Back when the P101 edition bade farewell to the Morgan 3-Wheeler at the end of 2020, Morgan was adamant that a new car would return in 2021 once a suitable replacement engine had been found for the S&S v-twin. And here we are, less than a year later, with another three-wheeled Morgan.
The most significant news, of course, is up front. Power to the single rear wheel now comes from a naturally aspirated 1.5-litre Ford three-cylinder, essentially the same unit that powers the Fiesta Ecoboost except without the, er, boost. And if taking the turbo off a three-cylinder engine sounds a concern for outright power, remember the old 3-Wheeler made just 85hp. In ST vogue the 1.5-litre engine produces 200hp, so it's easy to imagine even a naturally aspirated version producing enough power for a three-wheeled Morgan. While also producing rather less than the 270g/km it used to, as well...
Even with the disguise applied, it's clear this one is going to be a very different Morgan to look at. There's some influence from the EV3 in the front end and the Bane-like mask, but also "a design language inspired by the early jet age". That said, there's clearly only so much to be achieved with such a small canvas - nobody is going to mistake this for anything else. Morgan says the new car "will take inspiration from the many owners of the outgoing model that have embraced adventure travel and touring, and whose incredible journeys have reached all corners of the globe." Perhaps the Plus Four CX-T approach could eventually make it to the 3-Wheeler...
But we're getting ahead of ourselves. For now, this is merely a three-wheeled Morgan - the 3-Wheeler name hasn't been confirmed yet - undergoing "the most extensive validation of any Morgan ever developed." Notably, this car is the first all-new project embarked upon under the Investindustrial ownership, so it'll be interesting to see what - if any - changes are implemented. Steve Morris, Morgan's CEO and Chairman, said: "The outgoing 3 Wheeler was adored by customers and enthusiasts alike, and will inspire this next generation... Morgan's team of engineers and designers have considered everything that the company has learnt from the decade of building and selling the previous model. We look forward to sharing more about this exciting new vehicle in due course." Given the old 3-Wheeler was launched in 2011 and went on sale in 2012, a debut in the next three months would be a perfect way to celebrate the anniversary. A replacement Morgan has never come along so speedily!
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