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Gautam Sharma13 Aug 2014
REVIEW

Morgan 3 Wheeler 2014 Review

Morgan's eccentric 3 Wheeler is a glorious throwback to a bygone era
Morgan 3 Wheeler
Road Test
There is no more gloriously anachronistic vehicle on the market (albeit not in Australia until it gets ADR approval) than Morgan's kooky, offbeat 3 Wheeler.
The 3 Wheeler's basic origins date back more than 100 years, as the Brit manufacturer was churning out tri-wheeled vehicles with V-twin engines as long ago as 1911. Although the 3 Wheeler was phased out in 1939, the company decided to revisit the theme in 2011, rolling out a ‘modern-day' version at the Geneva motor show.
Powered by an air-cooled 2.0-litre V-twin engine manufactured by US-based S&S, the 525kg (dry weight) 3 Wheeler is underpinned by a steel tubular chassis, clothed in aluminium bodywork.
The two-pot engine's outputs of 60kW and 140Nm are channelled to the solitary rear wheel via a Mazda MX-5 five-speed gearbox and belt drive.
Morgan claims a 0-60mph (0-96km/h) split of 6.0sec, but that sounds more than a tad optimistic to us. It's not fast by contemporary standards, but the 3 Wheeler is immense fun – more on this later.
This scribe was able to test the car (or is a motorcycle with an extra wheel?) in Dubai, but sadly you'll have to wait a bit longer to have a steer as Morgan Cars Australia has been working for the past three and a half years to get ADR compliance for the 3 Wheeler – and they're still not quite there yet.
Part of the problem is it's classified as a three-wheeled motorcycle in other markets, but here it is classified as a three-wheeled car. Consequently, many aspects have had to be re-designed and re-tested to bring the vehicle up to car technical standards.
Among the upgrades that have been carried out thus far to obtain ADR compliance are higher roll-over hoops, the addition of head restraints, relocated front indicators, wrapping the exposed exhaust with heat shield tape, a new steering wheel with collapsible steering column, the addition of a third brake light and reversing light, additional dash padding, new side mirrors and central rear-view mirror and the addition of side reflectors.
According to Morgan Cars Australia's Chris van Wyk, the local importer has conducted four separate crash tests, all of which the 3 Wheeler is said to have passed.
"The good news is that if we ever get the ADR approval, we will have the best Morgan 3 Wheeler in the world," van Wyk says. "The bad news is that Australia is already the most expensive of any of our markets and the homologation costs are still mounting."
Van Wyk estimates the 3 Wheeler could cost around $85,000 (plus on-road costs) in Australia, which would make it pricier than even the Morgan 4/4, which is currently priced at $79,990 (plus ORCs).
Part of the reason for the stratospheric pricing is that because Australian Customs have ruled that the 3 Wheeler is a ‘car', it attracts a 5 per cent Import Duty (unlike motorcycles) and, to compound the issue, it's classified as a 'Luxury Car', even though it doesn't have doors, a windscreen or even a heater.
Be that as it may, the 3 Wheeler is potentially an intriguing addition to the local market, even if its exorbitant pricetag would render it an ultra-niche vehicle. That could be part of the appeal though, as the tri-wheeled contraption attracts more rubbernecking than any Bugatti, Ferrari or Lambo I've ever tested.
The 3 Wheeler is exhilarating and exhausting in equal measure. Although hardly the fastest, most potent or sharpest handling set of wheels motoring.com.au has tested, the miniscule Morgan does have a way of getting under skin.
Given how offbeat the 3 Wheeler is, it's hard to even begin to pigeonhole the thing or figure out what you might even cross-shop the thing with. I guess one answer to that is that you don't purchase it as an alternative to anything else. You buy it because you damn well want one.
The big V-twin engine gets all your internal organs vibrating to its beat as soon as you fire it up, and once underway it's a source of much amusement to discover how ridiculously easy it is to spin up the back wheel. In fact, the spindly rear tyre will emit a hearty chirp all the way up to fourth gear if you flat-shift the super-slick five-speed gearbox.
Built to a unique Morgan specification, the 2.0-litre engine is basic in the extreme, with two overhead valves per cylinder, operated by pushrods. Peak torque is on tap from just 3250rpm which makes it possible to motor along at a respectable clip in the waif-like 3 Wheeler.
The first thing that comes to mind with three-wheelers in general is imagery of Reliant Robins tipping over at walking speeds, but the Morgan feels ultra-stable as its centre of gravity is slung low within its wide front track.
The 3 Wheeler's front suspension is by wishbones, with coil springs all round and, staying true to the minimalist theme, there are no driving aids of any description.
You'll meet with chronic understeer as soon as you point it at the first corner, but you can get around this to some degree by manhandling it and throttle-steering the Morgan around. Master this and the entertainment value only gets incremented.
The steering offers loads of feedback, and it's fair to say the 3 Wheeler imparts a greater sense of connection with the tarmac beneath you – and the elements around you – than any other vehicle out there. You can't return from driving it without wearing a foolish grin on your face.
As enjoyable and mentally freeing as it is to chunter around in, the 3 Wheeler is also demanding to drive, inducing one fellow road tester to bring up his lunch when he took it home one evening.
The vibrations are so intense – especially at idle – that an assortment of rattles and creaks are part and parcel of the driving experience. The right-hand rear-view mirror also vibrated so much that I could only glean a shaky picture of what was behind me on that side.
Other compromises include a seat and steering wheel that are fixed in position, with only the pedal box able to be adjusted – and even this requires the removal and subsequent retightening of four bolts.
It was with a mixture of relief and sadness that I handed the car back after three days. It's changed my perception of three-wheeled vehicles, and if I were ever wealthy enough to assemble a dream garage, the pint-sized Morgan would undoubtedly find a slot in it.
2014 Morgan 3 Wheeler pricing and specifications:
Price: TBA (see text) 
Engine: 2.0-litre two-cylinder petrol 
Output: 60kW/140Nm
Transmission: Five-speed manual
Fuel: N/A
CO2: N/A
Safety rating: N/A
What we liked: Not so much:
>> Purity of drive experience >> Completely impractical
>> Power-sliding fun >> Vibrations and firmness
>> Attention-grabbing looks >> Exhausting to drive

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Written byGautam Sharma
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Our team of independent expert car reviewers and journalistsMeet the team
Expert rating
66/100
Engine, Drivetrain & Chassis
12/20
Price, Packaging & Practicality
8/20
Safety & Technology
8/20
Behind the Wheel
18/20
X-Factor
20/20
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