Introduced at the 2019 Geneva Motor Show, the Morgan Plus Six will make its dynamic debut at the 2019 Goodwood Festival of Speed on July 4. The Plus Six, which replaces the old Plus 8, will be showcased on the hillclimb course as part of the First Glance category of this year's Goodwood event.

Watch the most advanced Morgan go up the Goodwood hill

Morgan won't bring the Plus Six to Goodwood as a parade car. The British firm takes great pride in the new CX platform that it developed for this car and claims that the Plus Six is its most advanced and dynamic vehicle yet. And it wants to prove just that by driving it up the 1.2-mile course through the Goodwood estate.

The Plus Six will be manhandled by Shane Kelly, the company's development driver and also a Morgan factory racer. You'll be able to see the new roadster in two high-speed runs each day, including a timed slot on Saturday. Needless to say, the Plus Six should become the fastest Morgan on the Goodwood Hillclimb. Morgan will also set up a stand, where it will display a second Plus Six model and a naked CX platform. The Morgan stand will be located opposite of the supercar paddock and the hillclimb starting line.

The Morgan Plus Six is a Supra-powered vintage roadster

Morgan's brand-new roadster looks very much like the old Plus 8, sporting a design that the Brits are featuring since the 1950s. The only notable feature that sets it apart is the composite hard-top that turns this traditional roadster into an authentic coupe. A big departure from the Plus 8's soft-top. But while it might look the same on the outside, the Plus Six is a brand-new car under the shell.

Morgan made two big changes here. First, it created a new platform from bonded aluminum. These underpinnings are twice as rigid as the old one but weigh less than 220 pounds, which leads to a total curb weight of only 2,370 pounds. Second, the Plus Six has a new engine. Just like the old Plus 4 and Plus 8, the Plus Six takes the number in its name from the number of cylinders in its engine. So while its predecessor, the Plus 8, had a V-8 engine, the Plus Six features a six-cylinder engine.

Morgan continues to borrow engines from BMW, so it replaced the old 4.4-liter V-8 with a twin-turbo, 3.0-liter inline six. This mill is shared with the BMW Z4 and it has the same rating as the Euro-spec version of the Z4 M40i: 335 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. The same engine can be found in the latest Toyota Supra.

Morgan Plus Six drivetrain specifications

The Morgan Plus Six is quicker than the Z4 and Supra

One of the most interesting things about the Plus Six is that it's quicker than the car it shares its engine with. The British roadster charges to 62 mph in 4.2 seconds, which is four tenths quicker than the Euro-spec BMW Z4 M40i, powered by an engine with identical ratings. It's also a tenth-second quicker than the Toyota Supra, which comes with a minor four-pound-foot deficit. Compared to the U.S.-spec Z4, the Plus Six is a tenth-second slower, but it makes sense given that the Bimmer comes with 382 horses on tap, 47 horsepower more than the Morgan.

So what's the secret behind the Plus Six's quickness? It's the low curb weight. Tipping the scales at only 2,370 pounds, the Morgan is almost 1,000 pounds lighter than both the Toyota Supra and the BMW Z4. Sure, it's not exactly a fair comparison given the Plus Six's construction and purpose, but it's a good way to notice that the power-to-weight ratio can make a big difference.

So to answer our first question, yes, the Morgan Plus Six should leave a mark at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. At least for enthusiasts who still appreciate lightweight designs and vintage-style cues.

Further reading

2019 Morgan Plus Six Comes with Supra Power, It's Quicker than the Toyota

Read our full review on the 2012 Morgan Plus 8.

Read our full review on the 2015 Morgan Aero 8.