ARTS & COLLECTIBLES

COMMISSIONED TO BE COLLECTED

The Morgan Supersport offers American collectors the rare opportunity to commission a hand built modern sports car with the craftsmanship, individuality, and character of a future classic.

MICHAEL SPEED

There was a time when the finest automobiles were not selected from an inventory list but commissioned through a conversation. The owner chose the colors, materials, and character of the car, then entrusted a small company of craftsmen to translate those decisions into metal, wood, and leather. That relationship between patron and maker has largely disappeared from modern motoring, yet it remains central to Morgan Motor Company, which has been building sports cars by hand in Malvern, England, since 1909. With the arrival of the Morgan Supersport in the United States, American collectors are being offered something increasingly scarce: a contemporary automobile created according to the principles of traditional coachbuilding.

The Supersport is Morgan’s flagship for the 21st century and the most significant evolution of its range in more than a decade. Its shape is unmistakably drawn from the marque’s history, but the design avoids becoming an exercise in nostalgia. Flowing aluminum bodywork, a higher shoulder line, integrated lighting, and cleaner surfaces reinterpret Morgan’s familiar silhouette with greater precision. Buyers may choose between a lightweight carbon composite hard top and a folding mohair soft top, giving the car the refinement of a fixed roof grand tourer or the elemental character of an open sports car.

Beneath that handcrafted exterior lies Morgan’s CXV Generation bonded aluminum platform, engineered to deliver greater rigidity, balance, and refinement while retaining the directness for which the marque is known. United States models are powered by a federally approved BMW B46 TwinPower Turbo engine paired with an eight speed ZF automatic transmission. The objective is not simply outright power, but a more intimate relationship among driver, automobile, and road. Revised steering, updated suspension geometry, reduced weight, and improved aerodynamic stability create a car intended to reward involvement rather than insulate its owner from the experience.

The construction remains the most compelling part of the story. Every aluminum body is shaped by craftspeople and fitted over Morgan’s traditional ash wood frame before being integrated with modern chassis, braking, and electronic systems. Inside, Scottish leather, exposed wood, analog instruments, and carefully finished metal details preserve the tactile quality expected of a coachbuilt automobile. Contemporary conveniences, including wireless charging, hands free calling, and a Sennheiser audio system, are incorporated discreetly, enhancing usability without overwhelming the cabin with screens or unnecessary technology.

For the collector, individuality may prove as important as engineering. Each Supersport is commissioned to reflect its owner through an extensive selection of paint colors, leathers, veneers, roof finishes, wheels, and bespoke details. Wood trim alone is offered in eleven finishes, ranging from American walnut to engineered marquetry. The result is not merely a highly specified production car, but an automobile with a provenance that begins with the choices of its first custodian.

Collectibility is never guaranteed, and predicting future value is a particularly unreliable pursuit. Yet the qualities that sustain long term interest are already present: distinctive design, limited availability, recognizable heritage, authentic craftsmanship, and a driving experience increasingly difficult to reproduce. As larger manufacturers move toward standardized platforms and screen dominated interiors, Morgan continues to build cars whose imperfections, variations, and human involvement are part of their appeal.

United States production begins in August, with customer commissions arriving from September following the Supersport’s North American public debut at The Quail during Monterey Car Week. Fewer than fifty commission opportunities remain for the 2026 model year. For collectors who believe the most interesting automobiles are those that reveal how and by whom they were made, the Supersport presents a rare chance to participate in the creation of a future classic rather than wait for history to recognize one.

Discover more or begin a commission at www.morgan-motor-usa.com.