First Morgan Plus 8 GTR rolls off production line in Yas Marina Blue

The first of nine Morgan Plus 8 GTR special editions has been completed at the firm’s Malvern factory.

Inspired by Morgan’s racing history, the GTR is based on the regular Plus 8 but gains a variety of enhancements including a power boost from 365bhp to 375bhp – making it the most powerful Morgan ever.

Each of the nine cars is a bespoke commission, with owners working with Morgan’s design team to create ‘their’ car. The first GTR is finished in Yas Marina Blue and pays homage to the Plus 8 race car of the nineties known as ‘Big Blue’. The remaining eight cars are all currently in production and should be completed by the end of the first quarter of 2022.

Steve Morris, chairman and CEO of 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.”

As well as a tuned engine, the GTR features cannon-style twin-exit sports exhausts and five-spoke centre-lock wheels, similar to those fitted to the Plus 8 race car.

The aluminium wings and splitter have all been re-designed, while the fitted hardtop features a cockpit vent. Bespoke GTR dials are fitted too, as is a plaque displaying the car’s number in the build sequence.

The GTR is the second special project from Morgan this year, following on from the off-road Plus Four CX-T.