Wednesday 21st March 2012

Chris Harris video: Morgan Plus 8

Why the Morgan Plus 8 puts the magic back into 'motoring' by our very own Chris Harris

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I'm writing this on an iPhone from the passenger seat of a Clio Cup on the way back from the Nurburgring. The clever bloke who makes these videos, Neil Carey, is driving. It's a compromised environment but feels like a Maybach after driving the Morgan to Geneva two weeks ago. (The drive back was pretty epic too! - Ed)

Epic? Yes, in every way you care to mention

He'll be acutely embarrassed that I'm quoting him on the subject, but Neil represents one of the two types of responses to this wonderful car. The great majority love it for what it is, some need persuasion. He's in the latter camp.

The Morgan didn't accommodate much of his gear on the drive to Switzerland. The seat barely contained his 6ft frame and when the rain began trickling down the inside of the windscreen, he said, in his finest Welsh drawl, "80 grand? You're having a laugh right?"

Fast forward two days and he was cooing over the bodywork, in rapture about the noise and very fond of the Plus 8.

This car is a long way from perfect, but it is beguiling and addictive. If an alien asked me to summarise the process of loving motoring, as opposed to driving or speed or any other sub category of the genre, I would probably present this car. It takes a motoring addict to sift through the difficulties and extract the experience. It is that which separates those with a passing interest and those with a passion.

Dan's Mitsubishi L200 helps out on the shoot

You've heard from all the PH team about this car now. Garlick, poor thing, is especially badly affected by MMC II.

Yes, the experimental hood was a bit weepy and 11 hours and 45 minutes was a long time to drive it, but for good old fashioned adventuring, this is a fine machine.

I'd better go, I'm about to be sick.

Enjoy the vid.

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[Vilhelm]

Right now, I think this must be my favourite car. Astronomical levels of want.

[Blue62]

Know what you mean, it looks and sounds very special, a real animal. Want.

[Oddball RS]

Really Don't get Morgans, Just why?

[Garlick]

.....and you wondered why I loved it so?

Great video Chris, enjoyed that.

[Mini1275]

I just love everything about these Morgans.

[Stuart]

I've got this car this evening, so whilst the chaps were busy uploading the video and story, I was out buggering about on a lovely dry early spring evening with the roof down.

Like Garlick I really, really love this car. The exhaust note, as Chris says here is just stupidly addictive.

[Blue62]

What will the PH massive make of the fact that Chris is a Guardian reader? Just watch his credibility go through the floor now, once revered, now just another Clarkson.

[Stuart]

Blue62 said:

What will the PH massive make of the fact that Chris is a Guardian reader? Just watch his credibility go through the floor now, once revered, now just another Clarkson.

Oh I expect it was just the outside pages. Daily Soov just inside, I'm sure.

[Asterix]

Oddball RS said:

Really Don't get Morgans, Just why?

Why not?

Not my first choice for that sort of money but if you were to buy one, chances are it wouldn't be a rational purchase - it would be completely emotional.

[Dalto123]

Always liked Morgans. This however is perfect

[Vocal Minority]

Stupid. Old fashioned. Over priced. Impractical. Stupid. Waste of money....Stupid.

Want, want, want, want, want.

[Gorbyrev]

Charles & co doing a great job - something really alluring about the Plus 8, maybe not black for me but that's being picky. Seem like a car that demands to be driven which makes it proper PH stuff!

[ZeeTacoe]

Finally a decent car on Pistonheads

[spoonoff]

Morgan cementing its GT car credentials there...

Still want one though, this or the 3-wheeler.

[asbojohn]

Garlick said:

.....and you wondered why I loved it so?

Great video Chris, enjoyed that.

It is a great video and review of the car, of course as an Aero owner I'm impartial in these matter, just disappointed he kept the roof up in the rain

Now when are we going to see one for the 3 wheeler?

[OwenK]

Never really "got" Morgan (particularly of the past 10 years or so).

They're really knocking it out of the park at the moment now though with this and the 3-Wheeler. I've never liked classic Morgans apart from in a "isn't it quaint" sense but something about the modern elements integrated with the classic on this Plus 8 just makes it so incredibly desirable. Fabulous.

[Davey S2]

Lovely thing

I hope they sort out the leak problems on the production models. That sort of stuff is expected on a £8K Lotus Elise but not on a new £80K car.

[Dave Hedgehog]

i want this car more than anything with a prancing horse on it

just perfection

[TomTVR500]

I love Morgans, what a brilliant, brilliant car.

However for those of us that do not have a spare £80,000 but want a lightweight, seriously rapid, fantastically loud, leaky, impractical, character full British sports car that never fails to make people smile instead of scowl and rewards a similar driving style there is always the TVR Griffith 500 or indeed the Chimaera.

[huwp]

My Caterham makes the Morgan look positively water-tight! As well as coming in past the roof and doors the water comes up through the floor and through the scuttle. I'm sure some people must think I'm incontinent when they see me get out of it when it's raining. I still wouldn't change it though and like the Morgan it is a very disarming car.

The day we lose the last of our low volume manufacturers will be a sad day indeed.

Love the Plus 8.