Plus 8
The Morgan Plus 8 is a sports car built by British car maker Morgan from 1968 to 2004 and again in revised form between 2012 and 2018. Its instant and enduring popularity has been credited with saving the company and keeping the company famous during the 36 years of its manufacture. Among Morgan enthusiasts, it is deeply associated with Peter Morgan, the owner-chairman behind its design.
Design
The development of the Plus 8 was led by Maurice Owen, an engineer taken on specifically for the role. The Plus 8 prototype was based on a modified chassis from the Plus 4, altered to accept the Rover alloy block 215 cu in (3.5 L) V8, purchased from GM-Buick in 1967. Plus 4's Moss gearbox was carried over and the Salisbury 7HA axle was uprated with a limited-slip differential. The chassis was developed in stages to accommodate gearbox changes in 1973 and 1976, 1995 the body widened in 1976 to accommodate the widened chassis and the wings widened to accommodate larger tires to handle the increasing power and trend for lower profile and wider tires. The original 1968 Plus 8 was 57 inches (1,400 mm) wide and the last was 64 inches (1,600 mm) (with an optional "widebody" at 67 inches (1,700 mm)) From the 1960s and (according to all auto magazines) through the 1980s for acceleration between 20-80mph, the Plus Eight was the fastest-accelerating UK production car. To this day, early Plus 8s are frequently the winners in the 1960-1970 class in the UK.
In 2002, Morgan created a "LeMans Edition" with similar exterior feature to the 1960s Plus 4 LeMans winner. In 2003, Morgan created a 35th year "Anniversary Edition" of the Plus 8. The 35th Anniversary model was built in 100 examples and has a walnut dashboard, mesh behind the grille bars, a "LeMans style" gear knob, and a badge on the rear panel. The original brochure also referenced the fact that the Plus 8 was to be discontinued the following year.
Following the discontinuation of the Rover V8, production of Plus 8 ended in 2004. A revised Aero, powered by a 4.8-litre BMW V8 engine, was placed on an Aero chassis, with Aero 8 suspension, axles, brakes, steering, gearbox, and altered wings was introduced in 2012, They also called this model "Plus 8" and it was sold concurrently with the Aero 8 from that date until the elimination of the Aero line-up in 2020.
In 2014, Morgan created another edition called the Plus 8 'Speedster' models based on the later Aero configuration noted above. It began as a limited edition, but production was not limited to the originally advertised 60 examples. This limited run forwent the traditional roof in favor of a small fly screen and hidden roll bars behind the front seats. Pitched as an entry-level Plus 8 model, they went on sale for £69,999.
Plus 8
The Morgan Plus 8 is a sports car built by British car maker Morgan from 1968 to 2004 and again in revised form between 2012 and 2018. Its instant and enduring popularity has been credited with saving the company and keeping the company famous during the 36 years of its manufacture. Among Morgan enthusiasts, it is deeply associated with Peter Morgan, the owner-chairman behind its design.
Design
The development of the Plus 8 was led by Maurice Owen, an engineer taken on specifically for the role. The Plus 8 prototype was based on a modified chassis from the Plus 4, altered to accept the Rover alloy block 215 cu in (3.5 L) V8, purchased from GM-Buick in 1967. Plus 4's Moss gearbox was carried over and the Salisbury 7HA axle was uprated with a limited-slip differential. The chassis was developed in stages to accommodate gearbox changes in 1973 and 1976, 1995 the body widened in 1976 to accommodate the widened chassis and the wings widened to accommodate larger tires to handle the increasing power and trend for lower profile and wider tires. The original 1968 Plus 8 was 57 inches (1,400 mm) wide and the last was 64 inches (1,600 mm) (with an optional "widebody" at 67 inches (1,700 mm)) From the 1960s and (according to all auto magazines) through the 1980s for acceleration between 20-80mph, the Plus Eight was the fastest-accelerating UK production car. To this day, early Plus 8s are frequently the winners in the 1960-1970 class in the UK.
In 2002, Morgan created a "LeMans Edition" with similar exterior feature to the 1960s Plus 4 LeMans winner. In 2003, Morgan created a 35th year "Anniversary Edition" of the Plus 8. The 35th Anniversary model was built in 100 examples and has a walnut dashboard, mesh behind the grille bars, a "LeMans style" gear knob, and a badge on the rear panel. The original brochure also referenced the fact that the Plus 8 was to be discontinued the following year.
Following the discontinuation of the Rover V8, production of Plus 8 ended in 2004. A revised Aero, powered by a 4.8-litre BMW V8 engine, was placed on an Aero chassis, with Aero 8 suspension, axles, brakes, steering, gearbox, and altered wings was introduced in 2012, They also called this model "Plus 8" and it was sold concurrently with the Aero 8 from that date until the elimination of the Aero line-up in 2020.
In 2014, Morgan created another edition called the Plus 8 'Speedster' models based on the later Aero configuration noted above. It began as a limited edition, but production was not limited to the originally advertised 60 examples. This limited run forwent the traditional roof in favor of a small fly screen and hidden roll bars behind the front seats. Pitched as an entry-level Plus 8 model, they went on sale for £69,999.