Brand: Michelin | Plus 8 1968 to 1976

Morgan Plus 8 1968 to 1976

Morgan's timeless roadster teamed up with Rover's powerful V8.

Originally fitted with a 185VR15 radial tyre.

When the Morgan Plus 8 was introduced in 1968 it was one of the world's fastest-accelerating cars. Beneath those pre-war lines was a 3.5-litre V8 that allowed the Morgan to get from 0-60mph in just 6.7 seconds – later models would cut this to a mere 6.1 seconds.

Contrary to popular belief the Plus 8's chassis isn't wooden (it's steel) – but the bodyshell is timber-framed. The start point was a Morgan 4/4, widened by two inches with a Rover V8 installed in the nose. The Plus 8 would be widened by a further two inches in 1973 and again in 1976, to improve stability.

Until 1977 steel panels were standard but from this point aluminium was offered too. Fuel injection became optional in 1983; by 1986 all Plus 8s got it as standard. From 1989 a 3.9-litre V8 was fitted; between 1997 and 1999 a 4.6-litre unit was optional. The Morgan Plus 8 was replaced by the V6-powered Roadster in 2004, but returned in 2012 with BMW power.