Morgan has completed its first Plus 8 GTR, a hotted-up version of the otherwise discontinued model powered by a 375bhp BMW V8
This is the Morgan Plus 8 GTR, the most powerful car ever produced by the long-standing British firm. Based on the standard modern-era Plus 8 that was discontinued in 2018, just nine examples will be built thanks to “the recent availability of a number of Plus 8 rolling chassis” according to Morgan.
The car in these images is the first completed customer car, finished in Yas Marina blue in tribute to a famous Morgan racer from the 90s. Morgan has started building the other eight cars, with each finished to its customer’s exact requirements. Morgan says that there are various transmissions and drive-side combinations, with five of the eight remaining cars set to be exported.
The Plus 8 GTR is powered by a 375bhp version of the BMW-sourced 4.8-litre V8, sporting ‘cannon-style’ twin-exit exhausts and a new tune in a bid to improve throttle response and power over the standard car.
The car’s design incorporates multiple influences but focuses mainly on Morgan’s modern motorsport history. Centre-lock wheels from aftermarket brand fifteen52, re-sculpted wheel-arches, a revised rear end and a front splitter all feature, while a hard-top with a cockpit vent completes the look.
Perhaps the biggest visual change is the high-topped doors – these impart a tall-sided look that, according to Morgan, has “not been seen on a traditional Morgan body for decades”.
“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,” said Steve Morris, Morgan chairman and CEO. “Striking design, the finest craftsmanship, and an exhilarating sports car to drive, the Plus 8 GTR is the perfect swansong to the Morgan V8.”
