For a day that was supposed to be cold and bright it turned out pretty wet and windy, just the job for testing one of the most powerful cars I've ever driven!

I was the only soul arriving at BHM without the hood, but the demo car, which had been collected from the factory the day before, remained hooded throughout the day. First impressions are that the car is much wider than a trad +8. All of the normal curves are there , but just more of them. It almost feels square as the front wings are so wide. There is a nice looking undertray with brake cooling vents, which is reminiscent of the 1960s +4 racers, but the vents are not connected and there is a solid panel directly behind. The back panel is now the usual "Sport" type with no spare wheel opening. In fact there is no spare at all, only an aerosol of sealant. Good luck trying to get a new tyre in the midst of nowhere!

The interior is much more like an Aero or Aeromax, especially the dashboard and instrumentation with the conventional handbrake on the tunnel that has replaced the much loved fly-off. The seats are certainly comfortable but I found the need for more lateral support when cornering. I tossed my camera case and flying helmet behind me for the trip, but did a quick double take. My camera bag almost filled the space, the high mounted fuel tank means that luggage space is not just tight, it would be a real challenge to pack enough for a weekend away for two.

Firing the engine on the starter button (nice), releases a wonderful exhaust note from the rear pipes, louder than my +8, and more melodious. The pedal position feels quite cramped, the throttle is hinged on the floor, the brake is very tight by the clutch which is very light and springy, leading to some initial difficulties synchronizing the movements between the three. I could not detect any transfer of heat back along the chassis rails, something I noticed on my first drive in an Aero, however this was a cold day.

On the road the car feels firmly sprung, in fact much firmer than an Aero Is it likely that MMC have used the same springs and dampers from the Aero 8 which is course 220 Ibs heavier? But to put that into context it is still much softer than any trad Morgan, and the wheels do stay in contact with the road all the time. There is good traction, BUT in the wet there was no way I was going to push too far, I wanted to keep it firmly on the black stuff.

As I gained confidence in the conditions and the long suffering BHM employee relaxed a bit, I started to open up and a bit more. The throttle response is superb and 3000 rpm is more than enough for progress to be very rapid. Above 3000 rpm the exhaust started to howl and all hell broke loose as the rear tyres started to fight for grip. I am told that above 4500 rpm the variable valve gear releases another surge of torque, and redline that is still 1500 rpm away! It is a truly fabulous engine.

At very low speeds (and who is going drive such a car at slow speeds?), there does seem to be a little drive line shunt, I was informed that in its native BMW habitat there is a harmonic damper, but it is claimed there is no room for this in the Morgan application. The brakes are superb, great power and with good feel, perhaps a mite over-servo'ed at low speed but that is but a minor issue compared to their virtues. The steering feels very odd to me, I think it is electrically assisted, but it feels a little lifeless without much feedback around the straight ahead. When using more lock at slow speeds I just could not feel the front wheels (I am told that the assistance "turns more than the input" in order to lighten the loading) whatever it is , I found it disconcerting.

The build quality seemed quite good, there were no leaks into the cockpit despite the heavy rain, no rattles at all, and everything seemed taught and well put together. Under the bonnet it looks just like an Aero, very cramped and with lots of electrics everywhere. The power from the 4.8 litre is addictive, although you don't need more than 2000 to 3000 rpm and the motor pulls incredibly well from 1500 rpm, it is tempting to keep running the revs up and down just to hear the exhaust note change. It certainly made short work of overtaking a whole line of cars up a steep hill.

I really enjoyed that test, and would love to repeat it in the dry, even better on the track, and given a lottery win I would put my name down immediately. However, would I want to sell my +8 and find more than that amount again for a 90,000£ ($144,000) package? The answer is no, I will stay with my +8 for now and continue to enjoy it, but I can see the point of the new car and welcome it into the Morgan stable, it is much more of a true Mog than its brother Aeros.

Regards, Andy