General Description
With a total production of just 9 units, the Plus 8 GTR was born when Morgan presented its design team a carte blanche to inaugurate their Special Projects series. The opportunity afforded the team to revisit the venerable Plus 8 that officially ended production in 2018.
Taking cues from Morgan’s racing history, each of the 9 examples are wholly bespoke. Making full use of the unforeseen opportunity, the Plus 8 GTR received BMW’s 4.8 litre, naturally-aspirated, N62 V8 making for the most powerful Morgan ever built, configured for 400bhp. Further performance upgrades saw improvements in throttle response and output over the standard Plus 8.
The GTR draws inspiration from some of the great racing Morgans over the years including one of the Plus 8 development cars, ‘Big Blue’ which raced in the BPR in 1996, and the Aero GT that ran at Le Mans in the early 2000s. These can be seen in the GTR’s wholly bespoke aerodynamic package, one that incorporates the front splitter, sills, rear diffuser, bonnets, removable hardtop and centre lock wheel design.
About this specific vehicle
Morgan's affinity with the colour blue no doubt links to 'Big Blue's' racing endeavours. Developed in the mid-1990s as a developmental prototype for an aluminium chassis GT2 racer, the original Morgan Plus 8 GTR raced at the highest competitive level in the late '90s alongside McLaren F1s in the BPR, even placing a very credible 10th in the championship. This achievement was immortalised in the livery of the very first GTR, a car finished in BMW’s Yas Marina blue.
The livery of this UK supplied example pays tribute to the commissioning owner’s 1977 Morgan Plus 8 racecar. Extensively campaigned and thanks to their competitive endeavours, Grahame and Olly Bryant’s ‘1 MOG’ in fact pips ‘Big Blue’ as the winningest Morgan extant.
Upon seeing ‘1 MOG’, the elegant and sporting two-tone colourway of Aston Martin Cobalt Blue over Porsche Marine Blue immediately makes sense. The wheels and spotlight covers are finished in BMW Sophisto Grey.
The interior of this GTR sees Muirhead Russian Blue leather covering heated Aero seats, with further bespoke option extending the leather coverings to the steering column and door cards. The stitching is well matched in British Blue. This GTR is 1 of just 3 to be delivered in RHD configuration and 1 of just 2 RHD manual examples built.
Offered today with just 530 miles from new, this single-owner Plus 8 GTR is a true bookend to the Morgan V8 lineage and a scarce proposition as one of just 9 cars to leave the factory.
*Outstanding finance to be settled by DK Engineering upon agreed sale.
**Payment within 3 working days and collection within 7 calendar days.
***DK Engineering are selling this car as a consignment sale. The vehicle is physical and in our showrooms, and the usual level of dealership benefits such as warranty (subject to Terms & Conditions) will apply to this sale.
