2003 Morgan Plus 8 4.0 OTS

The Morgan Plus 8 is a sports car built by British car makers Morgan between 1968 and 2004 with a total of 3506 examples being produced. Its instant and enduring popularity has been credited with saving the company and keeping the company famous during the 36 years of its manufacture. Among Morgan enthusiasts, it is deeply associated with Peter Morgan, the owner-chairman behind its design. The development of the Plus 8 was led by Maurice Owen, a race car engineer taken on specifically for the role. The Plus 8 prototype was based on a modified version the chassis of the Plus 4, to which it added the Rover alloy block 215 cu in (3.5 l) V8, purchased from GM-Buick in 1967. Plus 4's Moss gearbox was carried over and the Salisbury 7HA axle was uprated with a limited slip differential. The chassis was developed in stages to accommodate gearbox changes in 1973 and 1976, the body widened in 1976 to accommodate the widened chassis and the wings widened to accommodate larger tires to handle the increasing power and trend for lower profile and wider tires. The original 1968 Plus 8 was 57 inches (1,400 mm) wide and the last was 64 inches (1,600 mm) (with an optional "wide body" at 67 inches (1,700 mm)) For several years in the 1960s the Plus Eight was the fastest-accelerating UK production car. To mark the 35th year of production of its Plus 8, MMC released a commemorative 'Anniversary Edition'. From 2000 on, all Morgan Plus 8s were fueled by the GEMS system used on the Land Rover Discovery II. An eight-cylinder engine was used though horsepower varied.