BMW 4.8-litre V8 gives the limited edition Morgan Plus 8 Speedster plenty of oomph.
Avoid being fooled into a false sense of security by the vintage exterior. The Morgan Plus 8 Speedster, built to celebrate 100 years of manufacturing at its Pickersleigh road factory in Worcestershire, is comprised modern-day parts and a roster of figures that would put most young whippersnappers to shame.
The Plus 8 Speedster is based on the V8 roadster, as opposed to the (slightly) more modern-looking Aero 8. It packs a BMW 4.2-litre V8 capable of producing 372bhp and 370lb/ft of torque. This gives the old-timer a 0 to 62mph sprint of 4.2 seconds ─ 0.3 seconds faster than the roadster.
The top speed is 148mph, which you will never get anywhere near for fear of blowing out the back. That windscreen is a little on the small side, to say the least, even with the roof up. Gear changes are taken care of by either a six-speed manual or ZF six-speed automatic.
An aluminium chassis helps the Morgan achieve an impressive power-to-weight ratio while, in theory, providing good handling. There is, of course, much to be said for just cruising at low speeds in this majestic beast.
The Morgan Plus 8 Speedster will go on sale in June priced from £69,995. Customisation options to make the Morgan your own will be available. The production run is unknown ─ 100 cars for 100 years would make sense.
Morgan Plus 8 Speedster pictures
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