Morgan's $120,000 Plus 8 Speedster brings the 1940s to today

When you think of Britain, many things spring to mind — Monty Python, James Bond, rain, bad teeth and more rain. From an automotive perspective, the most quintessentially British brand (even though it's now technically Indian) would likely be Jaguar, or maybe even Rolls Royce (now German). But there is one little automaker that embodies everything Britain does best, only usually, it's a bit of an afterthought: The Morgan Motor Company.

The small carmaker from Malvern, England, founded by Mr. Morgan back in 1910, has a new car in its model lineup. And in true Morgan fashion, it looks like it's from the 1940s — only quite a lot faster and costs nearly $120,000.

To celebrate the company's 100th year at its Pickersleigh Road factory, Morgan has released the Plus 8 Speedster. Fans of the brand will know that the Plus 8 has been a featured model for around 50 years, but a speedster version, well, that just makes it better.

Power derives from a 4.8-liter V-8 sourced from BMW, good for 367 hp. Those with a brain will choose the 6-speed manual transmission, while those without will opt for an automatic. Zero to 60 mph takes just 4.2 seconds, and thanks to government restrictions, the fun ceases at 148 mph. According to the wee automaker, more information and pictures will be released in the coming weeks.