RE: Morgan Plus 8 Speedster: Driven

RE: Morgan Plus 8 Speedster: Driven

Author
Discussion

articulatedj

102 posts

120 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Stunning car. Thank you for including the video; the sound is glorious, even better than I expected.

I also appreciate you calling out the handling weaknesses rather than simply gushing about the car. I wonder if the issue could truly be fixed by dampers, or if the car is simply limited by the steering arrangement or geometry.

Matt Bird

1,450 posts

204 months

PH Reportery Lad

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
articulatedj said:
Stunning car. Thank you for including the video; the sound is glorious, even better than I expected.

I also appreciate you calling out the handling weaknesses rather than simply gushing about the car. I wonder if the issue could truly be fixed by dampers, or if the car is simply limited by the steering arrangement or geometry.
Yes. It was only speculation really but it just seemed a nice idea given Morgan is charging less because there's less car. I'd like to think £15K could get you somewhere if you were willing to spend Plus 8 money.

Escort3500

11,829 posts

144 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Great article and what a fantastic car. Would definitely be on my shopping list if funds permitted. This, and the 'modern' MGB reviewed earlier this week really make a nice change from most modern sports cars (good as they are in most cases).

Luca Brasi

885 posts

173 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Where do they keep getting those engines as it's been a while since BMW sold a n/a V8 car?

sideways man

1,307 posts

136 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Love these. Had a passenger ride in an old plus 8 at a track day, grunt out of the corners was epic,with oversteer on demand. Took the owner out in my zetec westfield,much more agile but you really had to rev it for any performance. Much preferred the morgan recipe for speed! Lottery win car for sure.

Rotrax

51 posts

189 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
So, almost as good as a Griffith then, only around £60K more.

Tell you what, I'll have a Griff, an XKR, an Elise, a Defender and an XF Sportbrake for the same money.

Sorted!

tenpenceshort

32,880 posts

216 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Matt Bird said:
Thanks. Sorry, we're sensitive to it as well which is why it's so frustrating when errors are published! Obviously doesn't help when the editor swans off to Pebble Beach for a few days too...
Sorry to sound like a moaning prick, but you obviously aren't sensitive to it. To some extent you're employed to write for a living. If that's your job, I would have thought proof reading your own work would be part of that. Blaming your editor for not checking your writing for glaring errors is passing the buck and ignoring the obvious.

sawman

4,915 posts

229 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Luca Brasi said:
Where do they keep getting those engines as it's been a while since BMW sold a n/a V8 car?
Charles Morgan bought a shedload of them - I think it was one of the decisions that got him into trouble with the board, when they found out

WolvesWill

150 posts

148 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
That noise....ooof.

Fantastic looking thing too, so unique smile

Big Fat Fatty

3,303 posts

155 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
How does something like that weigh 1100kg? I know that's not a lot for a car in general but it seems a lot for one like a Morgan.

Stinson

12 posts

117 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
tenpenceshort said:
Sorry to sound like a moaning prick, but you obviously aren't sensitive to it. To some extent you're employed to write for a living. If that's your job, I would have thought proof reading your own work would be part of that. Blaming your editor for not checking your writing for glaring errors is passing the buck and ignoring the obvious.
Proof reading your own work is very difficult.

T4NG0

1,670 posts

180 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
Been to the Morgan factory twice for their tours (recommended) and luckily for my wallet they haven't had cars for sale at the end, or I would have bought one. So easy to get caught up in he history and passion for these cars.

Move on and I test drive a 2007 Aero . Loved it and very nearly bought, but found corrosion and bit of panel damage that stopped it going further.

Few months later attended the Morgan open day, in light rain and drove 2 off their cars. First was the 3 wheeler. Absolutely loved it and would save bought one there and there if it wasn't for the 6 month waiting list at the time.

After this I was offered a drive in e £70k plus 8 (sorry not sure of actual model, but knew the cost ). Great engine and transmission, but the seating position was way too high and folding bits of canvas roof behind bizarre side windows that didn't butt up to windscreen, left me feeling I wouldn't buy the car at half the price.

Marmite cars Morgans....... Love some of them, hate some if them. Expect that's what makes them special wink


Numeric

1,393 posts

150 months

Thursday 14th August 2014
quotequote all
My Mum used to punt around a +8 sometimes when I was a youngster and I'm mid 40s now - but golly they were happy memories and I'd have one in a heartbeat funds permitting.

I know that a Caterham (I've driven a fair few and love them) would be a more real performance experience, but I have motorbikes to scratch that itch so for me it would be the glorious noise, a belonging of great beauty and a sackful of memories!

Kawasicki

13,041 posts

234 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
Excellent!

For all those who think modern cars are too capable and boring, buy one of these, put it on skinny (but good) normal road tyres and enjoy.

Bodo

12,368 posts

265 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
I quite like the wheels; they fit the car very well!

Hasbeen

2,073 posts

220 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
I drove my new Morgan one bitterly cold early morning to Bathurst, for the first 500 mile race.

1962, & it near killed me. You couldn't have the drivers side curtain on or the thing fogged up in seconds, & with it off the freezing wind coming in over the cut down door froze my kidneys. Much better after I stopped & bought the thickest newspaper available, & wrapped it around my waist, tucked down under my belt.

Cross ply tyres back then, but I don't remember the steering being very vague. I don't remember it being particularly vague when I set the Bathurst lap record for over 2.0L improved production sports cars in 64 either. Weren't the E type boys pissed. Perhaps the memories grow faint.

I would love another Mog, but out here in the Oz country, where some of the potholes are big enough to hide a 3 trailer road train, they just don't work. You would need your pilots licence & landing clearance from air traffic control, to land the thing after hitting some of those.

I guess I'll have to content myself with articles like this, & the odd video.

g3org3y

20,606 posts

190 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
I like this a lot. Wheels suit perfectly. Sounds a bit tasty too.

articulatedj

102 posts

120 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
T4NG0 said:
Been to the Morgan factory twice for their tours (recommended) and luckily for my wallet they haven't had cars for sale at the end, or I would have bought one. So easy to get caught up in he history and passion for these cars.

Move on and I test drive a 2007 Aero . Loved it and very nearly bought, but found corrosion and bit of panel damage that stopped it going further.

Few months later attended the Morgan open day, in light rain and drove 2 off their cars. First was the 3 wheeler. Absolutely loved it and would save bought one there and there if it wasn't for the 6 month waiting list at the time.

After this I was offered a drive in e £70k plus 8 (sorry not sure of actual model, but knew the cost ). Great engine and transmission, but the seating position was way too high and folding bits of canvas roof behind bizarre side windows that didn't butt up to windscreen, left me feeling I wouldn't buy the car at half the price.

Marmite cars Morgans....... Love some of them, hate some if them. Expect that's what makes them special wink
Can lowered seats be fitted? This would drive me nuts as well.

Oddball RS

1,757 posts

217 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
Auto I ask you, why? and only a little point but at that sort of money and yes I know hand built, I would expect the exhaust tailpipes to exit in the middle of their running board cut out.

MonkeySpanker

319 posts

136 months

Friday 15th August 2014
quotequote all
I was emission testing an old +8 at MIRA & got seasick.......hurl
Put me right off them, well that & the bits of angle iron & plywood that was the floor in those days.