Ever since small UK outfit Caterham acquired the rights to continue building the Lotus Seven, the popularity of track-day special cars has absolutely soared. Over the years, we’ve seen a handful of efforts from a huge variety of (usually) small volume manufacturers, like the BAC Mono and the Ariel Atom. Some manufacturers of totally different kinds of vehicles used the track day special as an excuse to get into cars, like the KTM X Bow.
Then, there’s Morgan. Morgan is a British automaker that has been making traditional sports cars since 1909. They still use wood in their construction, and their cars are pleasingly retro and old-school. The peak of their old-school motto was achieved with the previous 3-Wheeler. It was an excellent track day car, but it was just a little too old-fashioned. The latest iteration, the Super 3, aims to bring the 3-Wheeler formula into the 2020s.
10 It Still Looks Great, But It’s Now Freshened Up
The first thing that stands out about the Super 3 is the exterior. While it still retains that iconic shape and look, which has its roots in the 1920s, it’s plain to see that some refreshments have been served up to the new Super 3, for lack of a better term. The lighting at the front is now fully LED, there are new aerodynamics and a slightly more shapely body. The front also no longer has an engine poking out, for a very good reason.
The exhaust pipes no longer the entire length of the car, instead subtly exiting near the tail. There’s also a smoother hood line, retro alloy wheels replacing the wire units on the previous car, and there’s now the option of a taller windshield to replace the little wind deflectors which come as standard.
9 side blades
One of the main exterior features of the Morgan Super 3 is the so-called Sideblades. Much like a certain German sports car that every gearhead should experience, the Super 3 features sideblades that are integrated into the body, for better packaging as there really is no space for cooling radiators behind these front wheels.
Like with so many other things on the Super 3, these sideblades are inspired by aircraft design; specifically diffuser plates on planes that serve the same purpose. On the Super 3, they can serve one more purpose; assuming you have it specified, they can hold your luggage.
8th Monocoque chassis
Over the past 103 years, Morgan has become a master of bonded aluminum construction. They’re also known for using wood in their chassis building, something that Clarkson and May of TG/GT loved to make fun of.
The Super 3 still uses a bonded aluminum construction, but this time, it’s a true monocoque. Previous Morgan models straddled the line between monocoque and body-on-frame, but the Super 3 finally switched to a full monocoque. The exterior panels are all stressed members of the chassis for better packaging, lighter overall weight, and more interior room.
7 EcoBoost Power
One of the things that gave the previous 3-Wheeler its unique character was the engine. There was no LS motor (frankly, that would have been insane), or Ford Duratec. Instead, it used an S&S 2.0-liter V-twin with about 115 hp.
The V-twin was one step into the retro abyss too far, which is why the new Super 3 has a completely different and much more modern engine. Specifically, it’s a 1.5-liter N/A three-cylinder from Ford, presumably similar to the engine used in the ST version of the Puma and the Fiesta (minus the turbo). It’s coupled to a 5-speed manual transmission from the beloved Miata (the best possible source), and the single rear wheel provides drive.
6 Improved Durability
One major piece of news about the Super 3 is its improved durability. According to Morgan, this car has been through more rigorous and advanced testing than just about any preceding model, and it represents a new triumph in computer-aided engineering.
A lot of Super 3 prototypes racked up tons of miles in real-world testing, and Morgan especially focused on the car’s cooling system. It went through the harshest of conditions to ensure that the cooling system is up to the job of keeping the I3 and the rest of the components at bay.
5 Super customisable
A huge claim to fame of the 3-Wheeler, and in fact, most Morgan products, is that they’re highly customizable. They’re among only a few automakers that allow you to truly personalize your car in just about every detail. That’s still very much the case with the new Super 3.
The configurator is already live, and it allows you to choose just about every aspect and tailor it to your liking. From the paint, to the wheels, to the exterior graphics, to whether or not the sideblades can hold luggage. There are also tons of interior combinations, including waterproof upholstery for rainy days.
4 All New Interior
The interior has also been given some much-needed love. This is the first Morgan to feature a fully digital gauge cluster, with displays mounted inside truly old-school gauge pods, not unlike what you’d see in a Suzuki Jimny.
There’s also a new steering wheel, shifter, and the aforementioned new interior options which include waterproof fabric. You can also specify a cupholder, a heater, and a few other miscellaneous options.
3 Tailored Luggage
A big talking point of the new Super 3 is Morgan’s collaborations with various brands to produce a lineup of accessories. One such brand is Malle London. In case you didn’t know, Malle London makes the finest leather luggage sets for motorcycles.
They will also put together a tailored luggage set for your Super 3, which will be mounted on the sideblades, assuming you have the option selected. As part of the collaboration, Malle London is also launching a clothing line.
2 A Plethora Of Accessories
Morgan worked closely with a variety of manufacturers to design patented accessories specifically for the Super 3. This includes Beeline, who created a motorcycle-esque navigation system. The system itself is waterproof and shockproof, and it uses Google Maps to guide you to your destination .
Morgan has also collaborated with Quad Lock, the people who make those magnetic phone cases. You can specify your Super 3 with a Quad Lock mount from the factory, and assuming you have a matching case for your smartphone, it just attaches right into place. This is how the Super 3 does smartphone integration.
1 Pricing And Launch
Morgan is strategically sprinkling the launch date of the Super 3 for various markets. The first batch of units will arrive in the UK and Europe soon. In the UK, the Super 3 will start at £41,995 with taxes. That translates to around $55,000.
North American Super 3s will start arriving later in 2022, around summer, and then Japan, Australia, and other markets will follow suit. We can’t wait to see what Morgan has done to revitalize the Super 3, and whether all the changes have transformed it into a better three-wheeled track weapon overall.
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About The Author
Marko Sokolovski
(415 Articles Published)
Marko has been part of the HotCars team since July 2020. He started out writing for various sites on a variety of topics. He prefers weird, unusual cars to luxobarges and sports cars.
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