New Morgan 3 Wheeler coming – twin’s out, and a Ford triple is in
Morgan is in development of a replacement for its iconic three-wheeler
There are few more esoterically eccentric cars on sale today than Morgan’s 3 Wheeler, so when news came that it would be discontinuing the model after a decade on sale, there were more than a few collective sighs. Well, it looks like we haven’t had long to wait for some relief as Morgan has already laid out plans for its successor.
Few specific details have been so far revealed, but Morgan has confirmed the all-new model will be re-engineered from the ground up, and feature a new engine, replacing the previous 1973cc S&S overhead valve V-twin with a three-cylinder triple sourced from Ford.
While Ford has plenty of experience with its turbocharged Ecoboost three-cylinder engines in its Fiesta and Focus models, Morgan’s next three-wheeler will utilise a naturally aspirated triple in aid of packaging and mechanical complexity, something especially important if it is to be mounted outside the car like the previous model.
Morgan has released corresponding images of a prototype in testing, but thanks to some shrewd bolt-on disguise, the layout of where and how the new triple will be mounted remains unclear. Still, we can see new coilover suspension up front supporting a double-wishbone front axle, with tyres more relatable in size to those of a historic motorbike than a modern performance car.
The rest of the body looks familiar to previous three wheelers, with a bathtub-like profile and a single rear wheel, although the lower section of the main body does appear to be masked over with more cladding hiding the final profiles. Yet despite the similar look, the new model’s chassis and construction is all new, and shares nothing with the previous version.
More information will be revealed as the model gets closer to series production, but given the extensive development work that’s already taken place, we shouldn’t have to wait long.
