The Corn Report
The Corn Report explores the various Morgan cars owner Brian has collected so far, where his passion for sportscars comes from and what makes his growing collection so special.
Author: Matt Jennings
Photographer: Matt Jennings
Brian’s online presence could be described as light touch, existing only through the Instagram account @Snacks_Marv. Not an obvious account name for someone that owns and posts pictures of a range of rare Morgans, it was created when the world was still figuring out what kind of things people want to see in their feeds. Pets, food and the like. Snacks and Marv are actually a pair of British Shorthair cats.
“I grew up in a muscle car household, you’ve got the 1965 Corvettes with the laker pipes and Chevy Novas. My parents loved muscle cars — still to this day, and my appreciation for cars kind of swapped over from muscle cars to sportscars.”
Brian first encountered a Morgan through re-runs of Top Gear on YouTube. Initially tempted with an Aero 8, limited availability in the US proved a hurdle, so Brian tracked down a 3 Wheeler at the Christopher John Morgan dealer near Orlando, Florida, and literally tried it on for size.
“So I drove out there, introduced myself and I was like ‘can I sit in it?’ They were like ‘oh yeah of course’, so I sat in it and I had brought a single cheque with me. Here’s a forty-to-fifty-thousand-dollar purchase by some lunatic essentially driving in from Central New York with his stupid cat account on Instagram.”
The 3 Wheeler led to a 2020 Plus 4 110 Works Edition, which is a limited series of the last of the ‘trad’ ladder-chassis Morgan. Power comes via the 2-litre Ford Duratec engine, uprated to 180bhp. The 110 Works Edition arrived in the US as two items; a rolling chassis and the powertrain; final assembly on this occasion by the Morgan Daytona Beach dealer.
His first 3 wheeler was sold and replaced with a Morgan 3 Wheeler P101, which is another limited series of the last V-twin engined vehicles. A year or two later Brian also owned a Super 3, which went on display at Amelia Island with the Morgan GTR to showcase the new models. The Super 3 just so happened to be spotted by another Morgan enthusiast who needed to have it, and was sold.
The Plus 4 110’s ‘trad’ setup features the sliding pillar front suspension and steel ladder chassis, which is a very different experience when compared to the recently received 2025 Plus Four, with its bonded aluminium chassis, adjustable dampers and double-wishbone suspension front and rear.
“It’s firm riding and it’s in my opinion a hundred miles or less car where, you know, you’re out and about and experiencing that true sports car heritage that Morgan was always well known for and just a very distinctive silhouette and body lines, just the perfect sort of Plus 4 with the last of that steel ladder chassis. Many people were kind of bummed out [about the end of the ladder chassis], but you also need to acknowledge that Morgan needs to modernize in a way. So, it was a new beginning.”
“Well, I think probably the most common question was, ‘did you build this car yourself?’ And then I always try to respond now with, ‘I’m incredibly honoured that you think that I have the skill set to like, you know, make these beautiful machines, but no.’ ”
The Plus 4 paved the way to a Plus 8 GTR. Noise courtesy of the 4.8-litre N62 BMW V8, this car is not for the shy and retiring. With production limited to just nine examples, the GTR was a celebration of the iconic BMW-powered Plus 8.
“It’s approaching 400 horsepower – I will say it feels much more than that. Then it just has very distinctive exterior features. It’s got the louvres on the wings for venting and visual appeal and then extra louvres in the bonnet halves just to provide additional cooling because, you know, that V8 is getting hot.”
“Owners were able to specify colour choices for exterior, I just wanted to stay somewhat consistent in the theme with the the gold trim of the AP racing brakes, but they have like a gold finish on it. The Oak Green Metallic has flecks of silver and gold in it, and paired well with the calipers. There is the Sophisto Grey colouring for the side skirts the front chin spoiler and then there’s a rear diffuser. It’s just breathtaking to see that someone curved the aluminium and attached it to the rear of the vehicle and it’s just stunning to just look at and it just really feels special and honours that end of the V8 theme there.”
“Special, special, special cars. Each Morgan is special,
but to me, these are slightly more special — not only because they’re mine, but it’s just the end of line sort of vehicle where you’re never going to see anything like these again.”
“.. even at three or four thousand RPM,
it unleashes a … it’s like a demonic roar.
The car sounds absolutely pissed!
Even just now, I get goosebumps on my arms
because it’s that good.”
Morgan Plus 8 GTR #4/9 - engine sound
“It’s only a couple of hundred cars that are allowed importation into America per year, so this CX chassis of the brand new Plus Four was available everywhere else since 2021/2022 and all these American folk were salivating waiting to order. I actually had my deposit ready to go last November and it was just sitting idle waiting for not only a build slot, but for those final few steps for the cars to be allowed entry. I flew down to the dealer at Daytona Beach a couple weeks ago and picked that car up, and drove the 1,300 miles back home. I did 600 miles in one day and then 700 miles the other day and I could probably easily do another 500. The only negative for me was my eating of pepperoni combos and energy drinks which is kind of foolish as I am over 40.”
“When I was filling up with gas there were some people – maybe local farmers or whatever – out in their side-by-sides and they were covered with mud and bugs and just absolute filth – they’re kind of just hanging out at this gas station and I pulled up and they all cheered. If someone sees a Lamborghini out or a Ferrari people are of the assumption that maybe that owner isn’t necessarily approachable, but I pulled up and all these people were cheering and then they’re whipping out their cell phones and getting photos.”
“They’re special vehicles, and they should be used as intended. I can’t even put it into words, just very happy and then just very fortunate. On the verge of being emotional, it’s special and I can’t say enough about Morgan as a whole because I’m a true believer. Dyed in the wool, so to speak.”
“Each car has their own story. It’s almost like an individual child coming out of the factory that someone put together with hand A, hand B and then there’s good days, there’s bad days. Sometimes people have too much caffeine that day. Sometimes they have a lack of caffeine, or you have someone that maybe had a hard day or a difficult travel in to work and each of those features are incorporated into the car. So sometimes you’ll have a car that’s near perfect or it’s going to have all those different good days. It’s going to have all those different bad days and that to me feels very special. You’re not only buying the car, you’re buying the craftsmen, you’re buying the craftswomen, you’re buying the apprentice that’s learning the trade.”
“I drive all the cars barefoot because my shoes are too wide, I’m touching all the pedals at once – I probably could wear sneakers for the Plus Four but I don’t because it feels wrong in a way.”
Keep up with The Corn Report on the @snacks_marv Instagram channel.
Brian’s current car collection:
3 Wheeler P101 #14/33
Plus 4 110 Works Edition
Plus 8 GTR #4/9
2025 Plus Four
2025 Toyota GR Corolla
2024 Honda Civic Type-R
