ANOTHER LEGENDARY SPORTS CAR MAKER HAS DUMPED THE V8

British sports cars found extensive success during the mid-20th century, with brands like MG, Morgan, and Triumph offering their cars as far as the US. As the British motor industry steadily collapsed during the second half of the century, many of these brands slowly started to die off. The explosion of foreign sports cars like the Mazda MX-5, which were better built and more reliable, failed to help things.

These models also came with smaller four-cylinder engines, which were simpler, lighter, and more efficient than the V8s that populated many British sports cars years earlier. Morgan pushed on offering V8s in the Plus 8 and Aero 8 models during the 2000s, though all good things eventually come to an end. CarBuzz decided to take a look at the final Morgan to come with a V8.

The Plus 8 GTR Was Designed As A Celebration Of Morgan's Racing Past

The Plus 8 was one of Morgan's staple models during the 20th century, the car essentially being a V8-powered version of its entry-level Plus 4 model, which utilized a range of inline-four models throughout its history. The Plus 8 was first introduced in 1968 and enjoyed an unbroken production run until 2004, when it was discontinued due to the collapse of MG-Rover Group.

Morgan utilized the firm's legendary Rover V8 engine in the Plus 8, and without a suitable replacement on the market at the time, decided to call time on the Plus 8 in its entirety. The vehicle utilized various versions of the unit over the years, the engines ranging in displacement from 3.5 to 4.6 liters, and found great success in the US. After an eight-year layoff, the car was brought back in 2012, but now with a naturally aspirated BMW N62 V8 under the hood. With Morgan electing to move away from the V8 as the 2020s approached though, the Plus 8 was again discontinued in 2018.

The GTR Saw The Plus 8 Resurrected

Morgan couldn't resist revisiting the V8 though, so in 2021, it unleashed a limited-run version of the Plus 8. Called the GTR, it was designed to celebrate the brand's racing history. More specifically, it was inspired by the Plus 8 GTR that Morgan campaigned in the International BPR GT Series in the mid-1990s. The vehicle allowed Morgan to develop a bonded aluminum chassis, the knowledge of which would finally be utilized in 2020 as the brand moved away from steel chassis and introduced aluminum ones across its whole range.

The GTR was a modern-day version of the 1990s racer built for a lucky few, Morgan producing only nine examples of the model.

The Plus 8 GTR Utilized The Same Underpinnings As The Discontinued Plus 8

Rather than use an aluminum chassis like its contemporary Plus Four and Plus Six models, Morgan decided to keep things simple and use the steel-based underpinnings used by the discontinued Plus 8. The trouble was that it had sold off all its remaining Plus 8 chassis to another workshop, and it no longer had the tooling setup to manufacture them. The other firm had gone into administration though, so Morgan was able to reclaim them.

Only nine were available, so this decided how many GTRs would be produced.

The Plus 8's BMW-Sourced Engine Was Lightly Modified For Use In The GTR

While the Plus 8 GTR used the same 4.8-liter BMW V8 as the deceased Plus 8, Morgan decided to give it a little extra grunt. It tweaked the ECU software and introduced an upgraded side exhaust, which helped bump its power output from 362 hp to 375 hp. This came mated to either a six-speed manual gearbox or a six-speed automatic unit, depending on customer preference.

Wanting to ensure the GTR could deal with the extra power, Morgan's engineers also went to town to improve the GTRs suspension, brakes, and tires. The chassis was also beefed up, with more bracing for the chassis legs and strengthening plates being applied around the engine bay. The result was an all-round stiffer vehicle that was not only more powerful, but also more responsive than the standard Plus 8.

To finish off the package, the Plus 8 GTR also came with a new racier exterior. A new aluminum hardtop was brought along to save weight, while a purposeful front splitter and rear diffuser were added. Wider arch extensions were also introduced which, when combined with the lower ride height, gave the GTR an aggressive stance. The extras didn't stop there, as carbon fiber bucket seats were also available for buyers who desired them. Its price was kept a well-guarded secret, though something along the lines of $300,000 has been mooted.

Tightening Emissions Regulations Led Morgan Down A Different Path

Morgan's move away from offering any kind of V8 across its range was an emotional one for the company, as illustrated by the heartfelt tribute it released when it announced it was dropping the Aero 8 and Plus 8 models from its range in 2018. The brand's chief test driver, Keith Dalley, talked about the impact the engine had made on the marque's models over the years, and lamented how tightening emissions regulations had made it difficult for the small company to keep offering them in its cars.

Alongside the environmental aspects, there was also a growing demand for more fuel-efficient engines in not just commuter cars, but performance ones too. As a result of the changing landscape, Morgan replaced the Plus 8 with the Plus Six in 2019. With the V8 carted off to retirement, the new model came with BMWs 3.0-liter turbocharged B58 inline-six engine. Not only was it more fuel efficient than the N62, but it wasn't much less powerful at 335 hp.

The special Plus 8 GTR shows that the brand isn't averse to potentially bringing back the V8 in the right way. With the rise of synthetic fuels on the horizon, perhaps a return to the V8-powered Morgan could be written in the stars.

Morgan Is Making A Triumphant Return To The US

While the V8s may be gone from the engine bays of Morgan's vehicles, they have at least made a successful return to the US market. The company dropped out of the US market in 2008 after it decided not to modify its offerings to fit the US' ever-tightening safety regulations, the Aero 8 being the final model offered. After a 15-year hiatus from the nation, Morgan finally returned in 2023 by offering the latest version of the Super 3, a three-wheeled weapon that uses a Ford three-cylinder engine.

The brand hasn't stopped there either, with its Plus Four model making its debut on US shores in 2025. The company is taking advantage of the Replica Car Bill, which allows low-volume manufacturers to sell up to 325 examples per year of cars that are at least 25 years old. As the current Plus Four is simply an updated version of the 20th-century edition, it is eligible to make use of the Replica Car Bill.

There are currently no plans to make the Plus Six available for US audiences, due to it nearing the end of its production run. Should the smaller engines not be quite enough to satisfy your palate, then there's always the option to import older V8-powered Morgans to the US. Just don't blame CarBuzz when a gas-guzzling V8 British sports car arrives on your driveway in a few month's time.

Sources:Morgan

2025-02-06T03:39:29Z