Wednesday 23rd April 2014

Morgan launches Plus 8 Speedster

Just the thing for a summer drive in the country, and cheaper than the normal car too

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Who doesn't love a Speedster? Porsche is of course best known for various 356s and 911s, Mazda did an MX-5 Superlight concept without a windscreen and now Morgan has had a shot as well. This is the rather fabulous Plus 8 Speedster.

As you will have already guessed, it's based on Morgan's V8 roadster that isn't an Aero 8. With the same 372hp BMW 4.8-litre V8 as the regular Plus 8 but presumably a little less weight, the Speedster hits 62mph three tenths quicker at 4.2 seconds. A quoted top speed of 148mph must have something to do with the Speedster's unique aerodynamics. And would that roof stand up to going any faster?

The car has been built to mark 100 years of Morgan production at Pickersleigh Road. To produce 100 cars would therefore seem logical but nothing has been confirmed from Morgan yet as they are still on Easter vacation. What we do know is that the Speedster goes on sale in June at £69,995, or £15K less than the regular Plus 8. We'll have a manual with the steel wheels, please.

[Source: Autocar]

[Dave G fsi]

"but nothing has been confirmed from Morgan yet as they are still on Easter vacation"

[unpc]

I'm liking this. Those steelies look ace.

[stumpage]

Dave G fsi said:

"but nothing has been confirmed from Morgan yet as they are still on Easter Holiday"

A British company Old Chap.

[fatbutt]

Look great. How about a 4 cylinder version, even cheaper?

[Mr_B]

There is a manual option, or that's on the wish list ?

[griffdude]

fatbutt said:

Look great. How about a 4 cylinder version, even cheaper?

They did a +4 SuperSport recently with a limited run of 60 cars. Available on the 2nd hand market for upwards of 45K. They're a great drive.

This +8 Speedster looks fantastic. I've yet to drive a car with aero screens & wonder if they're practical?

[yeti]

griffdude said:

I've yet to drive a car with aero screens & wonder if they're practical?

I thought about converting my standard (classic) Plus 8 but it's a goggles and pretty much crash helmet job.

Brilliant looker though, I'd love those steelies on mine!

[Ozzie Osmond]

unpc said:

Those steelies look ace.

Although for your £70,000 you don't seem to get much more than a big BMW engine bolted into an old bedstead. But I'm aware there's a small band of loyal followers who love them!!

[suffolk009]

I followed a chap in a Morgan onto the Eurotunnel coming back from Angouleme last year. He'd taken his windscreen off and fitted aeroscreens.

He drove on and got out of his car easily enough, presumably having just been inside drinking coffee. But when it was time to wrap up for the final leg of the journey home, his well rehearsed routine of putting on jackets(plural), gloves, hat, scarf, goggles, a blanket over his knees, and tonneau routine took him several minutes.

I sometimes do the same, but in my stripped down Midget (with aeroscreens).

[LotusOmega375D]

That looks lovely. Are they allowed to get away with non-head restraint seats these days? I went right off the Plus 8 when they introduced head-restraints (in the mid 1990s I think). That was almost as bad as the introduction of the catalytic converter!

[Wacky Racer]

£70,000 for a car with no roof, no door handles, no windscreen, no windscreen wipers, no radio, no satnav, no alloys...

I'll take two.

[LuS1fer]

Aeroscreens are stupid.
It's like going on an aircraft and opening the doors.

[vpr]

LotusOmega375D said:

That looks lovely. Are they allowed to get away with non-head restraint seats these days? I went right off the Plus 8 when they introduced head-restraints (in the mid 1990s I think). That was almost as bad as the introduction of the catalytic converter!

ME too....I'm with you on the headrest front, always looked odd to me.

Love this speedster, looks awesome

[sanctum]

Simply one of the most beautiful pieces of automotive pornography still in production. I'll have a black one on those gigantic steels please (20"?)
Although I prefer the petite stance of the smaller 1.6 litre 4/4 from an aesthetic point of view, these +8s are a bit bullish head on.

Edited by sanctum on Wednesday 23 April 14:58

[dlockhart]

370 bhp from a BMW4.8 V8?? why don't they use the V8 from the M5 surely that would have +130 bhp?? and I am surprised by the limited top speed , my 226 bhp Porsche has a TV of 155mph , why is this so much slower for the horses? I do like the 4.2 seconds for 0-62 though I just cant figure out the rest?

[carinaman]

I'm not sure about those exhaust portals. Do they double up as jacking points? Is one an exhaust and the other a jacking point?

Such an outlet positioned there looks a bit uncouth to me.

Catalytic Converters? There was another way:

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=tdxrsuS0OT4C&am...

[LasseV]

I love it! I simply love it!

ohh. Damn, i live in wrong country!

[carinaman]

dlockhart said:

370 bhp from a BMW4.8 V8?? why don't they use the V8 from the M5 surely that would have +130 bhp?? and I am surprised by the limited top speed , my 226 bhp Porsche has a TV of 155mph , why is this so much slower for the horses? I do like the 4.2 seconds for 0-62 though I just cant figure out the rest?

Perhaps it's because it's as much about the journey as getting there?

dlockhart said:

my 226 bhp Porsche has a TV of 155mph

BRAKE! would get seriously swivel eyed about you watching Television at 155 miles per hour!

Do you mean Vmax?

I think your German TV may do quite a bit more than 155 miles per hour, but I understand there's some kind of electronic limiter that retards further progress.

[Podie]

Those sneaky Morgan people kept that well hidden at the recent Sunday Service!

[carinaman]

Sneaky or just not Danny Bahar era Lotus? Morgan aren't louts.