Morgan Aero 8 GT - The Last Of Its Kind

I have been really wanting to write about this for some time now… why? because its a Morgan. Unless you are British you don’t really have a love affair with one do you?

As a kid I used to watch movies on the TV with my mother or while I was visiting my grandparents and once in a while there used to be a movie on the TV which featured a old 1920s or 1930s car that had big tear drop style wheel arches with large bonnets and some actually had a proper trunk (like on the carriages) at the back. I always thought they were the most beautiful and luxurious cars on to be ever created and today, I still do think they are some of the most beautiful and luxurious cars ever made, even though my taste in cars have changed. My taste in cars has changed to like power and everyday usage. But, the little kid in me still likes power and looks. When the first time I saw a Morgan Aero 8 (in a picture I admit it) It was love at first sight (a bit too cliché, but true). For me, It was a perfect blend of vintage looks and a modern motor and performance, and being low slung was a big bonus.

Unfortunately, at Geneva Motor Show this year the Aero 8’s bloodline has come to an end with the last beauty - the Aero 8 GT. It is a beautiful car and has been given a tough gentleman look, think a classy boxer or rugby player, with a performance boost. It’s boost is more looks than performance. Morgan’s way of saying goodbye - only produce 8.

The 8 GTs will be tailored by Morgan’s Special Projects Department and will be built after a consultation with Morgan’s Head Designer, so every one of the 8 GTs created is unique. Now to its base design….its a regular Morgan Aero 8, now give it some aero, literally. There some vents added on to the car - air vents on the wheels arches. Unique ones as a matter of fact. The front arches have louvre vents on it. The rear aches have brake cooling vents like one would find on a GT3 race car. They have even added a race car like diffuser and muscle car like side exhausts making it very dramatic. One addition I would find different is a roof scoop but on the back of the roof facing the tail of the car. Different right? None the less its outcome is beautiful and made to look better with pinstripe accents on being added on the car. The diffuser and exhaust ends have it. Not to worry Morgan is hand finishing all the 8 cars and this includes the interior with jeweller-made GT badges and coloured stitching and pinstripes on the wooden parts of the interior.

Look at those vents on the front and rear fenders and the pinstripes Picture Credit: Car Magazine

Look at those vents on the front and rear fenders and the pinstripes Picture Credit: Car Magazine

Morgan is really outdoing themselves with the looks. The performance has also improved not by much but enough. I recon they took a page out of Bugatti’s book for the Chiron Sport and didn’t improve the engine but improved the handling and grip. In the GT you will find the same BMW N62 V8 Engine form the standard Aero 8. The addition is the new and improved adjustable suspension and that did the trick. Due to the aerodynamic upgrades of the vents and the racing diffuser it increases downforce. The improved adjustable suspension increases handling. With the same N62 V8 the car performance numbers are 367bhp of power, 0 - 62 is 4.5 and a top speed of 170mph. Not bad in numbers performance, better than its predecessors and absolutely gorgeous.

Since we are on numbers, how much will it lighten your bank account, a cool GBP 120,000 base price and will rise with all the options you want in it. For a bespoke car and last of its kind it is worth every quid you spend on it. Its quintessentially a car one has a love affair with, even if you are not British.