If you're in the market for a bit of a hard-edged, hard-core, trackday sports car but - and this is the crucial bit - you're bored with the endless lineup of Porsche 911-based GT models, then Morgan might just have the solution for you.
V8 engine, not straight-six
This bright blue machine, looking like a cross between an F1 racer and Bertie Wooster's company car, is the Plus 8 GTR, and please note that's a numerical 8, not an alphabetical Eight. That's a critical difference because that means that this Plus 8 GTR is based on the old, BMW V8-engined Plus 8, not the current straight-six engined Plus Eight. Morgan - more or less - found some forgotten Plus 8 rolling chassis down the back of a sofa (a leather-upholstered, ash-framed sofa we assume) and decided that a limited run of hard-core sports racers was the right way to make use of such a resource.
Only nine Plus 8 GTRs will be made, and this first one is painted in a distinctive shade called 'Yas Marina Blue' - named after the race track in Abu Dhabi where this weekend's 2021 Formula One decider will be held, as well as being an homage to the prominent nineties Plus 8 race car 'Big Blue'.
Bespoke specifications
The remaining eight cars, which are all already sold, of course, are in various stages of build right now, and each one is being made to a bespoke specification. Performance upgrades include a new engine tune and cannon-style twin-exit sports exhausts. These enhancements improve throttle response and increase the power output over the previous production Plus 8.
Body-wise, the GTR gets a higher 'shoulder-line' along the sides, a style that Morgan says it has not used for some decades now. There are five-spoke, centre-lock racing-style wheels, which again are throwbacks to the GT-racing Morgans of the 1990s, and the wheelarches are a bespoke design. The hardtop, with a cockpit vent, is standard, while inside there are unique GTR dials, carbon-fibre racing seats with harnesses, and lashings of quilted leather. Each GTR is fitted with a plaque denoting its number in the build sequence.
Technology test bed
The homage to 'Big Blue' is a more important one than you might think. While Morgan's 1990s racing programme never hit Ferrari-style heights, it was that racer that allowed Morgan to develop much of the bonded aluminium technology that went on to underpin the likes of the original Aero 8, and the more recent Plus Four and Plus Eight models.
Steve Morris, Chairman & CEO, Morgan Motor Company, said: "We are excited to release the first images of the Plus 8 GTR following the design sketches published earlier this year. 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. Striking design, the finest craftsmanship, and an exhilarating sports car to drive, the Plus 8 GTR is the perfect swansong to the Morgan V8. We have been delighted to work alongside customers from around the world during the design and build process, and we look forward to sharing the final examples over the coming months."