New Wine, Old Skin: Morgan Plus 8 is Company’s First Modern/Classic V8

The Plus 8 name isn't new to Morgan, but it's new to the roadster Charles Morgan introduced at the Geneva show last week. Citing an exclusive preview drive given to a journalist on the eve of the show, the family scion and company CEO referred to the Plus 8 as "a modern Cobra," thanks to its robust power-to-weight ratio. Morgan lists the new roadster's dry weight as 2425 pounds. Dry weight is a little deceptive, since it omits crucial elements such as fluids; fuel alone, for example, would add about 90 pounds in the Plus 8's 14.5-gallon tank. Still, a BMW-sourced V-8 good for 362 hp and 361 lb-ft of torque in a car weighing less than, say, 2600 pounds ought to be scintillating. There are two choices for transmitting power to the rear wheels—a six-speed manual (standard), or a six-speed automatic with sport and automatic operating modes. The Plus 8 is the only "classic" Morgan offered with the automatic option. The company forecasts 0 to 62 mph in 4.5 seconds, regardless of transmission. Top speed is limited to 155 mph. While the roadster's body looks familiar to anyone who's ever seen a Morgan, the underpinnings are new. Adapted from the old Aero 8, the chassis is bonded and riveted aluminum, , providing what Morgan boldly describes as the "stiffest chassis of all convertible roadsters available today." The suspension is independent all around, featuring a control-arm setup at the front that uses inboard dampers actuated by rocker-arm levers, racing practice for centralizing mass. Morgan makes note of hydraulic power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering as a tenet of the car's modernity, as well as standard ABS. But the Plus 8 hasn't lost touch with its heritage. It still has side curtains rather than roll-up windows, and it still lacks proper bumpers. The latter, plus a number of other missing safety-related features, probably will keep the Plus 8 out of the U.S. Which brings us to another element of Morgan's retro charm: How many of today's car companies invite a visit from potential customers? Beyond saying that interested parties should visit a dealer or its website, Morgan also suggests a visit the factory in Malvern Link, about 140 miles northwest of London—just be sure to book your factory visit in advance "to avoid disappointment" as the website puts it so politely. If you drop by, you might even be able to lobby with Mr. Morgan himself for a U.S.-legal Plus 8. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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