Wild new Morgan Plus 8 GTR previewed
Track-bred Porsche 911 GT2 rival in the works as Morgan revives Plus 8 for special projectMorgan has released pictures of an extreme new Morgan Plus 8 GTR it will launch later this year that features wild motorsport-inspired aerodynamics and sees the brand challenge the likes of the Porsche 911 GT2 for the first time.
Confirmed to arrive in the third quarter of 2021, the 112-year-old car-maker says its latest model will be part of a limited-edition based on its Morgan Plus 8, despite coming three years after the V8 roadster officially ended production.
Described as a "gloves off" version of the Morgan Plus 8, the project was only possible after several chassis earmarked for another project were reacquired by Morgan.
Just nine examples of the 2021 Morgan Plus 8 GTR will be built, with the British brand set to announce further special-edition models later this year.
The Plus 8 GTR comes equipped with the BMW-sourced N62 engine, and power from the 4.8-litre V8 is expected to exceed 300kW. Both a six-speed manual and automatic will be offered.
According to Morgan, all of the chassis are completely unused and were all built before 2018.
However, some components will be upgraded, presumably to cope with the extra torque generated by the V8 and the added forces from sustained track driving.
Claimed to draw inspiration from Morgan's 'Big Blue' GT racers from the 1990s, the changes over the standard Plus 8 are significant.
The wheel-arches, for example, are new, while the splitter, hard-top and rear bodywork have been tweaked for better aerodynamic performance.
Finally, the five-spoke centre-lock wheels are said to pay tribute to the Plus 8's racing heritage.
Breaking with tradition, each Plus 8 GTR will be handmade at the Morgan Design and Engineering Centre rather than at the Pickersleigh Road factory.
As part of the buying process, each owner will be invited to customise their Plus 8 GTR with the help of the Morgan's design team.
Commenting on the Plus 8 GTR, Morgan's head of design Jonathan Wells said: "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.
“This project has allowed Morgan’s design and engineering teams to revisit some of their favourite elements of past Morgan models, as well as experiment with some features that we hope will appear on future Morgan cars,” he said.
Prices have yet to be confirmed, but it's believed the Morgan Plus 8 GTR will be priced from around £250,000 ($A450,000).
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