This year marks the 50th anniversary of V8 power for the iconic British sports car brand Morgan. It'll also be the last, as the specialist maker has confirmed that it will no longer build V8-powered models from 2019. The Plus 8 and Aero 8 will be discontinued, with the last example of each model joining Morgan's heritage fleet. You know, for posterity. The last Plus 8 is actually also the 300th example to be powered by BMW's N62 V8 engine. The first Morgan V8 models, launched in 1968, had Rover V8s - and kept them until 2004.
SUPPLIEDMorgan Plus 8 bowed out this year with special 50th anniversary edition.
The company plans to launch an all-new model in 2019, based around a "bonded aluminium fabricated" chassis that is claimed to be twice as stiff as that underneath the outgoing models. READ MORE:
* The N-V of new cars for 2019 It will be combined with a "performance powertrain never before installed in a Morgan", although the company is yet to confirm exactly what that is. The new model will be a "wide body" sports car says Morgan - a hint that it will have integrated guards, unlike the determinedly old-school Plus models. The development programme for the new model has spanned several years for Morgan's design and engineering teams - which are still very small, numbering just 30 people.