Morgan first showed the 3 Wheeler at last year’s Geneva Motor Show, and it is believed that more people viewed this car than any other at the show; it was a definite show-stealer. At that time last March, the company thought it would take around 100 orders in the first year, but the figure sits at nearly 1,000 at the moment, so it has been a surprising and pleasing result so far for Morgan. The sales have come from all around the world, so the staff and suppliers are certainly being kept busy.
2011 wasn’t the first time the world had been interested in a Morgan 3 Wheeler. The first time around was in November 1910 when Harry Morgan produced his first car and called it the Morgan Runabout. He introduced a petrol powered car which was small, cheap and aimed at the masses for local journeys, however, after Mr. Morgan raced the car and won numerous first places, it put the Morgan brand well and truly on the motor industry map.
The new 3 Wheeler is exactly what the name suggests: it’s a 3 wheeled vehicle which has drive from its singular wheel at the rear, in essence making it a one-wheel drive. It’s powered by a 2.0 litre V Twin petrol engine that produces around 120bhp. It goes from 0-60mph in a very frightening 4.5 seconds.
To say the 3 Wheeler is a bit sparse on standard equipment is a bit of an understatement. It doesn’t have any doors, it doesn’t have a roof and it doesn’t possess minor elements such as carpets and cup holders, but what this car does offer is great fun and a feeling of adventure. It gives you a nostalgic feeling when you get the wind in your hair; you feel is if you’ve been immediately transported back in time and it’s a thrill which is seldom found in any car these days. It makes you proud to be British, as it oozes so much heritage and craftsmanship.
At first glance the price of the 3 Wheeler doesn’t look cheap – in fact it looks outright expensive, being well over £30,000 for a roofless, one-wheel drive motorised tricycle. However, the amount of orders received so far has proved that it is an outstanding success, with most of those buyers no doubt being the rich and famous – the pop stars and footballers who are buying them for a sunny day toy and not a rainy day runabout.
Is the Morgan 3 Wheeler a car or a motorbike? The driver and passenger sit alongside each other and you need a car licence to drive it, so technically it’s a car, but it has got motor tricycle homologation so it could be argued that it’s a motorbike. I lean towards it being a car.
Get into a £30,000 Morgan 3 Wheeler and you practically step into a time machine. This car is more of a toy than anything else, and there’s nothing wrong with that if it really puts a smile on your face. This car made me smile just to look at it. It’s a living legend.
