Exactly 40 years after Morgan’s last competitive entry at Le Mans, when Christopher Lawrence, now Chief Development Engineer at Morgan Motor Company, drove a Morgan Plus 4 through the chequered flag to win the 2.0-litre class, a Morgan is set to return to the world’s most prestigious race.

The recently launched Morgan Aero 8 GT race car will compete at this year’s Le Mans 24-hour race and the British GT Series as a private team entry by Race Sports Salisbury (RSS). The team, headed by Richard Stanton and Denis Leach, has secured major sponsorship from DEWALT and Barclays. Morgan Motor Company will provide additional technical support.

Powered by a 4-litre, Mader-tuned BMW M62 engine, the aluminium-chassis Aero GT(N) will line up alongside Porsche 911s and Ferrari 360s in the LM-GT category.

This production race car features a 4.4-litre Heini Mader-prepared dry-sump M62 BMW V8 engine, which delivers over 500bhp at 6,900rpm via a six-speed sequential gearbox. Kerb weight is 1008 kg.

The CAD-designed aluminium alloy chassis of the Aero 8 road car has been given even greater rigidity and strength with an FIA-certified roll cage, and a carbon composite hard top has also been added.

The Aero 8 road car’s already impressive aerodynamic properties have been enhanced with a full front splitter, and the addition of a carbon fibre wing adds additional down force to the rear end. It also benefits from a clean venturi underside profile.