Morgan Plus 8 50th Anniversary
Already since 1968 Morgan produces sports cars with eight cylinders under the bonnet. More than 6,000 examples of the Plus 8 left the production line in the last 50 years, even with a production stop between 2004 and 2012, when the classic Rover V8 went out of production. Afterwards Morgan used a BMW V8 with 4.8 liters and 270 kW/367 PS as well as 490 newtonmeters of torque, which now also isn’t available anymore. So the 50 cars of the 50th Anniversary edition mark the end of the model line again. All of them get a numbered plaque between the seats. Also the blue paintwork with yellow accents reminds of the very first Plus 8, known as ‘MMC 11’ as it wears this license plate. Sporty details like tow hooks quote the sporty heritage of this model. As an alternative to this Speedster variant with small glasses in front of the passengers Morgan also offers a classic Roadster with full windscreen and dark green paintwork as well as a Convertible roof. In front of the A-pillars all cars show a special jubilee logo.
Thanks to its lightweight bodywork and chassis made from aluminium – classic wood can’t be found within the Plus 8 since 2012 – the Morgan only weighs 1,100 kilograms. This means it is one of the lightest V8 production cars available on the market. Power transmission is done either by a six speed manual or a six speed automatic. The Plus 8 accelerates in 4.5 seconds to 62 mph and reaches a topspeed of 155 mph.
The base price of 107,500 GBP (plus taxes) includes an exclusive watch that is limited and numbered like the car itself. If there ever might be a reiteration of the Plus 8 it most probably will be the first Morgan with turbocharger as there are nearly no other alternatives around.
Pictures: Morgan
