2023 Morgan Super 3 First Look: New Three-Wheeler Coming To America
The first car the Morgan Motor Company built 113 years ago was a three-wheeler; two wheels up front for steering and stability, and a single drive wheel at the rear. In fact, until 1936 Morgan built nothing but three-wheelers. Over a century later, the all-new 2023 Morgan three-wheeler might be the most important yet.
Morgan ended three-wheeler production in 1952 as more affluent post-war customers switched to its four-wheeled sports cars. But the concept was revived in 2012 with the retro-styled 3 Wheeler, which was powered by an air-cooled, American-made S&S V-twin motorcycle engine mounted across the front end—just like the Morgan three-wheelers built until 1939.
That car is now being replaced by an all-new three-wheeler that is arguably the single most important new Morgan in history. Unlike the 3 Wheeler, the all-new Morgan Super 3 has been designed from its three wheels up to meet global crash and emissions standards. And the U.S. is one of the car's key target markets.
Old School Meets New School
Park your preconceptions: The Super 3 is not a Polaris Slingshot with a posh accent and debonair duds. Far from it. The Super 3 aims to capture the fun and free-wheeling spirit of the original Morgan Three Wheelers, light and sporty cars that frequently punched above their weight in motorsport events in the 1920s and '30s. It looks old school. But the clever and innovative engineering underneath is state-of-the-art.
The Morgan Super 3 is powered by a naturally aspirated version of Ford's light and compact 1.5-liter, three-cylinder "Dragon" engine, used in turbocharged form in the Ford Bronco Sport, as well as the European-spec Ford Focus and Fiesta hatchbacks. The decision to switch to a car engine was driven by the fact that the previous car's S&S V-twin would struggle to meet future emission standards, and other similar motorcycle engines all had integrated sequential-shift transmissions. Still, there's history here: The F-Series Morgan Three-Wheeler built between 1933 and 1952 was powered by Ford side-valve engines.
In the Super 3 the Ford Dragon engine, which drives the single rear wheel through a Mazda MX-5 sourced five-speed manual transmission connected to a bevel box and carbon-fiber reinforced drive belt, makes 118 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 110 lb-ft of torque at 4,500 rpm. That doesn't sound like much. But as the Super 3 is expected to weigh not much more than 1,400 pounds, Morgan says that's enough grunt to shoot it to 60 mph in less than 7.0 seconds on to a top speed of 130 mph. And with no roof, no doors, optional aero screens, and the road rushing past just under your elbows, that's going to feel very fast.
Monocoque Makes Its Morgan Debut
The core of the Super 3 chassis is a super-formed aluminum monocoque, making it the first monocoque Morgan in history. Bolted to the front of it is a large cast aluminum structure that cradles the engine and provides all the pickup points for the multi-link front suspension. The floorplan is a non-structural aluminum piece that's been designed to accommodate future powertrain upgrades, including full electric drive. The single rear wheel is located by a twin beam swingarm with coil-over shocks on either side, and the beetle-backed bodywork enveloping it is more super-formed aluminum.
Though modern in its detailing and execution, the Super 3's layout is pure vintage Morgan. Ensuring the engine and cooling system sat no further forward than the front axle centerline while providing enough legroom for occupants drove the entire design.
The vertical cast aluminum element at the center of the mesh grille is not for decoration: It connects to the top mount of the Dragon engine. "There's nothing on this car that doesn't need to be there," says Morgan design chief Jonathan Wells. The cast aluminum piece at the rear of the bodywork, for example, not only ties the body structure together, but also provides the hinge for the rear wheel cover, the lower mounting point for the optional CNC-machined luggage rack, a license plate mount, and the location for the fog and reversing lights.
The desire to keep the Super 3 as compact as possible—though it measures 72.4 inches across the front wheels, it's only 141.0-inches long overall, just 4.0-inches longer than the 3 Wheeler—meant locating the cooling radiators on either side of the engine. That, in turn, required placing large, rectangular "barge boards" along the side of the car to manage the air flow through them.
At first glance they are perhaps the most controversial elements of the design, but Morgan has embraced their presence. A patented clip system—Morgan's first ever patent—allows specially designed hard cases, waterproofed soft bags, or racks to be attached to the side of the car. The clips and the hardware that attaches to them can carry as much as 44 pounds.
Clever Design Abounds
The Super 3 has no roof. But the interior has been designed to cope with the elements. The seats can be trimmed in water-resistant leather, or a new vegan technical fabric that is 100 percent waterproof and can be cleaned with bleach. The digital instruments, located in cast aluminum pods at the center of the dash, and all the switchgear are not just waterproof, but will withstand a quick blast from a jetwash.
The seats are fixed, both to reduce weight and complexity, but also to ensure the mass of the occupants remains in the same place in the chassis, critical in a three-wheeler. The steering column is reach and rake adjustable, and the floor-hinged pedals can be moved fore-and-aft to accommodate drivers of different sizes, however. The steering wheel is by Moto-Lita, the boutique British manufacturer that supplied everyone from Aston Martin and Austin Healey to Carroll Shelby and Saab in the 1960s and '70s and is still doing business today.
The closer you look at the Super 3, the cleverer it is. The two round headlights and horseshoe cowl are vintage Morgan design cues; the cowl's radius is the same as on Morgan's four-wheeled models. But the air intakes at its trailing edge are functional, feeding air into the engine intake. The small structures protruding from each headlight—nicknamed "snail's eyes" by Wells' team—enable the lights to meet global standards for height and side visibility while retaining their vintage-era location low and close to the front axle centerline.
The front wheels are flush-face 20-inch alloys shod with 130/90 Avon Speedmaster tires specially developed for the Super 3 by the British specialist tiremaker. Though vintage in appearance right down to the tread pattern, they are radials with a modern rubber compound and are speed rated to 130 mph. The single rear wheel is a 15-inch steel car rim, shod with a 195/65 winter tire to deliver slightly more initial compliance on turn in, and less overall grip to reduce understeer.
How Much Is the Custom Built Super 3?
As you'd expect of a Morgan, the hand-built Super 3 will be highly customizable, with more than 200 available options. To make life easier for buyers, the company will offer three "character" themes at launch: Contemporary, which combines brighter exterior colors with the dark finish on the wheels and other cast aluminum parts, plus the textile interior; Classic, which has silver wheels and aluminum bits and leather trim in the cockpit; and Touring, which comes with the aero screens, rear luggage rack. and side panniers.
Super 3 production is scheduled to start at Morgan's factory on Pickersleigh Road in Malvern, England, in April, and will ramp up to a maximum of 15 cars per week within four to six weeks. The first cars will arrive in the U.S. in the third quarter of this year, priced at about $70,000 to start.
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cadillac ct4 Full OverviewWhen the Cadillac ATS-V first hit the streets in 2016, we immediately threw it into comparison tests with the heavyweights: the Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio, BMW M3, and Mercedes-AMG C63. The ATS-V came close, but it never won any of those comparisons. The new 2022 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing—the CT4 is essentially a heavily updated ATS—attempts to right the wrongs of the older car.The CT4-V Blackwing should be immediately familiar to ATS-V drivers, despite the new name, face-lift, and extra 4 inches in length. Under the skin, the CT4-V Blackwing (not to be confused with the CT4-V, which is more of an interim performance model than full-blown V) features a carryover 3.6-liter twin-turbo V-6. Although the engine is upcycled, thanks to intake and tuning changes, it makes eight more horsepower now; output now totals 472 hp and 445 lb-ft of torque. Transmission options include a Tremec-sourced six-speed manual or a new 10-speed auto like the one on our test car. The latter replaces the old eight-speed unit, and it's quicker-shifting.Unlike some of its German rivals, rear-wheel drive is the only drivetrain option for this Cadillac. Other performance-minded changes include the adoption of Delphi's fourth-generation MagneRide shocks, the latest iteration of GM's Performance Traction Management (PTM) system, and two optional carbon fiber packs, which combine for a claimed 214 percent reduction in lift. Prices for the CT4-V Blackwing begin at $59,800, and our near-loaded car stickered for $80,235.The Performance NumbersDespite its eight horsepower and two-gear advantage over (we also tested the ATS-V in coupe form), the new CT4-V Blackwing is pokier at the test track than the ATS-V it replaces. The Blackwing accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 4.0 seconds and through the quarter mile in 12.4 seconds at 114.0 mph; its best 60-0 stop was 106 feet. An automatic-equipped 2016 ATS-V sedan, for comparison, ran from 0 to 60 in 3.7 and through the quarter in 12.1 at 116.2 mph. Despite the Blackwing's more modern hard and software, it's the same story around the figure eight; its best lap was 23.8 seconds at a 0.84 g average, while the ATS-V did it in 23.7 seconds at 0.88 g. We suspect the new car's 100-pound weight disadvantage is to blame for the disparity.Although the CT4-V Blackwing doesn't offer up objective performance advantages over the car it replaces, it is significantly quicker than the CT4-V. Powered by a 2.7-liter turbocharged I-4 good for 325 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque and mated to a 10-speed auto, the non-Blackwing accelerates to 60 mph in 5.5 seconds and through the quarter in 14.2 seconds at 95.2 mph, and it stops from 60 mph in 110 feet. The CT4-V's best figure-eight lap was 25.4 seconds at 0.73 g.The DrivingOn the road, the CT4-V Blackwing driver is phenomenal—light on its feet, buttoned down, and practically telepathic. Few cars on sale today can match the CT4-V Blackwing in terms of pure feel and connection with its driver on a good, twisty bit of pavement. The Cadillac's PTM system deserves special praise, as it allows for tail-out antics while maintaining its undetectable leash on the rear end (and keeping you on the road).We wish we were as in love with the CT4-V Blackwing's powertrain. It's not that there's anything outright wrong with the V-6/automatic combo; it's punchy and powerful, and the transmission does its damnedest to convince you it's Porsche's PDK in terms of quick and precognitioned shifts. It's just that it's … boring, and this lack of character is perhaps the biggest sin you can make in creating a performance car. If those complaints sound familiar, it's because they are. We said the same thing five years ago when we first drove the ATS-V, suggesting that Cadillac fit the Chevrolet Camaro's (its platform mate) naturally aspirated V-8 into its sport sedan. Cadillac still hasn't done so, and given its promise that the CT4-V Blackwing and CT5-V Blackwing are its last two gas-powered V cars, it likely never will.The Rest of the StoryInside, the CT4-V Blackwing's interior takes a noticeable step up from that of the ATS-V's. The older car had a bit of a "low-spec German rental car" vibe inside, but the new CT4 bursts with quality and craftsmanship, even if there's still room for improvement. We really liked the redesigned dash the most. It features Cadillac's latest CUE infotainment system and a fully digital dash. We also took a shine to the redesigned steering wheel, which now prominently features a PTM switch at the 5 o'clock position—an infinitely better solution than burying the feature in traction control menus as in past products. We were also fans of the thickly bolstered, leather-wrapped bucket seats and carbon-fiber trim, though we found the armrests to be hard and the car rather cramped in general.Although the 2021 Cadillac CT4-V Blackwing isn't quicker than the ATS-V or the V-8-powered small Cadillac sport sedan of our dreams, it nevertheless is one of the most enjoyable and fun luxury performance cars on the road. As for how it stands up to the latest and greatest competition? Well, we already staged round one.As far as I can find, we never wrote anything about the sedan despite testing it. The previous link went to the coupe, which we tested on the same day.It's in MT Numbers and also the first link in the opening grafBlanked on my end there. Meant I couldn't find a stand-alone first test.Looks good! More details?2022 Cadilac CT4 V Blackwing Specifications BASE PRICE $59,900 PRICE AS TESTED $80,235 VEHICLE LAYOUT Front-engine, RWD, 5-pass, 4-door sedan ENGINE 3.6L Twin-turbo direct-injected DOHC 24-valve 60-degree V-6 POWER (SAE NET) 472 hp @ 5,750 rpm TORQUE (SAE NET) 445 lb-ft @ 3,500 rpm TRANSMISSION 10-speed automatic CURB WEIGHT (F/R DIST) 3,888 lb (53/47%) WHEELBASE 109.3 in LENGTH x WIDTH x HEIGHT 187.6 x 71.4 x 56.0 in 0-60 MPH 4.0 sec QUARTER MILE 12.4 sec @ 114.0 mph BRAKING, 60-0 MPH 106 ft LATERAL ACCELERATION 1.05 g (avg) MT FIGURE EIGHT 23.8 sec @ 0.84 g (avg) EPA CITY/HWY/COMB FUEL ECON 16/24/19 mpg EPA RANGE (COMB) 331 miles ON SALE Now Show All
The world is full of undiscovered treasures. Some people use metal detectors to dig up lost wonders, and others hunt garage sales for that pot of gold at the end of the proverbial rainbow. Gearheads, however, search the classifieds for their automotive lost treasure. This is that story, but this time around it wasn't the high-tech interwebs, it was a printed ad in a small-time newspaper. Yep, those still exist.As Todd Evans explained, "I was browsing a little-known local newspaper that serves the High Desert areas of California and the Lake Havasu, Arizona, area on a Sunday evening when I ran across the ad. 'CAR COLLECTION FOR SALE: 1963 Corvette cpe, 4 sp, SCCA race car w/spares.' That was it, a small text ad with no pictures in a little newspaper. The ad had a few other cars listed, a trailer, and two motorhomes that I didn't even pay attention to. However, it did have a phone number, which, in today's online advertising world, where people refuse to even talk to you unless it is via text or email, was like gold to me. Unfortunately, the ad said not to call after 9 p.m. It was 9:30, but there was no chance I could wait until morning. I would have gone clinically insane."Evans continued: "I called, and a great old guy named John Lloyd answered, laughing after I apologized at least five times for calling past his 9 p.m. deadline. John began to tell me the story of his Corvette that he had purchased as a stock split-window back in 1968, before turning it into his dream racecar in the early 1970s. Honestly, I'm not even entirely sure I heard what he said during most of the conversation. My mind was racing so fast it kind of reminded me of having a chat with Charlie Brown's teacher. He said it had big flares, big turbine wheels, big-block hood, side pipes, and a 'cage. He knew a lot of people wouldn't like all of those things, but I assured him, in the calmest voice that I could muster, that I loved all of them. He's telling me all of this and I still haven't even seen a picture of it yet! I was crushed when he proceeded to tell me he already had a deposit on the car!""John had raced it extensively throughout California in the '70s, and Riverside Raceway was his home track. He owned Rialto Wheel & Tire at the time and was a weekend warrior, as opposed to being a big-dollar, sponsored racer. He had some success, won some races, and had a blast with all of his buddies, racing every chance that he got. He finally retired the car in 1978 and switched to a much lighter tube-chassis Camaro, along with taking care of his now growing family. He parked the car in his friend's yard outside his garage after the last race that day and it never moved again for 44 years," recalled Evans."Back to the phone conversation—it was now about 10:30 at night and I offered to come out immediately. I would bring cash and a trailer, but it would have put me in Riverside around midnight. I didn't care. I wanted it. After much convincing (also known as begging), John said I could come out first thing in the morning to look at the car in case the guy that had put a deposit on the car backed out. No problem. I'll be there. Remember waiting on Christmas morning as a kid before you got to open your presents? That's what the rest of my Sunday night and Monday morning turned out to be.""My good buddy Ken from Moreland Choppers and Hot Rods and I loaded up the trailer while it was still dark the next morning and met John at a coffee shop in Temecula. He wanted to sit down and find out who I was before we would even go see the car, which I completely understood. After shooting the breeze for about an hour, my Christmas came even earlier than I expected. John said the guy that supposedly had given him a deposit was a friend of a friend of an acquaintance, who knew about the car from years ago. Turns out, he had been saying he would send a deposit for over a month and hadn't done anything. John was ready to move on and I was even more ready!"Evans recalled to HOT ROD, "We arrived to see the car out in Riverside, and the Corvette was so much cooler than we ever could have imagined. Aside from fading on some of the paint, it was just as it had been that day when he parked it almost 50 years ago. The interior, while obviously dirty, was like a time capsule, right down to the melt-in-the-sun, annoyingly sticky early-'70s SS steering wheel. I didn't want to negotiate. I didn't want to haggle. I had already told John numerous times that I would pay more than his asking price if he just let me buy the Corvette. John isn't that guy, and said if I wanted the car, I could have it for the original asking price.After digging the Corvette out from its resting place and finding, surprisingly, that the Firestones all held air, we winched it up onto the trailer with huge smiles on our faces. I think the common phrases on the drive home consisted of a lot of 'I can't believe that just happened.' We were given a bunch of old pictures of the car back in its heyday, even some in its former red-white-and-blue paint scheme. John being the guy that he is, he even threw in the rat poop, mice nests, and raccoon skulls for free!"So, what's next for this rescued vintage racer? Well, cleaning will be kept to a minimum, but Evans will be removing the critters, rat droppings, and bones from the interior and engine bay. As for the rest Evans told us, "I've never done much road course racing, so I would leave it just like it sits and make a nasty street car out of it. It still has the original VIN and title so it could be registered. We have a Hilborn-injected small-block sitting here in the shop begging to be put in something anyhow. It would be impossible to not love a streetcar that looks like it belongs in one of the best movies of all time, The Gumball Rally." Sounds like a solid plan to us, and we asked him to let us know when the vintage Corvette racer is back on the road! -Photos By Todd Evans
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