Morgan Motor Company has teased its coming three-wheeled autocycle again. The first thing to know about it is that we still don’t know its name. It appears the 3 Wheeler label won’t make a return, and Morgan calls the vehicle internally codenamed P101 the “three wheeled” on its site. Suspicions have fallen on the name Super3 thanks to a trademark application. The new name will be applied to what Morgan says is its first all-new vehicle since the Plus 8 from 2000, the three-wheeler being re-engineered from the ground up. We’ve seen sketches of design ideas; the final form is supposed to take inspiration both from the early jet age and from owners of the previous 3.
The last version weighed about 1,200 pounds all dressed up, and engineers have that goal in mind for this one, too. The chassis adopts the aluminum construction Morgan moved to in 2020, which will help offset the big powertrain change and roomier cockpit. The new 3 moves on from the motorcycle-based, 1.97-liter S&S V-twin engine that made 80 horsepower and 103 pound-feet of torque. The replacement is a longitudinally mounted, naturally aspirated 1.5-liter three-cylinder from Ford, guesses being that it will make anywhere from 80 to 130 hp without the turbo. Perhaps the engine’s four-wheeled source convinced Morgan to hide the three-cylinder under a cowling instead of leaving it exposed between the front wheels. Spy shots show the exhaust has been tucked into the bodywork as well, instead of forming a shiny chrome slash past the driver’s door. Power will be sent through a five-speed transmission to a bevel box and then a toothed belt that turns the rear wheel.
The Morgan might want all that extra grunt to carry its personalization options. The automaker says this will be its most versatile three-wheeler, the teaser image showing three configurations called “personalities.” The variant on the left wears a supplemental pair of fog lamps in front, the one on the right is fitted with a different front fascia than the other two. Morgan promises a wide range of accessories to aid the “extraordinary things” owners do with their cars, from windscreens to luggage racks, cameras, and lights, locked down on factory-designed mounting brackets. The in-house design team has come up with new “bold, individual, and eccentric” graphics packages that will even incorporate the “diffuser plates” along the bodysides that help guide hot air away from twin radiators and support pannier mounting points.
The departed model was the firm’s best-seller, shifting 2,500 units during its 10 years in production. Morgan has higher hopes for sales and global appeal for the new one. The reveal happens February 24, with the autocycle expected to hit the retail market later this year.
Source: www.autoblog.com