A Morgan V8-powered blast from the past roars into life this week with completion of the first of nine GTR versions of the now superseded Plus 8. The nine chassis were recently rediscovered so Morgan naturally put them to good use – creating an exclusive run of the most powerful Morgans ever.
The first of the nine, finished in a striking blue paint job, picks up on the heritage race cues that Morgan previewed earlier this year when it announced the project and went in search of nine well-heeled Morgan fans around the world to buy them – all since found.
The blue GTR strikes an unmistakable pose with its re-sculpted wheel-arches, high shoulder line, five-spoke centre-lock wheels and hard-top, all executed in traditional coachbuilt fashion.
Track inspired touches in this road car include a front splitter, racing number in the grille and cockpit vent in the roof. Inside, there are special GTR dials and the option of carbon-fibre racing seats and harnesses. It’s all designed to evoke the Plus 8 race car known as ‘Big Blue’ that competed in GT racing in the 1990s.
Then, as now, there was a V8 under the bonnet: the BMW 4.8-litre unit that hasn’t been seen in a new Morgan since 2018. That was when the Plus 8 and Aero8 made way for Morgan’s CX generation models with their bonded aluminium chassis and six-cylinder engines.
The late, great BMW V8 used to churn out 367PS (274kW) but for this first GTR some engine retuning and a new twin-exit sports exhausts have seen power upped to 369PS (271lW) – so while this might be the most powerful Morgan ever, it’s not by much. Should sound good though.
“The Plus 8 GTR represents an opportunity for Morgan to celebrate the V8 engine once again, something we did not expect to do. The Plus 8 GTR is the perfect swansong to the Morgan V8,” Morgan chief executive Steve Morris tells us.
Morgan says the remaining eight born-again Plus 8s will all be completed by April 2022, each one a bespoke model in line with the wishes of the owners, five of whom are overseas.
Morgan
Plus 8
GTR