24h Le Mans
In celebration of the 60th anniversary of Morgan's class win at the 24 Hours, the British constructor has produced a limited edition of 62 cars with the same racing number and livery as its 1962 Plus Four. Here is a look back at a few highlights in Morgan's history at Le Mans.
Motorsport enthusiasts remember the look of Morgan cars as timeless and immediately recognizable. After first appearing in 1955, the long front hood, characteristic grill and round headlights were more understated on the subsequent Plus 8 (1968-2004), Roadster (since 2004) and various versions of the Aero 8 created in 2000. But this aesthetic wasn't the British manufacturer's only calling card.
Morgan Motor Company was created more than 100 years ago in 1910. Its founder, Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan (1881-1959), initially opened a car service garage in 1905. Four years later, he conceived a three-wheeled car on a Peugeot mechanical base, a design that would cement the uniqueness of the first Morgans before the creation in 1935 of the 4-4, the first four-wheeled Morgan.
Morgan's rookie appearance in the 24 Hours was initiated in 1938 by a British woman, Marjorie Fawcett. The 4-4 she shared with fellow countryman Geoffrey White finished 13th. The following year, Fawcett entered the car again, but recruited Cuthbert Marc Anthony to join White at the wheel. The duo finished 15th. Morgan did not return to Le Mans until 1952 when the Plus 4 driven by Ray Isherwood and Robert Lawrie was forced to retire.
Officially representing Morgan Motor Company in 1962, Chris Lawrence and Richard Shepard-Baron gave the manufacturer its first class win, 13th overall, at the wheel of a Plus 4 powered by a 2-litre 4-cylinder in-line Triumph engine.
This year, Morgan is celebrating the 60th anniversary of the victory by launching a special line of the Plus 4 aptly named "LM62." Several 62 24 Heures du Mans inscriptions adorn this limited series: in embroidery on the seat headrests, as well as in the form of commemorative plaques appearing on the bodywork and dashboard. The latter also boasts the number within the edition of only 62 cars.
The special Plus 4 also sports the 29 racing number it was given for the race in 1962. The car is available with a Heritage White hard top and one of two liveries: Morgan Jet Green or Morgan Tertre Rouge, the latter in reference to the 24 Hours circuit and the famous right-hand corner going into the Mulsanne Straight.
The 62 obtainable Morgan Plus 4 LM62s are priced at €94,500 each (£78,995) and are currently available for pre-order in right or left-hand drive and with a manual or automatic gearbox.
