Morgan 3 Wheeler

Morgan 3 Wheeler at a glance

Morgan's first cars, from 1910 until the early 1950s, were three-wheelers with motorcycle V-twin engines. The 3 Wheeler of 2011 brought that layout back: two front wheels, one driven rear wheel and an exposed V-twin ahead of the radiator line. The idea came partly from the Liberty Ace, a modern Morgan-style three-wheeler built in small numbers in the United States by Pete Larsen. Morgan is reported to have acquired the design rights before developing its own car in Malvern Link, Worcestershire.

The old 1cars text gave a 1.8-litre engine with 136 hp. The production engine was the 2.0-litre S&S with 82 hp; Morgan's early talk of about 115 hp at the rear wheel referred to a Harley-Davidson Screaming Eagle engine that was not used.

The S&S V-twin and belt drive

The S&S V-twin is a pushrod, fuel-injected engine with a long stroke, built in the United States for custom motorcycles. In early form it gave 61 kW (82 hp) at 5,250 rpm and 140 Nm at 3,250 rpm. The power runs through a five-speed manual gearbox from the third-generation Mazda MX-5 and a propshaft. A bevel box then turns the drive through 90 degrees, and a toothed belt takes it to the rear wheel.

When Euro 3 cars could no longer be sold in Europe from January 2017, Morgan fitted new camshafts, a new engine management system and extra catalysts. The Euro 4 engine made 51 kW (68 hp) and 129 Nm at 2,500 rpm, the car became about 60 kg heavier and roughly a second slower to 100 km/h, but fuel economy improved.

With 525 kg and 61 kW, an early 3 Wheeler has about 116 kW per tonne, similar to a well-equipped hot hatchback; the power-to-weight calculator shows the sum for any other car.

Tubular frame, aluminium body and open cockpit

The structure is a tubular steel chassis with an aluminium body attached at twelve points. Front suspension uses wishbones and the rear wheel sits on a trailing arm, with Spax dampers. Narrow front tyres (about 10 cm wide, as the old article noted) and a wider rear tyre give light steering but limited grip, so the car rewards smooth driving.

The cockpit is simple: speedometer and rev counter, a large steering wheel, two narrow seats and a starter button under a flip-up cover, a detail inspired by fighter aircraft. There are no doors, no roof and no luggage space beyond a small area behind the seats and optional luggage on a rear rack. Weather protection is limited to small aero screens.

Model-year changes and special editions

By 2014 Morgan had sold about 1,000 cars, many to the United States. Morgan also built the EV3, an electric prototype with a 20 kWh battery, 101 bhp and an estimated 240 km range, between 2016 and 2018, but it cancelled production in late 2018. The EV3's story is told in the Morgan EV3 article.

Running costs and known problems

The 3 Wheeler is economical on fuel compared with most sports cars, and Euro 4 cars use less fuel than earlier ones. The costs come from the drivetrain, which needs regular attention. Points to check on a used car:

• bevel box: noise, oil leaks and wear; boxes bolted directly to the chassis are best left as they are;
• cush drive and belt: pre-2014 cush drives often failed, belts must be kept at the right tension, and a belt that jumps teeth bangs under load;
• rear sprocket: early aluminium sprockets wear fast, and steel is the better choice;
• engine: oil leaks at the rocker covers, head joints and oil tank welds, plus early pulley bolts;
• electrics: loose plug leads, voltage regulators and wiring faults;
• corrosion: paint bubbling on the aluminium body and rust on the tubular chassis and front mudguards.

The Mazda gearbox has a good reliability record, and on later cars the gear lever was moved forward for a better driving position. Cars with the 2014 chassis updates, or early cars fitted with Morgan's steering comfort kit, drive noticeably better.

Rivals: how the 3 Wheeler compares

The 3 Wheeler is the most characterful of these: noisy, slow to warm up and very open, but fun at modest speeds. The Super 3 is easier to live with, and a Caterham is the better choice for track days. You can line up the 3 Wheeler against four-wheeled roadsters in the 1cars comparison tool, or see more open two-seaters among the British cars in the catalogue.