, analog driving experiences wrapped in hand-formed aluminum bodywork. Now, after years of being unavailable stateside, one of the company's standout models is finally making the leap across the Atlantic.

The Supersport will make its official American debut at Monterey Car Week next month, having cleared a major regulatory hurdle known as the FAST Act Replica Car Rule. Morgan says getting the green light required substantial engineering and homologation work to satisfy US requirements, a process that took considerable time to sort out. The payoff comes in September, when the first deliveries are scheduled to reach customers.

There's a catch, though. The Supersport that European customers can buy comes with a BMW-sourced 3.0-liter turbocharged inline-six, producing 335 hp in its base configuration and climbing to 402 hp in the range-topping Supersport 400 variant. American buyers won't get that option. Instead, the US-spec car uses BMW's B46 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, the same engine that powers entry-level 3 Series sedans, making a more modest 255 hp and 258 lb-ft of torque. It's also the same unit fitted to Morgan's smaller Plus Four model.

That four-cylinder pairs with an eight-speed ZF automatic, and while it's down on power and cylinder count compared to the European car, it does carry one small silver lining: reduced weight over the front axle, which Morgan suggests could sharpen the car's handling responses. Buyers chasing that dynamic edge can also spec the Dynamic Handling Pack, which adds adjustable Nitron dampers front and rear, tuned specifically for this American variant.

Aside from the drivetrain swap, the US Supersport largely mirrors its European sibling. It rides on 18-inch lightweight aluminum wheels as standard, with forged 19-inch alternatives available for those chasing even less unsprung mass. Buyers can further option a feathery carbon-composite hardtop weighing under 20 kg, along with a Sennheiser sound system and wireless charging for a bit of modern convenience inside an otherwise old-school cabin.

Scarcity is baked into the deal. The FAST Act import pathway caps Morgan at just 325units per year, so this will never be a common sight on American roads. Pricing starts at $119,995, a steep figure for a four-cylinder roadster, but reasonable when you consider the labor-intensive, hand-built nature of everything Morgan produces. Few companies still build cars this way, and fewer still can charge this little for the privilege.

For enthusiasts who've watched Morgan's lineup from afar for years, the wait is finally over, even if the recipe served up in the US isn't quite identical to the one Europeans enjoy. A six-cylinder engine and unrestricted import numbers were left behind, but the essence of what makes a Morgan special has made the trip intact.