Off-road and bonkers! Introducing the new £200k Morgan CX-T, with a limited production run of eight

There are few cars that I’ve seen and, in an instant, thought: ‘Oooh, I really want one of those.’ 

But such was my reaction to this brilliantly bonkers new Morgan CX-T. The quirky, but quintessentially British, car maker based at Malvern, Worcestershire, has created a hand-built classic set on its traditional ash frame and designed ‘with adventure at its core’. 

Only eight are being built and they will be complete by the end of the year, each costing an eye-watering £204,000. With bespoke off-road tyres, hardcore suspension and a protective exoskeleton, the new model has been built in conjunction with Rally Raid UK, known for creating race cars for the Dakar Rally. 

Malvern-based car maker Morgan says its new CX-T has ‘adventure at its core’

A sliding track built into the dashboard allows phones, cameras and other devices to be firmly secured

The eight buyers will be invited to Malvern to specify their requirements before each car is sent to Rally Raid’s Huddersfield workshop for the final set-up. 

Available with a six-speed manual gearbox or an eight-speed ZF automatic version, the car is powered under its side-hinged bonnet by the same 2-litre, four-cylinder turbocharged BMW engine used in the conventional Morgan Plus Four, producing 255bhp and taking it from rest to 62mph in five seconds. 

But it’s the rugged off-road action that will get owners’ blood coursing. The exoskeleton rollcage wraps around the cabin area and has an equipment rack at the rear — complete with a compact shovel if needed. 

The rack also holds two rugged waterproof luggage cases, an aluminium storage box for tools, two 11-litre fuel containers, a pair of spare wheels and a jack. 

With bespoke off-road tyres, hardcore suspension and a protective exoskeleton, the new model has been built in conjunction with Rally Raid UK, known for creating race cars for the Dakar Rally

The eight buyers will be invited to Malvern to specify their requirements before each car is sent to Rally Raid’s Huddersfield workshop for the final set-up

Morgan has been hand building cars since 1909

The exoskeleton can also be adapted to carry bikes and surfboards. The front crash bars can also house four powerful rally type spotlights for night driving. 

Ground clearance of 230 mm helps cope with rocky terrain and the vehicle’s track has been w­idened and wheel arches modified to accommodate the enhanced suspension. 

A sliding track built into the dashboard allows phones, cameras and other devices to be firmly secured.

Motorists can still haggle up to a fifth off some new September 71- plate cars, despite Covid and a shortage of microchips keeping prices high. 

Consumer magazine What Car? has highlighted a dozen popular cars with savings from 8.5 to 20 per cent. 

The biggest saving cited is 20 per cent off a 1.5-litre VW Passat TSi SE Nav

The biggest saving cited is 20 per cent off a 1.5-litre VW Passat TSi SE Nav, cutting £5,638 to £22,567. 

A Renault Zoe 100kW Iconic electric car can be had for £27,183, a reduction of 17.9 per cent or £5,912, and a Nissan Micra 1.0 IG-T 92 Accenta for £13,505, a drop of 17.4 per cent or £2,802. 

Editor Steve Huntingford said: ‘Microchip shortages have stretched lead times on some new cars. 

‘But while average discounts have fallen from a high of 7.2 per cent in the beginning of the year to 6.4 per cent, there are still some fantastic offers for buyers willing to shop around.’

Genesis’ GV60 compact SUV is set to cost from about £40,000 when it goes on sale in the UK early next year

Korean car firm Genesis has unveiled a new fully electric car in its upmarket line up: the GV60 compact SUV. 

Expected to cost from about £40,000 when on sale in the UK early next year, it is based on the same platform as its Hyundai Group siblings, the Ioniq 5 and Kia EV6. 

Although it’s the new brand’s second electric car after an ‘electrified’ G80 saloon, it’s the first on a dedicated electric platform. It is expected to be powered by a range of single and twin (for all-wheel drive) electric motors ranging from 225hp to 436hp. 

The car has a sleek, coupe-like dynamic design, a sharp silhouette, a fixed wing spoiler and digital side mirrors. The smart, contemporary interior features a digital dashboard and a circular electronic transmission control. 

This post first appeared on Dailymail.co.uk