- Olga Kokorina
- Translated by Olga Apetenok
- Ru Fr
Three wheels for the rebels
The Morgan 3 Wheeler is a two-seater three-wheeler, just as its name implies, manufactured since 2011 by Morgan Motor Company (UK). When creating this vehicle, the company was inspired by the classic Morgan tricycle, the long history of which began as early as 110 years ago and lasted until 1952. Further production had to be discontinued due to the growing demand for the Plus 4 four-wheeled roadster.
Morgan Motor Company is a small company that has around 220 people in its employ and produces 850 cars a year, assembling them by hand. It may take approximately six months or even several years to get the ordered vehicle. The company is located in Worcestershire (England). Founded in 1910 by Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, it has been owned by the Italian Investindustrial investment group since March 2019.
The 3 Wheeler will soon say goodbye to the public. Morgan has recently decided to upgrade its model range due to the transition to a new aluminum platform. The modern Plus Four and Plus Six roadsters have already made their debut. Plus, the motor-cycle engine used on the 3 Wheeler model is outdated, which is why the certificate for the production of vehicles equipped with it expires in 2021.
The first generation
It has been produced from 2011 to the present (as of 2021). Morgan vehicles have one very interesting feature, namely the use of wood in the body shell structure. This tradition has existed for a century and continues its life to the present day! The Morgan 3 Wheeler features a tubular steel chassis with a space frame, handcrafted ash wood shell and aluminum body panels that keep it lightweight. The body, created at the Morgan’s Pickersleigh Road manufacturing facility, is styled with the same design features as the original cars of the 1920s, but is carefully proportioned to fit properly on the steel chassis.
The centerpiece of this extraordinary vehicle is a 1998cc, twin-cylinder V-twin engine by S&S V-Twin (USA) generating 83 hp and 140 Nm of torque. This unit accelerates a three-wheeler to 100 km/h in 6 seconds. There was also a version with a derated Euro-4 engine with 69 hp. Mazda’s 5-speed manual transmission makes driving this vehicle easy and intuitive. The Morgan 3 Wheeler is light (weighing just over 500 kg) and highly maneuverable, and the driving experience is beyond compare. According to the manufacturer:
‘The latest version retains the unique and celebrated driving experience that made the original an icon, yet reimagines the technology that underpins it, updating the model to be relevant for the 21st Century. The Morgan 3 Wheeler embodies the no frills, all thrills motto. By modern day comparison, the Morgan 3 Wheeler would not be a first choice for long distance travel, yet it exudes a remarkable sense of adventure that compels owners to regularly embark on road trips across countries and even continents.’
The Morgan 3 Wheeler not only took part in the iconic Top Gear, it was rated highly by the leading journalists and won the ‘Not-A-Car of the Year 2011’ in Top Gear magazine. The 3 Wheeler was featured in an episode of Season 18 when Richard Hammond selected it to compare cars for track day.
Morgan EV3 electric car
The all-electric modification of the Morgan 3 Wheeler premiered at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show. The electric Morgan EV3 sported an original design with an asymmetrical front end, adorned with a large third headlight and brass cooling fins. Surprisingly, the electric version is 25 kg lighter than the petrol one.
Technically, the electric car is not far from the traditional version: the aluminum body is still built on the ash frame, but some of the elements were made of carbon fiber, and trunks appeared on the sides, hiding the battery package by Potenza (UK). It powered the Ashwoods electric motor with 63 hp and 141 Nm, with the dynamics being reduced compared to a version with an internal combustion engine: the maximum speed was 144 km/h (40 km/h lower), whereas acceleration to 100 km/h occurred in 9 seconds (1 second more). The batteries had a capacity of 20 kW/h and provided a drive range of up to 240 km. The EV3 production was discontinued at the end of 2018.
The last series
Morgan has recently decided to upgrade its model range due to the transition to a new aluminum platform. The modern Plus Four and Plus Six roadsters have already made their debut. Plus, the motor-cycle engine used on the 3 Wheeler model is outdated, which is why the certificate for the production of vehicles equipped with it expires in 2021.
Therefore, the manufacturer has created a farewell series of three-wheeled vehicles called the P101 Edition, echoing the internal model designation (Project 101). The exterior of the new vehicles is distinguished by a golden cover over the passenger seat, specially designed wheels in body color and Hella headlights. There are black and light silver exterior colors, as well as four optional styling packages: the classic Belly Tank, the black and white Dazzleship, the Aviator (inspired by WWII aircraft) and the Race Car. The Morgan 3 Wheeler P101 Edition roadsters will continue to be assembled by hand, with a total of 33 cars planned to be assembled within the final series. 14 three-wheeled vehicles will be sold in the UK, while the remaining cars will be sold in Europe and the United States.
