With the current car roster and the latest teaser image and audio file, it’s not a huge surprise to see Project Motor Racing confirm the Morgan Aero 8 and N-GT class for their upcoming racing sim. But it’s nice to see developers Straight4 Studios demonstrate their love of the spirit of racing, and how it will be shared in their new title.
The 2004 Morgan Aero 8 GTN
The most recognisable car of the era? Morgan did update their normal wood chassis used in production cars to move to a aluminium construction for endurance racing. Which was a good idea when it holds a 4.4 litre Mader-tuned Alpina BMW M62 V8 engine putting out more than 500bhp at 6,900rpm, going through a six-speed sequential gearbox.
Other racing measures included OZ centre lock magnesium wheels, carbon fibre for the hardtop roof and interior, and performance side exhausts. All of which contributed to a light weight of around 1000kg, and resulted in something with the iconic look of a British stately home able to lap tracks quickly, and evolving into a later GT3 model, with the Aero 8 model in production from 2000 until 2018.
Morgan itself is still going, having been founded in 1910, and now majority owned by Italian investors InvestIndustrial. In any case, I think I’ve found the first car I’m going to be running when Project Motor Racing is available…
The N-GT Class
Introduced in 2000, the N-GT class was added to the FIA GT Championship from 2000 until 2004, before being replaced by Group GT2, and as a result, the same cars rane in both the European and British series as well. The idea behind National GT (N-GT) was that smaller manufacturers could race against the likes of Porsche, Ferrari and BMW.
What that meant in practice were the likes of the Mosler MT900R, Gillet Vertigo, Morgan Aero 8 GTN and TVR Tuscan T400R were able to compete in their class, and continued to race grouped with GT2 cars for a few further years. Up against the Ferrari 360 Modena, Porsche 996 GT3-RS and BMW M3 GTR it was more about surviving races than dominating championships for the smaller companies and teams. The 2004 British season also saw Corvettes, an Ultima, and even a Holden Monaro driven by former World Superbike star Aaron Slight competing.
And it’s stories about the triumphs and disasters of the relatively tiny and unknown manufacturers and outfits that tend to live on more than those of the larger factory winners. Especially when motorsport at pretty much every level has become more expensive and difficult for anyone to participate in.
It also means multiple classes, considering that GT class at the time included the already confirmed Lister Storm, Saleen S7-R and Chrysler GTS-R, along with the Aston Martin DBR9, Corvette C5-R, Maserati MC12, Lamborghini Murcielago and both the Ferrari 550 GTS Maranello and 575 GTC. Fingers crossed there will be official races which run the GT and N-GT fields together.
Keep up with the latest Project Motor Racing news and updates here, along with the Project Motor Racing car list and track list so far.
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