British sports carmaker has revealed a brand model called the Morgan Super 3. The Super 3 is the successor to the iconic and bizarre Morgan Three Wheeler sports car. The new generation Super 3 shares very little with the older car, but is designed with a similar philosophy. Talking to YouTube channel Carfection, John Wells, Head of Design, Morgan has revealed some neat quirks and features that make the new Super 3 just as cool as the model it replaces. The Three Wheeler was harnessed by tradition, but the new Super 3 looks to the future.
Morgan Super 3: Starting From Scratch
The old Morgan Three Wheeler proudly had its air-cooled V-twin engine mounted on the front in full display. Morgan explored the idea of continuing with a motorcycle engine but making it work with a modern transmission including a reverse gear was a challenge. That led to Morgan using a Ford 1.5-liter naturally aspirated three-cylinder motor for the new Super 3. The motor is paired with a five-speed Mazda gearbox. The engine now mounted in-board, it makes a modest 118 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque. It is more punch than the old Three Wheeler, and the triangular footprint means it is the single rear wheel that is driven.
The performance figures for the Morgan Super 3 are currently unverified. However, they claim it to be good for a 130 mph V-Max, while a 0-62 mph sprint would take seven seconds. The dry weight of the car is just 1,400 pounds, but that is before you begin adding the myriad of customizable options.
The New Morgan Monocoque
Traditional Morgan cars are hand-crafted machines. They are renowned for their engineering and is the only carmaker to build vehicles out of wood even to this day. The Super 3 is the first modern Morgan that does not make use of any wood under the bodywork. While traditions are important for a historic brand such as Morgan, they seem to have managed to make the Super 3 fit for the modern world, yet true to its pedigree with its quirks.
The New Super 3 is built around a brand new monocoque chassis, that is designed to accommodate the new powertrain of course. Wells claimed that the entire design of the vehicle was inspired to be built around the Ford engine. This has led to a three-part platform. At the front is an aluminum cast block that is fundamentally the engine mount. However, they are also the mounting points for the front wishbones and push/pull rod suspensions. Furthermore, the aluminum blocks are also designed to divert the air to the radiators, something the air-cooled motorcycle engine of the old Three-Wheeler never required.
The second half of the platform is naturally the engine, as the third section is a more ergonomically designed chassis that can accommodate people of larger statures. So that is a clear intention that larger Americans can also enjoy some British quirkiness. Furthermore, Wells did suggest that the platform has been designed keeping electrification in mind, a possibility for the Super 3 in the future.
The Custom Interior Of The Morgan Super 3
With a new model, Morgan took the liberty to modernize the interior as well. The design largely remains simplified and elegant, offering the bare minimum in a fascinating fashion. In front of the driver are a steering wheel and a simplified navigation dial. In the center of the dash are two beautifully crafted aluminum panels that house the digital gauges. The gauges themselves add a very futuristic, yet retro sci-fi attitude to the Super 3. Below them are a few switches, with the gear lever and handbrake as the only tools to operate.
The upholstery offered in the Super 3 is a modern blend of vegan leather that is also water-resistant or hydrophobic. Morgan has installed some modular clamps on various parts of the Super 3. These are anchor points for various accessories and customization elements for the car allowing every owner to be able to personalize their Super 3 however they choose.
Morgan Super 3: A Motoring Maverick
HFS Morgan built his first three-wheeler in 1909 which would continue to be produced until 1952. The new Super 3’s name is derived from the Super Sports three-wheelers of the 1930. The name also introduces a new product family for Morgan joining the 'Plus' range and setting a new design language for future cars.
The new Super 3 is priced in the UK at just under £41,000 which is about $56,000 in US money. The Super 3 has already gone on sale in the UK, US, and Europe. But the folks across the pond will receive their vehicles first. The Super 3 will arrive in late 2022 to customers in the US. One must concede the Morgan Super 3 has a more appealing personality than a Polaris Slingshot.
Source: Carfection / YouTube