Morgan And Pininfarina Reveal Beautiful Midsummer Barchetta

Morgan and Pininfarina have joined forces to create the exquisite Midsummer, a celebration of the art of coachbuilding. Inspired by iconic barchetta (open-top) designs, this gorgeous sports car is limited to just 50 examples, ensuring exclusivity for the lucky customers who get to drive them.

The Midsummer is powered by a turbocharged six-cylinder BMW engine (likely the ubiquitous B58) mated to an eight-speed automatic transmission. The automaker hasn’t shared outputs, but we’re guessing it uses the same running gear as the updated Plus Six, which produces 335 horsepower and 369 lb-ft of torque. There is no performance data as yet, but we assume the Midsummer will be a sprightly B-road blaster. Morgan is targeting a dry weight of just 2,204 lbs – even lighter than a Mazda MX-5 Miata. Adjustable Nitron dampers form part of the package.

An Automotive Work Of Art

But when a car is this beautiful, performance takes a back seat. Based on the CX-Generation Bonded Aluminum Platform, the Midsummer was birthed from a ‘what if?’ moment, with Morgan and Pininfarina both desiring to build something extraordinary. The result is a vehicle that is undeniably Morgan, enhanced by the style gurus from the Turinese design house.

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Inspired by the late ’30s and early ’40s auto design, the Midsummer features new surfacing, most evident on the front and rear wings. The side profile now includes an elegant shoulder line, putting a unique spin on the signature Morgan silhouette. This is emphasized by the exposed wood structure, which is a delight for the eyes. Some of the changes have benefited the aerodynamic performance, with steeper wing lines to reduce front and rear wheel lift.

Unique Touches Set It Apart From Lesser Morgans

The Midsummer also receives unique styling treatments on the fascia and front wings. The forged 19-inch wheels are also exclusive to the coachbuilt car and weigh just 22 lbs, making them 6.6 lbs lighter than the 19-inch alloys found on the Plus Six. They’re wrapped up in Michelin Pilot Sport 5 rubber. The increased tire-to-wheel ratio looks more modern than Morgan customers are used to, and the automaker says this will be applied to future Morgan models.

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The lower sills have been hand-formed from stainless steel. This is a subtle nod to early Pininfarina designs and takes on the color of its environment, as seen in the pictures here. New headlights with silver inserts sit on either side of the ‘horseshoe’ grille. The design is a nod to tradition, but the grille is very functional and, together with smaller vertical vents on the fascia, improves cooling. Pininfarina has extended the rear end, resulting in a more graceful form. The shapely derrière also features new rear lights that wouldn’t look out of place on a classic racer.

Interior Is A Mix Of Leather, Wood, And Everything Good

The Midsummer’s interior is as sublime as the exterior. A mix of leather and wood – so refreshing in a world that favors Alcantara and carbon fiber – the cabin has been adorned with specially designed analog dials with an off-white background. The steering wheel design is also new and includes a solid forged aluminum center. Wood trim encapsulates the cockpit and is used on the center console, surrounding the gear selector and manual e-brake. An improved Sennheiser sound system with new interior controls is also found in the Midsummer’s cabin.

Wood is an integral part of Morgan sports cars and is used for the body frame on the automaker’s vehicles. With the Midsummer, Morgan had the opportunity to use wood to create a strong shoulder line. This pays tribute to Morgan’s relationship with wood and the skills of its craftspeople. The wood is hand-formed using teak, and hundreds of layers of wood are laminated to complete the nine crafted teak sections. Morgan uses multiple layers (126 on the dashboard top alone) because they are stronger and more durable than a single piece.

Limited To Just 50 Examples

Massimo Fumarola, CEO of Morgan Motor Company, says the Midsummer celebrates the art of coachbuilding and embodies everything that is right with Morgan. “Midsummer is dedicated to enthusiastic individuals who will enjoy an unconventional, sensory, and analog driving experience. By identifying and re-interpreting Morgan’s admired ideals, Midsummer turns our legacy into a charming, sophisticated, and timeless aesthetic.”

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Morgan has yet to share pricing for the Midsummer, but this wheeled piece of art will command a hefty chunk of change. Production starts in Q3 2024; the boutique automaker claims that the aluminum body panels take 250 hours to create. Each unit has been sold, and customers have been invited to personalize their vehicles with Morgan designers. The Midsummer will make its official debut later this year at the 2024 Goodwood Festival of Speed, where we will also see the new Red Bull hypercar revealed.