Ten months after announcing the model with official sketches, Morgan has completed the first out of nine examples of the Plus 8 GTR, a special edition that is dubbed as the most powerful Morgan ever and is bringing back the V8. The Plus 8 GTR is a swansong to the Morgan V8 engine, and a follow-up to the Plus 8 and Aero 8 from 2018. Those were thought to be a farewell to the V8 but the British automaker found a way to bring it back for one last time thanks to, in their words, “the recent availability of a number of Plus 8 rolling chassis”. As a reminder, the Plus 8 was produced between 1968-2004 and 2012-2018, and returns for 2021-2022.
Steve Morris, Chairman & CEO of
Morgan, said: “The Plus 8 GTR represents an opportunity for Morgan to celebrate
the V8 engine once again, something we did not expect to do since finishing the
Plus 8 and Aero 8 models in 2018″. The BMW-sourced 4.8-liter V8 has been tuned
to produce 370 hp, which is slightly more than the 362 hp of its predecessor. The GTR also gets “cannon-style”
twin-exit sports exhausts and improved throttle response compared to the
previous model. The motor is paired to either a six-speed manual or a six-speed
automatic transmission according to the preferences of each owner, sending
power to the rear axle.
Visually, the Plus 8 GTR gets racing style
white five-spoke center-lock wheels, redesigned front and rear fenders
handbuilt from aluminum, a front splitter, a high shoulder line, and a hardtop.
Inside, it comes with custom dials, new door cards, a numbered plaque, and
optional carbon-fiber racing seats. Every Plus 8 GTR that comes out of Morgan’s
Malvern factory will be a bespoke commission designed in collaboration with the
owner. The first example is finished in Yas Marina Blue Performance inspired by
the “Big Blue” racecar from the late ’90s. The remaining eight cars are already
in production, with several examples expected to be finished before the end of
2021, and all of them to be completed in the first quarter of 2022.
