Morgan 3 Wheeler Next-gen version spotted testing
More advanced chassis and engine upgrade for overhauled baby Morgan roadster
Morgan has been seen testing a substantially overhauled, secondgeneration version of its lightweight 3 Wheeler roadster, as it prepares to wind down production of the current car this year.
A prototype has revealed how the British manufacturer will update the diminutive 3 Wheeler, which remains similar in concept and design to the Morgan Super Sports that was launched in 1933.
One of the current model’s defining features, its frontmounted V-twin engine, has been removed. Morgan previously confirmed the current motorcycle-derived 82bhp 2.0-litre air-cooled engine, supplied by American firm S&S, would become non-compliant with European emissions regulations this year, but a replacement hasn’t yet been detailed. Irrespective of output, it’s understood that the 3 Wheeler will remain exclusively rear-wheel driven.
It’s now two and a half years since Morgan shelved plans for an electric version of the 3 Wheeler, citing problems with its powertrain supplier while vowing to bolster its EV development capabilities by bringing “additional specialist resource in-house,” but it remains unclear whether this second-generation car could spawn a zero-emissions model.
With no engine elements on show, it appears that the next-generation 3 Wheeler’s powerplant will be housed in the bodyshell itself. That suggests it’s likely to be larger than the current two-cylinder unit and, as is the case with the other models in Morgan’s lineup, it will likely be sourced from a third-party manufacturer.
BMW currently supplies engines for Morgan’s fourwheeled sports cars, but the smallest is a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder taken from the Z4 roadster, which would almost certainly be too large for the 3 Wheeler’s compact bodyshell.
Beyond that, visible details suggest a subtle redesign for Morgan’s smallest model. With the engine relocated, it appears that the firm has introduced a more streamlined front end, although the front wheels will remain exposed while the rear wheel is enclosed within the tail of the car. The roll cage pictured here is for testing purposes, however, and won’t make production.
More significant are the apparent revisions to the 3 Wheeler’s chassis. The front track has been visibly widened in order to accommodate a much more advanced suspension set-up, while the vented brake discs at the front have increased in size substantially, all of which points to a more overt handling focus and potentially a power increase for the 3 Wheeler.
The new 3 Wheeler is expected to be shown in full towards the end of this year, ahead of an international market launch next year.