Morgan 3 Wheeler Reviews

This car is mad, crazy and stupid. But I still love it.Right now, the Morgan 3 Wheeler has jumped to the top of my bucket list for 2015, even topping the Mercedes-AMG GT and the all-new Toyota HiLux.It's directly related to a motorcycle-powered three-wheeler that was built more than 100 years ago in the very earliest days of the Morgan, with the claim that it could crack "The Ton" when 100mph (160km/h, give or take) was the benchmark number for a serious speed machine.The whole purpose of the 3 Wheeler is driving, in the purest senseIt's taken more than four years for Morgan importer Chris van Wyk to get the born-again 3 Wheeler cleared for Australia and it's meant some major redesign work in Britain. The most obvious change is new intakes that give the car a "moustache" but there are also proper mirrors, better rollover protection, reversing light and padded steering wheel.But the basics are totally unchanged, from the front-mounted motorcycle-style V‒twin engine to the single rear driving wheel.The whole purpose of the 3 Wheeler is driving, in the purest sense. It's not intended for family work, or commuting, or anything where the driver is really just another passenger.It's a car for a fast blast on a sunny day.The 3 Wheeler is far from cheap, with a base price of $90,000The first Australian cars are being built at Morgan next month and it’s highly likely that a few will have come with the optional RAF colour scheme, replicating a World War I fighter plane.Orders are now being filled for later in the year and although the 3 Wheeler is far from cheap, with a base price of $90,000, that’s unlikely to deter anyone who wants one.In any case, such buyers are likely to have some mundane cars — Audi, BMW, Mercedes and the like, perhaps even a Porsche — in the garage for the days until the 3 Wheeler istaken out for exercise.

Boutique British sports car maker Morgan has booted its former boss, Charles Morgan, from the company that has borne his family name for over 100 years. The grandson of the company’s founder Henry Morgan was removed from the Morgan board this week, sparking an online revolt from employees in support of the 62 year old.Charles Morgan stepped down from the role of managing director earlier this year, and has since retained the title of ‘ambassador’ and board member for the historic brand.However, the company’s current managing director Steve Morris announced this week that Charles Morgan would no longer have any role within the organisation – with his removal forming part of a company restructuring.Supporters and staff have taken to Twitter to express their disapproval of the move. One employee tweeted: “We can’t believe the company is not being run by a Morgan family member. The general feel around the factory is we would like Charles Morgan back.”“Can’t see how the current management team can be better placed than Charles Morgan to lead the organisation,” said another supporter. One abruptly noted: “Morgan without Charles Morgan isn’t Morgan. Idiots are throwing away their heritage gold card.”Morgan replied to his Twitter supporters: “Thanks from the depth of my heart. You are the lifeblood of the company.”At a conference of business leaders this week, Morgan --who has pledged to appeal the decision-- implied that a family feud could be behind the move, citing his sister and his brother-in-law as relatives who still hold a key role in the family’s finances.Charles explained that he holds a 30 per cent share in the company, and is a beneficiary of a trust whose two trustees share 48 per cent of the company. “One of the trustees is the husband of my sister. My sister has a 10 per cent holding. At this stage this is all I am prepared to discuss,” Morgan said.The Morgan Motor Company was established by Henry Morgan in 1910, who ran it until his death in 1959. Charles’ father Peter succeeded him until he was replaced as chairman by non-family director Alan Garnett between 2003-06.From then, the company was run by a four-man management team that included Charles before he became managing director in 2010.The Morgan Motor Company is set to sell a record 1200 vehicles in 2013 from its range of classic sports cars that start at £33,000 ($55,420) in the UK. In Australia, Morgan currently retails three versions of its classic roadster, kicking off with the Plus 4/4 model at $72,600, and topped with the Morgan Roadster at $129,900. 

One of the most exciting vehicles you can buy doesn't have four wheels. It doesn't have two wheels either. It's the Morgan Three Wheeler, and it's a trike that provides a wildly thrilling motoring experience unmatched by many vehicles on the road.The seating position is low, the engine is loud, and the handling is... different. The Morgan Three Wheeler is something that truly needs to be experienced to be believed. It's also a vehicle that didn't just spring to life out of the blue.There's heritage at play here, and that is something that the team at Morgan are once again examining thanks to the strong sales of this titillating trike. Back in the 1930's, Morgan produced an array of Three Wheelers. There were single seaters, double seaters, and even the F-Series four-passenger Morgans.The success of the modern Three Wheeler has Morgan considering rolling out an updated variety of this latest iteration. Per Autocar, the current version is expected to exceed 600 units sold.That's more volume than the rest of the Morgan family, and it shows the manufacturer that folks are (relatively) highly interested in their entertaining vehicle. We say the more the merrier, and we hope Morgan does push forward with its plan to expand upon the Three Wheeler family.www.motorauthority.com 

The Morgan 3 Wheeler is into the final stage of certification and should be set for deliveries before Christmas with a pricetag below $70,000. More than 300 people are keen to get a car and the number is expected to rise following the car's first official appearance - in classic British Racing Green - at the Australian Grand Prix meeting in Melbourne. "The car we brought to the AGP is built to comply with the Australian Design Rules and we're hoping for smooth sailing from here. We hope to have the certification done by June," the head of Morgan Cars Australia, Chris van Wyk, tells Carsguide. "We have spent the last two years working on ADR compliance issues and we think we have done all the hard work. We've had to comply with three different crash tests, different steering, higher rollover hoops, headrests and meeting the ADR noise test. "The car is with our compliance engineer this week and he will go through it with the proverbial fine-tooth comb. Once he is satisfied we will apply for inspection by the officials from Canberra." Van Wyk says Morgan will build Australia's first cars in the second half of the year and he hopes to have cars with customers around September. "The response to the 3 Wheeler has been quite unprecedented in our experience. We currently have over 300 expressions of interest. I have no idea how many will actually turn into orders, as this is new territory for us." The 3 Wheeler is a re-invention of a 1920s Morgan, powered by a front-mounted twin-cylinder motorcycle engine powering the single rear wheel, with steering to the front wheels. It's been selling strongly in Europe since last year with most owners customising their cars - some with livery that is modelled on the fighter planes of World War 1.  

Henrik Fisker isn’t the only automotive executive who’s no longer in charge of the company that bears his name. Charles Morgan has been ousted as the managing director of the Morgan Motor Company, purveyor of timeless and quintessentially British roadsters and three-wheelers. Charles Morgan is the grandson of company founder H.F.S. Morgan, who began his cyclecar manufacturing business in 1910 and remained on as managing director until 1959. H.F.S. Morgan was succeeded by Peter Morgan (Charles’ father), who served as head of the company until 2003. Charles was late in entering the family business, spending the early part of his career as a television cameraman, then later working in publishing. He joined the Morgan Motor Company as a full-time employee in 1985, and was appointed to the role of managing director in 2006. Rumour had it that Morgan’s board of directors hadn’t been satisfied with Charles' performance in the role, but a company spokesperson stated that the move came on good terms for all involved. Morgan will be succeeded by Steve Morris, the automaker’s former operations director. As for Charles Morgan, he will remain with the company in a business development capacity. According to Morgan’s sales manager, Nick Baker, “Charles will remain the figurehead of Morgan. His role is now to focus on opening doors and creating the market.” www.motorauthority.com  

The oddball British baby has survived three locally-focussed crash tests and is into the finishing straight for Australian Design Rule compliance. More than 250 people are waiting for the verdict after registering for a spot on the waiting list, although it will still be the middle of next year before local deliveries can begin. "I'm pretty confident now. I think we'll get it," the Australian agent for Morgan and Caterham sports cars, Chris van Wyk, tells Carsguide. "The hard part was the crash tests. Now we've cleared those we've done about 70 per cent of the work." "There are three different things we've had to do, for different parts of the vehicle, to meet the ADRs. Australia has to have its own set of rules and that's what we're wrestling with now. We're not worried about lights and seat belts or stuff like that. "In Europe and America it's classified as motorcycle so there are no crash tests required. But in Australia there is a special category for tricycles, so we need a crash test."  He is forecasting a likely price around $65,000 for the three-wheeler but says the biggest problem will be getting cars, as demand for the three wheeler is more than four times higher than expected. "When Morgan announced the car in March 2011 they were talking about 200 cars a year, but they ended up with 900 deposit-paid orders. They have been totally overwhelmed, and that was before they got the car into America," van Wyk says. "They're now building cars as fast as they can." The three-wheeler is a bare-boned revival of the original Morgan from the 1920s, powered by a 2-litre S&S vee-twin engine usually installed in custom Harley Davidson motorcycles. There is plenty of customisation potential, including paintwork that mimics a Spitfire fighter from World War II. Fans of the car include American talk show legend Jay Leno. The price will between $60,000 and $70,000, although van Wyk says that depends on the exchange rate and the final certification costs. He says getting the three-wheeler approved for Australia is a tough battle. "We've been working on this for more than a year. Really, we started as soon as we heard about it in March 2011. We had to find out the rules, for a start." But he says there is huge interest, from a huge range of people. "We're talking about CEOs of big companies at one end. A lot seem to be motorcyclists who've fallen off once too often and don't bounce too well," he laughs. From the first 20 enquiries, 17 were existing Morgan owners, but since then they are all new faces.  "It's totally unprecedented in my 12 years with Morgan." Morgan is tiny in Australia and will deliver less than 20 of its old-fashioned sports cars this year, although van Wyk is also planning for a handful of local Caterham sports car handovers. "It's a very specialised boutique market. Last year we did 20 Morgans and had a zero with Caterham. This year I'm expecting 18 Morgans and four Caterhams," he says.  

'If it’s not broken, don’t fix it'. This seems to be the motto for the Morgan Motor Company. The classic car connoisseurs don’t like change. In over 100 years the company has remained independent, created all the cars by hand, made customers wait over a year for an order and still build their vehicles out of wood. No, that’s not a typo. Morgan cars have always been crafted entirely around a wooden skeleton. A metal shell is then layered over this seemingly archaic frame to provide a more solid structure. Each metal shear is slightly different, ensuring that every owner receives a one of a kind Morgan vehicle. Understandably, Morgan only build around 600 cars each year. Owners can pay anything from around $40,000 to $300,000 for one of these superb ‘grownup go-karts’. Morgan also like to keep things in the family. Founded by Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan, it was passed down to his son Peter and is now owned by Peter’s son Charles.  

An electric sportscar with a five-speed manual gearbox has been designed by Morgan with the support of British technology specialists Zytek and Radshape.Shown as a concept to test market reaction, the radical new roadster could enter production if there is sufficient demand. "We wanted to see how much fun you can have in an electric sportscar, so we have built one to help us find out," explained Morgan operations director Steve Morris."The Plus E combines Morgan's traditional look with high-technology construction and a powertrain that delivers substantial torque instantly at any speed. With the manual gearbox to increase both touring range and driver involvement, it will be a fantastic car to drive."The Plus E is based on a tailored version of Morgan's lightweight aluminium platform chassis clothed in the revised traditional body from the new BMW V8-powered Plus 8, also launched at Geneva. Power is delivered by a new derivative of Zytek's 70kW  300Nm electric engine, which is already proven with US vehicle manufacturers.Mounted in the transmission tunnel, the Zytek unit drives the rear wheels through a conventional five-speed manual gearbox. The clutch is retained, but because the motor provides torque from zero speed the driver can choose to leave it engaged when coming to rest and pulling away, driving the car like a conventional automatic."A multi-speed transmission allows the motor to spend more time operating in its sweet spot, where it uses energy more efficiently, particularly at high road speeds," explained Zytek Automotive managing director Neil Heslington."It also allows us to provide lower gearing for rapid acceleration and will make the car more engaging for keen drivers."The program will deliver two engineering concept vehicles. The first, with the five-speed manual box and Li-ion batteries, will be used for preliminary engineering assessment while the second will be closer to potential production specification, with alternative battery technologies and possibly a sequential gearbox."The superb capability of the finished car reflects the passion with which the Zytek team has applied their considerable expertise," adds Morris. "The project is a true collaboration aimed at delivering as much driving pleasure as possible in a zero emissions vehicle. It worked really well, with aluminium fabrication specialistRadshape paying particular attention to retaining chassis stiffness and weight distribution to ensure excellent dynamics and ride quality with good steering feel."The collaborative research and development project is part-funded by the UK Government's Niche Vehicle Network Program, which is managed by CENEX to promote the development and commercialisation of new low-carbon vehicle technologies. 

The brand's Melbourne-based Australian importer is keen to add the new Morgan 3-Wheeler sports car to its stable when it is released in early 2012, but Australia is the only country in the world that demands it pass a crash test. "The iconic 3-Wheeler is classified as a motorcycle everywhere else," Morgan Cars Australia principal Chris van Wyk said. The Morgan Motor Company, in Malvern Link, is the world's oldest private car maker and the only British family-owned car company in the UK. Founded by Henry Morgan in 1909, its first product was a 3-Wheeler, an astounding machine that evolved and survived until 1946  and is now back in production, eagerly awaited by the wind-in-hair and bugs-in-teeth enthusiasts. "The ADR classification is that a three-wheeler with a steering wheel is car-derived, so it's a car. By contrast, a three-wheeled motorbike, or one with a sidecar, is a motorcycle and doesn't need such testing," Mr Van Wyk said. In a frontal crash, a bike rider will get catapulted over the handlebars. But the driver of a Morgan 3-Wheeler has a steering wheel, dashboard, a sturdy rollcage and wears a seatbelt. Go figure.  However, Mr Van Wyk isn't daunted. His business came to a halt for four years after a similar ADR ruling on the regular four-wheeled Morgan sports cars. But that has been overcome and three versions of the classic hand-built models are again available in Australia. So far, 24 have been bought by the Morgan faithful, in almost equal numbers for the 82kW/142Nm 1.6litre 4/4, 106kW/187Nm 2.0litre Plus 4 and the 195kW 3.0litre V6 Roadster.  Prices range from $68,000 to $137,000. Also scheduled for arrival in Oz next year are an uprated 3.7litre version of the Roadster, the return of the Plus 8 nameplate and the new EvaGT four-seat coupe, a Frazer Nash-BMW 328-inspired beauty which will come in 2013. And should the 90kW twin-pot 2.0litre zero-to-100km/h in 4.5 seconds (yes!) five-speed (Mazda MX5 gearbox) 3-Wheeler get through, it should cost about $55,000. Change the rules Mr ADR. Life's too short not to have the Morgan 3-Wheeler here.

After an early knock-back on safety grounds, the 21st century revival of a 1930s sports car is now looking much more likely to make local showrooms. Morgan importer Chris van Wyk says he believes the super-retro Morgan now satisfies the safety needs of Australian legislators and he is pushing ahead with a deal in Britain that will include crash testing for certification. "Fingers crossed," van Wyk tells Carsguide. "The main thing is that we need to do some crash testing. That's the main obstacle. If that's alright, then I think we can make it." He says he is hopeful that the Morgan can be classified as a type of trike for Australia, not a car, and that will ease its passage. "There are three categories of trike in Australia. We think we can get it through." The three-wheeler Morgan has just had its first public outing in full road trim, with a demonstration run at the Goodwood Festival of Speed in Britain. The car is also headed for full-scale production and van Wyk reports huge interest in Australia. "We've had an extraordinary response. I've had over 70 inquiries. Everybody asks if it will ever be complianced for Australia," he says. "In fact, it's a maybe. Right at the minute they are trying to get production started. The capacity this year is 200 cars, and they have over 400 orders with deposits and over 4000 enquiries." Van Wyk says he is relying on the three-wheeler as time is running out - fast - for regular Morgan sports cars. They are not fitted with ESP stability control, which becomes compulsory in Australia next year - following the lead in Victoria - with a limited allowance for cars already on sale. "The classic Morgans die in Australia in November 2013 because of the traction control thing. That's the limit for existing models. I'll get as many cars as I can before then," van Wyk says. "I've taken 17 orders since September last year. We'll hit double- digits this year, which is a big first, and a big improvement over 2009 when we were a big fat zero. "But I need the three-wheeler now as my bread-and-butter car."