Photo: Morgan
It's been three years since Morgan discontinued the Plus 8 model, replacing it with the Plus Six, and the V8-powered sports car is making a comeback. Morgan just found a few old rolling chassis and it's using them to create the ultimate Plus 8. It's called the GTR and it features a V8 engine.
This seems like a strange thing to do for Morgan, given that the Plus 8's replacement, the Plus Six, features a far more modern platform and a state-of-the-art engine, but the British company stumbled upon some old chassis and wants to put them to good use.
Morgan says the GTR project came to life thanks to "the recent availability of a number of Plus 8 rolling chassis, which have been re-acquired from a third party following a discontinued project." The company did not disclose further details, but it's safe to say that these chassis were sold years ago to a small company that wanted to build its own sports car on a proven platform. Morgan adds that these chassis are unused and will benefit from some upgrades.
So what's this new Plus 8 GTR all about? Well, the upcoming sports car is nothing more than a sketch as of this writing (at least for eyes outside the company), but it's pretty clear that it will look a lot like the old Plus 8. The drawings also confirm that the "GTR" badge is more than just a fancy name. This Plus 8 will look notably more aggressive than the regular model.
What makes it special? Up front, the GTR is fitted with a motorsport-derived splitter and a revised lower vent. The front fascia also sports an additional pair of six-inch lights with matte black covers. We can also spot extra louvers on the wrap-around hood. The profile looks sportier too thanks to extended side skirts and wheel arches and taller doors with fixed windows. The rear boasts a big diffuser with ceramic exhaust pipes, extended rear wheel arches, and a vent atop the rear window.
If you're not familiar with Morgan's modern cars, the GTR is actually similar to the Aero 8, a more modern-looking version of the Plus 8. And Morgan's main inspiration for this project is the race-spec Aero 8 that the British brand created mainly for the FIA GT3 series in the early 2000s. The Aero 8 GT3 wasn't very successful, but it has proven competitive and made two appearances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Like all Morgan vehicles up until now, the Plus 8 GTR will be handcrafted using traditional coachbuilding techniques. But unlike most other cars, it won't be built at the Pickersleigh Road factory but at the Morgan Design and Engineering Center, which also handled special projects like the Aero GT, SP1, and Aeromax.
If you're a fan of the old V8-powered Morgan, there's good news coming from under the hood. The GTR will feature the BMW 4.8-liter V8 (N62) engine that Morgan offered until 2018. The mill was rated at 362 horsepower in the Plus 8, and it seems that it will deliver more in the GTR. There's no info on that yet, but it could crank out close to 400 horsepower. The Plus 8's replacement, the Plus Six, features a BMW inline-six engine good for 335 horsepower. Both six-speed manual and six-speed auto gearboxes will be available.
The bespoke Plus 8 GTR will be very exclusive, as Morgan intends to build just nine units. Needless to say, it will probably cost well in excess of £150,000 (about $210,000 at the current exchange rate). Production will start this summer.
Morgan says the GTR project came to life thanks to "the recent availability of a number of Plus 8 rolling chassis, which have been re-acquired from a third party following a discontinued project." The company did not disclose further details, but it's safe to say that these chassis were sold years ago to a small company that wanted to build its own sports car on a proven platform. Morgan adds that these chassis are unused and will benefit from some upgrades.
So what's this new Plus 8 GTR all about? Well, the upcoming sports car is nothing more than a sketch as of this writing (at least for eyes outside the company), but it's pretty clear that it will look a lot like the old Plus 8. The drawings also confirm that the "GTR" badge is more than just a fancy name. This Plus 8 will look notably more aggressive than the regular model.
What makes it special? Up front, the GTR is fitted with a motorsport-derived splitter and a revised lower vent. The front fascia also sports an additional pair of six-inch lights with matte black covers. We can also spot extra louvers on the wrap-around hood. The profile looks sportier too thanks to extended side skirts and wheel arches and taller doors with fixed windows. The rear boasts a big diffuser with ceramic exhaust pipes, extended rear wheel arches, and a vent atop the rear window.
If you're not familiar with Morgan's modern cars, the GTR is actually similar to the Aero 8, a more modern-looking version of the Plus 8. And Morgan's main inspiration for this project is the race-spec Aero 8 that the British brand created mainly for the FIA GT3 series in the early 2000s. The Aero 8 GT3 wasn't very successful, but it has proven competitive and made two appearances at the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
Like all Morgan vehicles up until now, the Plus 8 GTR will be handcrafted using traditional coachbuilding techniques. But unlike most other cars, it won't be built at the Pickersleigh Road factory but at the Morgan Design and Engineering Center, which also handled special projects like the Aero GT, SP1, and Aeromax.
If you're a fan of the old V8-powered Morgan, there's good news coming from under the hood. The GTR will feature the BMW 4.8-liter V8 (N62) engine that Morgan offered until 2018. The mill was rated at 362 horsepower in the Plus 8, and it seems that it will deliver more in the GTR. There's no info on that yet, but it could crank out close to 400 horsepower. The Plus 8's replacement, the Plus Six, features a BMW inline-six engine good for 335 horsepower. Both six-speed manual and six-speed auto gearboxes will be available.
The bespoke Plus 8 GTR will be very exclusive, as Morgan intends to build just nine units. Needless to say, it will probably cost well in excess of £150,000 (about $210,000 at the current exchange rate). Production will start this summer.
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