Retro-styled Morgan Plus 8 GTR revealed

This striking new sports car is one of the rarest machines on the planet and its wild looks have to be seen to be believed.

British brand Morgan has revealed its striking new limited edition sports car.

Morgan is known for its hand-built specialty sports cars and its unique retro-cool styling, which has shades of pre World War 2 vehicles.

The Morgan Plus 8 GTR has head-turning looks.

Dubbed the Morgan Plus 8 GTR, the two-seater is the brand’s most powerful vehicle to date.

Power comes from a beefy BMW-sourced 4.8-litre V8 making 280kW. It is equipped with either a six-speed manual or auto transmission.

There are several other performance upgrades including a dual sports exhaust, improved throttle response and upgraded suspension.

The inside is throughly modern.

Only nine of the machines will be made. There is no official word on prices but some reports expect it to be priced up to $450,000.

Despite the expected top-end price tag all examples are spoken for.

Morgan says that the brand has worked with each buyer to make each version unique.

They are built in either left- or right-hand drive and five of the vehicle are being sent around the world.

The Plus 8 GTR draws inspiration from the brand’s motorsport history.

The Plus 8 GTR pays tribute to the brand’s racer from the 1990s with styling cues such as its big wheel arches and the five-spoke wheels are reminiscent of the old racer.

There are plenty of aerodynamic features, too, including a revised front end with a wing and splitter.

Inside there are sculptured sports seats and high-end materials are used throughout.

Steve Morris, the head of Morgan, is excited to show off the new Plus 8 GTR.

Its profile is unmistakeable.

“Striking design, the finest craftsmanship, and an exhilarating sports car to drive, the Plus 8 GTR is the perfect swan song to the Morgan V8. We have been delighted to work alongside customers from around the world during the design and build process, and we look forward to sharing the final examples over the coming months,” says Morris.

Morgan has been hand building cars for more than a century and only builds about 850 units every year, and it exports them around the world including Australia.