When supplies of the 2138cc Triumph four-cylinder engine began to become scarce during the late Sixties, Morgan found themselves with a problem.
The problem was how and where to find a high-performance engine to power their flagship Plus 4 model.
Thankfully, a solution was rapidly found, in the form of Rover's all-alloy 3.5-litre V-eight derived from a discarded Buick design of the early Sixties and recently introduced in the big P511 saloon.
Launched in September 1968, the Morgan Plus 8 went on to become an all-time best-seller for the company.
Though wider and longer than the Plus Four — two inches in the wheelbase, two inches in the track — the Plus 8's original l design was precisely the same.
Not only that, but the new car had a significantly longer wheelbase and wider track than the Plus 4 which it replaced.
All cars had new-design 15in cast alloy road wheels, and all came with the familiar two-seater sports car style and a steel-panelled body.
Once launched, the Plus 8 was an instant best-seller by any Morgan standards, and enormous waiting lists eventually built up.
The Plus 8 continued in production until 2004 (with various engine upgrades along the way), an all-time Morgan best-seller with over 6,500 produced, with updates and improvements made steadily and consistently during the model’s 36-year production run.
Remaining highly collectable British classics robust enough to enjoy taking to the road day in, day out (especially in summer with the top down) the Morgan Plus 8 is sufficiently rare to ensure that second-hand values remain high while holding the role as a fitting epitaph to one of the most classic automobile designs of the twentieth century.
