The 2023 Morgan Super 3 — 12.5% More Practical Than Riding a Motorcycle
From a conversation that started along the lines of ‘This new Morgan Super 3 would make a great commuter,’ it wasn’t long before the newly announced British bit of automotive obscurity was due for a proper dissection. For those less familiar, the Morgan Motor Company is nothing new. The first vehicle to market under the marque was built in 1909, and since then the little known maker has maintained an effectively steady existence of hand-building cars in England without interruption. The Morgan 3 Wheeler did go on hiatus in the ’50s — perhaps due to its inherent impracticality — waiting until 2012 for a thoughtful recreation that mated an American v-twin engine to a Miata gearbox.
A decade later, the new Morgan Super 3 is a far cry from its predecessor. Rather than building a retro ranger steeped in nostalgia, Morgan’s head of design, Jon Wells, was tasked with the objective of bringing the 3 Wheeler into the modern era — much as one can with such a peculiar platform. Gone are the wire wheels and air-cooled motorcycle engine, replaced by a 20-inch rally-style wheel fitted with a specially developed Avon tire and the compact-yet-capable Ford Dragon engine. The little 3-cylinder mill is used in naturally aspirated form here, as Morgan’s team kept eyes on simplicity and lightness. Rather than keeping the turbocharger, and requiring the use of an intercooler and other hefty bits, the 118 horsepower delivered from the more basic version of the engine is sufficient enough to put power down to the single rear wheel. According to Morgan, you’re looking at zero to 100 km/h in under seven seconds; while not blisteringly quick, that’s really not what the Super 3 is all about.
To put it simply, modern as the Morgan Super 3 is, it is still designed to appeal to those who love (and miss) the low-tech world. Gone are the days of any type of car that’s raw, mechanical, and devoid of tech-based creature comforts. What was once a relatively standard offering is now left for niche builders like Morgan, Caterham, Ariel, and Lotus — at least until the new Emira gets phased out. That said, we’re talking about a car that will be hand-built at a maximum rate of about 15 cars per week (probably less than 700/year) with a sticker price expected to be around the $70,000 USD mark, so the buying pool here will be quite small.
Morgan Super 3 Versus Motorcycle — The Debate
Aside its three-wheeled layout, there’s a plethora of reasons why the Morgan Super 3’s closest competition rides on two wheels. First and foremost, neither motorcycle nor Morgan have the ability to pack any real significant volume of luggage. There are a few rack options to strap things to the Morgan, the same way you can kit out a big BMW R1250GS with saddlebags in order to trek for longer distances. While you might sit a touch more comfortably in the Morgan, you’re only nominally better protected from the elements. There’s a measly pittance of a windscreen to provide wind cover, but I wouldn’t contemplate highway speeds without goggles or even a full-face helmet. Credit to Morgan for providing lifestyle shots of drivers in hats and sunglasses, but it’s hard to believe that those drivers are travelling at more than 20 or 30 km/h to not have that hat blown off in the wind.
The argument of room for a second passenger is also rather moot, as you can easily two-seat on most motorcycles comfortably — that is, unless your potential copilot is uncomfortable around motorcycles. Credit where credit is due, though you won’t be rocketing around at break-neck speeds, the Morgan Super 3’s meagre 1,400-lb mass will leave drivers feeling far faster and more engaged with the road than most modern sports cars can. Consider it the “Miata complex”, so to speak. The same way that riding a motorcycle leads to a deep connection of driver and machine, we have no doubt that the Morgan Super 3 will live up to this expectation, without making crawling around in traffic a disgusting chore.
The sticker price is another obvious point of contention here. While some big and exclusive touring motorcycles can get quite pricey, you’re still doubling the sticker price to get into the Super 3. That said, the Super 3 is an incredibly exclusive and well-crafted machine — one loaded with extreme attention to detail and quality components abound. Let’s be clear — this thing is effectively a very high-end toy, and is priced to suit the efforts and man-hours found in its construction.
Where The Super 3 Wins
We’ve already established that cargo and weather-friendliness don’t give the Morgan Super 3 an upper hand, but there’s good reason for us giving it a slight upper hand over its moto counterparts. Obviously the Super 3 doesn’t require a motorcycle license, nor does it require your copilot being comfortable with riding. Day-to-day driving in good weather is also inarguably more comfortable, as there isn’t a need for bulky/padded riding gear. Much as a good motorcycle ride can be epic, you’re always having to plan that window of time to suit up before hitting the road.
Lastly, and in some ways the part that I’d be most curious to explore, is the Super 3’s ability to handle Canadian winter. Think about it — a full-face helmet, studded snow tires, and a proper snowsuit, and you’re off to the races. Unlike a motorcyclist forced to rely on heated riding gear, there’s a proper heating circuit in the Super 3 to (at least try to) warm you up when on the road, and paired with proper gear there might just be enough going on to make winter driving possible. The only question would be traction via the single rear wheel, but with the right tire setup we’d be eager to give it a try.
Learn more about the Morgan Motors Super 3 here.
