For various legal and financial reasons, the USA misses out on some amazing cars like the GR Yaris, the GR Corolla's smaller, even angrier little brother. However, if you want a cult-classic like the Suzuki Jimny, all you have to do is wait. Once a car turns 25, you can use the beloved 25-year import rule to bypass safety and emissions regulations. One of these cars is very different from anything else on the road, distinguishing itself thanks to the retro design cues that made its brand famous: the Plus 8, built by legendary small-scale British manufacturer Morgan.
The modern version of the Plus 8, built between 2012 and 2018 and powered by a BMW V8 engine, is not yet eligible for import. The car’s earlier Rover V8-powered incarnation, however, is a different story: it was built between 1968 and 2004, meaning vehicles from all model years bar the last four can now be legally imported by dedicated American enthusiasts.
The new year brings several new import opportunities.
The information for this feature was obtained from reputable sources.
Being almost as old as the car itself, the Morgan Motor Company has a very long and fascinating history. Its founder, Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, was working as an apprentice for a railway company when he decided to move into the automotive world instead; he started a car sales business and garage in 1904, and five years later he designed a model of his own, a small three-wheeled runabout. This car eventually went into production in 1910, and the company’s popularity began to explode over the next few decades, despite two world wars.
From the 1950s onwards, Morgan adopted a distinct design language that called back to its pre-war creations: this would become the unique style that characterizes Morgan cars and makes them immediately recognizable. Several models with a very long production life, such as the 4/4, Plus 4 and Plus 8, followed, drawing a line between the post-war period and the present day.
The company maintains its image of exclusivity, luxury and vintage-inspired charm, with models that combine historical design and modern technology in a retro-futuristic way. Although the company stopped having a presence in the US in 2006, due to bureaucratic difficulties with importing its cars, it has now crossed the Atlantic once more, with the Super 3 being officially sold in the US as of 2023. The Morgan Plus Four will arrive in the USA this year.
In the late 60s, when Morgan was looking into designing a new model, engineer Maurice Owen was brought on board to tackle the challenge. Owen worked closely with Peter Morgan, then-chairman and son of the company’s founder, to come up with the design for what would become the Plus 8.
The initial prototype for the Plus 8 was based on another Morgan model, which was approaching the end of its lifecycle and would eventually be discontinued in 1969: the Plus 4 (stylized to avoid confusion with its modern successor, the Plus Four, which was introduced in 2020). The Plus 4 was, in turn, a larger and more powerful version of the 4/4, Morgan’s first four-wheeled car (previous Morgan models only had three wheels). Owen and the Morgan team used a modified version of the Plus 4’s chassis as a base, altering it slightly to allow the 3.5-liter V8 engine to fit in. The four-speed manual gearbox, on the other hand, was carried over directly from the Plus 4.
The Morgan Plus 8 In Numbers | |
---|---|
Engine | 3.5-liter V8 |
Horsepower | 161 hp |
0-60 | 6.7 seconds |
Top Speed | 130 mph |
(Table refers to the 1968 model year)
The original version of the Plus 8 has been powered by three different Rover V8 engines over the years: a 3.5-liter unit, a 3.9-liter and a 4.6-liter. The 3.5-liter was the first, becoming available after Rover’s own P5B model was launched in 1967. While this engine would undergo several upgrades over the next two decades, it would not be replaced until the 3.9-liter unit arrived in 1990. Six years later the 4.6-liter unit, the largest engine ever offered in the Plus 8, became available. Both the 3.9L and the 4.6L had the advantage of using a fuel injection system, which the 3.5L did not have.
The Rover V8 series is known for its versatility, having powered countless different models over the years. Most notably, all three engines that powered the Plus 8 could also be found in the Range Rover, the first generation of which was released just two years after the Morgan Plus 8. Several other small British manufacturers that became legendary names in the automotive world, such as Marcos and TVR, also used this engine.
Of course, one can’t talk about the Plus 8 -or any Morgan for that matter - without mentioning its unique vintage-inspired design, a trademark of the brand. The Plus 8’s shape and lines call back to Morgan models from the company’s earlier history, evoking the 1940s with a distinct long hood, retro U-shaped grille, and rounded headlights.
The design of the Plus 8 also evolved over the years, as the model underwent changes throughout its long production run. The chassis was modified to accommodate the arrival of a larger gearbox in the 1970s. The body also got wider over time to make room for larger tires, which were necessary to handle the Plus 8’s increasing power output.
Another unique Morgan feature is its use of wood. Many people are under the impression that these cars have a wooden chassis, which is not, and never has been true. The modern chassis is made from aluminum, but ash wood is still used for the frame of models built on a ladder-frame.
There have been two special editions of the first-generation Plus 8. Both are extremely rare, but even if your pockets are deep enough to get your hands on one, you still won’t be able to import either of them for another couple of years, as they are 23 and 22 years old respectively.
The first one, released in 2002, was called the Le Mans Edition. As the name suggests, it was a tribute to a Morgan that competed at the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. The Plus 4 that won the 2.0-liter class in 1962. The Le Mans package was aimed at conveying the feel of classic motorsport: it included a host of unique visual features, such as racing trim, a custom hard top, and a Morgan Racing Green finish. Only 40 units of the Le Mans Plus 8 were built, alongside 40 units of a Le Mans-edition 4/4.
Another special edition of the Plus 8 arrived the following year, in 2003: this was the Anniversary Edition, built to celebrate 35 years of the Plus 8 model. Morgan was also keenly aware of the fact that, at the time the Anniversary edition was being released, plans were already in place for the model’s discontinuation the following year: some brochures for the Anniversary edition mention this, making it even more significant not just as a celebration but as a farewell edition of sorts. The Anniversary edition was also extremely rare, though not as rare as the Le Mans: a total of 100 units were built.
The original Plus 8 is now eligible for import in the US, but it’s not the only Morgan model to fulfill the criteria. If you are a US-based car enthusiast, and you’re looking for a Morgan to add to your garage, here are a few options in the right age range you can choose from:
The Morgan 4/4’s main claim to fame was being the first model produced by the company to have four wheels; up until 1936, when it was first unveiled, all Morgans had only had three. The 4/4 had an incredibly long production run, except for World War II and a short break in the 1950s, it remained in production until 2018.
The Plus 4 was a more powerful variant of the 4/4, and it also had a longer wheelbase. It also had a very long life, and went into production in three separate stints over the course of seven decades (with a break in the 70s and another at the start of the millennium). In 2020, the modern descendant of the +4, stylized as the Plus Four, was introduced online after the cancelation of the Geneva Motor Show. This model has now been successfully homologated for the USA.
The Aero 8 is a brand-new addition to the list as it was first introduced in 2000, meaning the very earliest examples of this model have only just become eligible for import as the new year rolled around. The Aero 8 was developed in partnership with BMW, and is powered by a BMW V8. The Series 1 models that are eligible for import are powered by a 4.4-liter unit, while later models come with 4.6- and 4.8-liter engines.
2025-01-12T08:13:12ZSources: Morgan Motor Company, Land Rover, Hagerty Insurance.