Morgan Will Build Nine Special Edition Plus 8 GTRs CarBuzz News Features New Cars Used Cars Sell My Car Shopping Tools Car Reviews Car Finder Compare Cars Best Cars Car Dealerships Used Car Reviews Car Advice Home News Morgan Will Build Nine Special Edition Plus 8 GTRs
Morgan Will Build Nine Special Edition Plus 8 GTRs
Nov. 29, 2021 6:22 PM ET by Gerhard Horn Special Editions / 1 Comment Looks and chassis inspired by a racing car. The Morgan Plus 8 bowed out three years ago with a 50th Anniversary Edition, but now it's back. Before you get too excited about owning a V8-powered tree, the new version is limited to nine examples, and all of the building slots have been allocated. The story behind the car is quite interesting. Morgan originally sold nine chassis to an external buyer. Whatever the external buyer had in mind never came to fruition, so Morgan got the chassis back and decided to build the Plus 8 GTR. We first heard of this development in February this year, but now the actual car has arrived. If you look at the concept sketch and the actual vehicle side-by-side, you'll note that it's spot on. Morgan Morgan We love the roof that slopes forward, the long hood, and the black grille. The exterior paint and white alloys were inspired by the Big Blue racing car from the 1990s. Morgan used that racing car to develop its bonded-aluminum chassis. The chassis would eventually be used for the Aero 8 and Plus 8 models. Each of the nine vehicles will be handcrafted using Morgan's traditional techniques. The GTR will not be built in Morgan's existing factory but rather at its design studio. Morgan says that it will continue to focus on its core products, with the GTR being one of several special projects over the years. Power is provided by BMW's discontinued 4.8-liter naturally-aspirated V8 engine. This high-revving unit was first used many years ago on the first go-faster X5 before BMW developed a full-blown M version. As standard, it produces 362 hp, but Morgan says it will have more in the GTR. It doesn't say how much, but 362 hp was already more than enough in a car that weighs less than a Mazda Miata. Morgan Morgan The engine can be mated to a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, and that both left- and right-hand-drive cars will be built. One of these cars will likely be imported to the USA. "Reviving a V8-powered Morgan at the current time may not seem like the obvious choice for a manufacturer firmly focused on new platforms and powertrains. However, when the opportunity presented itself to recommission several rolling chassis and create an exciting special project such as Plus 8 GTR, we embraced it fully. This project has allowed Morgan's design and engineering teams to revisit some of their favorite elements of past Morgan models, as well as experiment with some features that we hope will appear on future Morgan cars," said Jonathan Wells, Morgan's head of design. Though Morgan is embracing the future, it hasn't gone EV yet. The next-generation 3 Wheeler will have turbocharged Ford power, and it's currently building the Morgan Plus Four CX-T. The latter is an overland version of the Plus Four, and it is gloriously ridiculous. Morgan Morgan Morgan Morgan Join The Discussion
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Mazda MX-5 Miata Gerhard Horn Senior Editor Gerhard knew from a young age that he wanted to be an automotive journalist. He completely disappointed his parents by completing degrees in communication and English, as well as diplomas in graphic design and film and art appreciation. He later interned at various automotive publications, before landing a permanent position at a newspaper. He became the editor within two years, after which he landed a job as the deputy editor at a national publication, where he spent eight years traveling the world, driving, and writing. In his current role as senior editor, he writes news, reviews, scripts, and opinion pieces. When he’s not supposed to be working, you’ll probably find him working. When he’s forced to take a break, you’ll find him at the movies, or behind the wheel of a ‘92 NA Miata called Kimiko. Contact Gerhard @GrootScreenGerhard LoginSign Up Home News Features Car Reviews Car Advice 2021 CarBuzz Awards New Cars Used Cars Future Cars Compare Cars Sell My Car Car Dealerships Buy Here Pay Here Used Car Reviews Popular Tags Cars # Video # TOP # Spy Shots # Reveal # Rumor # Auto Show # Supercar # Tuning # Car Culture # Industry News # Motorsport Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Make Acura Alfa Romeo Aston Martin Audi Bentley BMW Bollinger Bugatti Buick Cadillac Caterham Chevrolet Chrysler Dodge Ferrari Fiat Fisker Ford Genesis GMC Hennessey Honda Hyundai Infiniti Jaguar Jeep Karma Kia Koenigsegg Lamborghini Land Rover Lexus Lincoln Lordstown Lotus Lucid Motors Maserati Mazda McLaren Mercedes-Benz Mini Mitsubishi Nissan Pagani Polestar Porsche Ram Rimac Rivian Rolls-Royce Spyker Subaru Tesla Toyota Volkswagen Volvo By Car Type SUVs Crossovers Sedans Coupes Trucks Sports Cars Wagons Vans Hatchbacks Convertibles Small Cars Luxury Cars Electric Cars Hybrid Cars Future Cars By Price Up to $15K $15K - $25K $25K - $35K $35K - $45K $45K - $55K $55K - $75K $75K - $100K $100K - $200K $200K - $300K Above $300K Back To Top