The Morgan Super 3 is about as American as a Citroen 2CV. It is tiny, extremely lightweight, and only has three wheels. In an era of excessiveness, this is an outlaw. Morgans, and especially the three-wheeled ‘cars’, are a huge part of the United Kingdom’s automotive heritage and car guys over there love them. It may be surprising, but the new Super 3 will be sold in the United States.
What is the Morgan Super 3 and is it Road Legal?
This, as you can probably tell, is a three-wheeled sports car. Yes, it is road legal. Now, we are not sure if “sports car” is the correct description for this vehicle. It isn’t a machine that focuses on lap times – instead, it shines at making the driver happy. So, we shall name it a “happy car.” Or maybe not.
In any case, the Super 3 is designed to make Saturdays, Sundays, or even Mondays a bit more special. Instead of going for a drive in your glass, plastic, and an aluminum-filled modern-day car you hop In the Morgan (literally as there are no doors) and enjoy driving in its purest form. The wind hits straight onto your face and the vibrations from road imperfections travel right through your bottom.
It also manages to get a lot of attention, probably even more than supercars in the million-dollar price range. However, unlike a million-dollar supercar, all the attention received is positive due to the charm and uniqueness of the vehicle. On every drive, you will probably have a different experience and make a few new friends who will stop you to ask what on earth this thing is.
Morgan Super 3 Specifications
If you are expecting some modern-day power craziness, we are afraid you will be disappointed. The Morgan Super 3 sports a 1.5-liter three-cylinder Ford motor producing 118 horsepower and 110 pound-feet of torque. However, due to the insanely low weight of 600 kilograms or 1323 pounds, 0-62 mph happens in a spritely seven seconds. If you are brave enough you can max it out at 130mph.
Driving Characteristics
As you can imagine, this is no ordinary driving experience. Even plotting around town is different. You will soon realize that positioning potholes in between the two front wheels leads to a spine jolting hit as the single rear wheel drives straight through them.
When you pick up speed, corner entry should typically be slower than usual, but you can carry more speed when exiting. To ensure the vehicle embraces the essence of driving no ABS or traction control is available, it is all up to the driver. The single rear wheel that is wrapped in all-season rubber helps reduce rear end grip which helps pivot the vehicle into a turn. There is enough power to get some oversteer on exit or when leaving junctions. Because you are sitting right above the driven wheel you can feel exactly what is going on with the car.
As the 1.5-liter Ford engine is naturally aspirated you need to work the transmission to keep the Super 3 high in the Rev range where most of the power can be found. Doing so, however, will be a charm thanks to the Miata sourced 5-speed manual which is characterized as an absolute delight to shift through. To compliment the great transmission, you get heel and toe-friendly pedals that help you nail every downshift. That’s great as if you get a bit too aggressive with the downshifts that single rear wheel will lose traction and you will be on your way towards a ditch – not fun. As you can imagine, the cabin is a bit cramped. You never really know what to do with your right arm, and the small windscreens don’t do much when it comes to blocking the wind; however, this is the charm and character of the Morgan Super 3.
It Offers Some Clever Features
You might think that this will have zero amenities or extras, but that isn’t the case. You can opt for heated seats, a sat-nav, a rear luggage rack, and more. Furthermore, the company has patented a clever fixing that enables the driver to mount phones, cameras, bungee cords, and even cup holders.
Fit and Finish is Gorgeous
This is not a cheap toy. In the UK, pricing will start at £41,995. By the time it has reached the U.S. pricing will most probably exceed the $50,000-mark. Granted, this is a lot of money, but the attention to detail on offer makes up for it.
The attention to detail and old-school touches like the wheels and exhaust provides an experience that cannot be found anywhere else and that is the main justification for its price.
Final Thoughts
The Morgan Super 3 might be the most well-suited sports car in this era of environmental awareness and preservation of resources. If you think about it, it makes sense. It uses small tires and only three of them, a tiny engine that produces low emissions and uses very little fuel, and the production process is virtually insignificant due to how little material it uses. It can also be enjoyed at sensible speeds unlike most sports cars on the current market.
The Morgan Super 3 provides one of the most unique driving experiences anyone can have out of a brand-new vehicle on the current market. It may sound weird, but if I had the money, I would choose one of these over the most excessive sports cars on today’s market. Old-school charm wins modern-day hype then. For me at least.