Latest news with #SuperSports
Forbes
24-04-2025
- Automotive
- Forbes
Test-Driving The 2025 Morgan Supersport
The Morgan Supersport represents the brand's vision for the 21st century. Morgan is known for its steadfast commitment to classic designs and traditional methods. In a world increasingly seeking out heritage designs and iconic shapes with everything from restomods to continuation series models, Morgan remains the only manufacturer dedicated to keeping its heritage present. The Morgan Supersport is the company's latest model, designed to sit at the top of the brand's line up. Jonathan Wells, chief design officer at Morgan Motor Company said, 'The launch of the Morgan Supersport marks the culmination of five years of exploration, craftsmanship, and collaboration – our bold vision of 21st-century coachbuilding. It has been a passion project for our team, an opportunity to push boundaries and define what a flagship Morgan can be.' Although the name Supersport has appeared throughout Morgan's history since 1927, typically seen as 'Super Sports', its moniker feels very deliberate. Since the Supersport sits in the upper echelon of sports cars and starts to border on the blurry line between sports cars and supercars, it feels like Supersport defines its own class. From every angle the Supersport reveals stunning sweeping lines. Based on its familiar classic design alone, you wouldn't expect the Supersport to boast so much power. With a curb weight of just 1,170kg (2579lbs), the 3.0-liter BMW in-line six is able to put down 335 bhp and 369 lb-ft of torque to achieve 60mph in just 3.9 seconds. If anything, Morgan's excelled itself and could pull back on the power so you get more opportunity to enjoy it within the speed limit. There's two personalities looming beneath the surface. In its default driving mode, the Supersport is evocative of classic motoring, burbling along with not a care in the world. This is the best way to enjoy a gentle cruise to a car show or local cafe, it's the ideal Sunday morning vibe. But knock the gearstick to one side, click the S+ button and a completely different animal rears its head. S+ unlocks the Supersport's supercar tendencies to give you any speed you like far quicker than it has any right to. Find a long enough stretch of road and you can feel the engine roar in your chest, it rises up through the cabin as your foot sinks towards the floor. Ask for a burst of power aggressively enough and the front end will even start to rear up. The sweeping bodywork is unique in the modern automotive industry. It's not just its straight line speed that's impressive though. Supersport is built on a new lightweight CXV aluminum chassis which feels impressively stiff. Into every corner it's resolutely planted to the road and the small steering wheel gives it a racing car feel. You'll find flappy paddles tucked behind the steering wheel but the gearbox handles itself so well that there's rarely an occasion to take over. Glancing down the long bonnet and catching inquisitive glances from older generations makes you truly believe you're driving a classic car. There's few other cars that have such an impressive amount of bonnet real estate. While you can get lost thinking you're driving a classic, the strong brakes make you endlessly grateful of the modern engineering that's gone into this beauty. There's really nothing like it. Eagle-eyed BMW fans will note the familiar looking gearstick. The design largely stays true to classic Morgan interiors with a focus on including little more than the necessary functions. The modern Morgan includes some creature comforts though in the form of Bluetooth phone connectivity – which is seamless to link up – to play music and make hands free calls. There's also a wireless phone charger in front of the gearstick that doubles as a phone mount to use for navigation. In front of the driver, you get a small screen which displays a digital speedo, climate controls when you use the corresponding dial on the dash and media functions in response to the other dial. Unlike other manufacturers that have taken the inclusion of technology too far, Morgan strikes the right balance with the Supersport. It still needs a physical key to turn the ignition on and a start/stop button brings the engine to life. And, there's no annoying bings or bongs from driver assistance systems, so you can focus on just enjoying the ride. The trunk is perfectly blended into the rear panels. The door cards are beautifully minimal with a leather handle and a sliding metal handle to release the door. The metal handle also doubles as the release for the side screens which pop out like an old school headrest with two metal posts. As standard, a side screen bag is included so you can pack them away in the trunk. Yes, trunk. This is the first Morgan in more than a decade to feature rear storage inside the car, a luggage rack had been the brand's go to solution until now. These small additions combine to make a big difference to the overall liveability of the Supersport as an everyday car. While you'll want to garage it in wet and cold weather, it's more practical than ever to spend every day of the summer driving around in it. Every feature feels purposeful and well thought out. As standard, it comes with a black mohair roof but can also be specified with a hard top or both. Morgan builds cars to order with Supersport models priced from £85,000 ($113,000) as the base price before local taxes. Including the relevant taxes in the UK, this brings its entry-level price to £105,160 ($139,000). The nature of a Morgan is to be highly customizable and built to bespoke specifications, so you can really dial down into the details of the build to include everything you're looking for. The example I tried was fitted with just over £20,000 ($26,500) worth of optional extras. Externally, this included a GT Silver special paint and 18-inch Superlite frozen grey wheels. Underneath, the Supersport was enhanced with the dynamic handling package, limited slip differential and an active sports exhaust which is worth every penny to get that gorgeous exhaust note. Inside, it was adorned with a matte body color dash, connectivity pack, Sennheiser premium audio system and heated seats. Other additions included the cockpit wood finishes, leather seats and a specific stitching pattern. This level of customization means every Morgan Supersport that leaves the factory is unique. Price as tested: £122,667 ($162,950) Engine: BMW 3.0-liter TwinPower Turbo, inline six-cylinder Power: 335 bhp Torque: 369 lb-ft 0-62 mph: 3.9 secs Top speed: 166 mph
Arabian Business
12-02-2025
- Sport
- Arabian Business
UK 17-year-old swimmer Barnaby Ryder aims for historic Dubai World Islands attempt
British national-level swimmer Barnaby Ryder is preparing to make history as he aims to become the youngest person to swim around Dubai World Islands this February, ahead of his English Channel crossing planned for June 2025. The 17-year-old, who ranks sixth in UK open water swimming for under-18s, will attempt the 24-kilometre swim during his half-term break from Mount Kelly, one of the UK's leading swimming schools. 'I haven't stopped thinking about the Dubai World Islands swim since we got the green light to do it a few weeks ago,' Ryder—who lived in Dubai for ten years before returning to the UK—told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview. Men's mental health—a priority for Ryder 'I started my open water swimming in Dubai doing 1.6 km swims with my Dad as part of the open water events hosted by Super Sports,' the Gems World Academy and Brighton College Dubai alumnus said. The current record for circumnavigating the World Islands stands at 9 hours and 45 minutes, however, Ryder strongly believes he can surpass this benchmark. 'The current record of 9 hours and 45 minutes is very impressive, but I feel if the weather is on our side I can improve on that. However, the swim is not just about the time—it is about me completing the swim as the youngest person and gaining more experience. I know the pace I will need to be holding and have been practising it in training,' he said. The Dubai attempt serves as preparation for Ryder's main challenge: swimming the English Channel in June 2025, a feat he's dreamed of since age 12. 'I have been asking my parents to swim the English Channel since I was around 12. They kept saying 'wait till you are older and see if you still want to do it'. The urge to swim the Channel did not go away,' he explained. Ryder's Channel swim will raise funds for men's mental health research and awareness. When asked why this was a main objective, Ryder said: 'Even at the age of 17 I have seen far too many boys struggle in silence with mental health issues. The signs are not always as obvious as you would think. The charity I am swimming for focuses on ground-breaking research and raising awareness. I love the positive connection between good mental health and swimming, especially cold-water swimming,' he said. A day in the life of British teen swimmer Barnaby Ryder Ryder's training regime at Mount Kelly demonstrates the dedication required for such challenges. Starting at 5:15 AM daily, Ryder completes two-hour pool sessions, attends classes, participates in gym workouts, and even finds time to coach younger swimmers. His weekly schedule includes eight training sessions, totalling over 17 hours in the pool and covering approximately 50 kilometres. 'I keep my self-motivated during long swims and sessions by thinking of my goals and how each session and each meter swam I am progressing and getting closer to my dreams and goals,' he said adding that another big motivation for him is 'how much thinking time I get whilst I swim which helps me deal with other aspects of life. I also am motivated with how amazing I feel after I swim, the endorphin hit is incredible and makes you feel positive and happy like you could take on anything which I love.' However, the Channel swim is not without its challenges, with water temperatures below 16 degrees Celsius, no wet-suit permitted, and obstacles including currents, shipping lanes, weather conditions, and jellyfish, he revealed. Current winter training sees Ryder practising in 10-degree sea temperatures and sub-5-degree lakes. Ryder's journey is being documented through Lane4Podcast, available across listening platforms and Instagram, where followers can track his progress through races and training sessions leading up to the Channel crossing. His Dubai World Islands attempt will be supported by Super Sports and a team including his father. They will manage safety protocols and his nutrition strategy throughout the swim. 'I picked the Dubai World Islands swim because Dubai is a very special place for me having lived there for 10 years. So it feels like home in that sense,' he said.
