"Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge)" (thejonnyedge)
07/13/2014 at 09:04 • Filed to: MORGAN, BEST OF EUROPE, REVIEWS, DRIVING SPIRIT
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"Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge)" (thejonnyedge)
07/13/2014 at 09:04 • Filed to: MORGAN, BEST OF EUROPE, REVIEWS, DRIVING SPIRIT | 1
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When it comes to laying waste to B-roads, drivers have a vast array of automotive weaponry at their disposal. The market is full of high-tech cars ready and waiting to be the bane of the back road, but if these modern machines are the laser guided missiles of the car world, then the Morgan 3 Wheeler is surely the World War II dive bomber.
The Morgan 3 Wheeler appeals to those drivers who want to be out there on the front line, right in the thick of the action. Where modern technology in sports cars allows us to absolutely murder all but the trickiest of corners, the Morgan 3 Wheeler instead gives us the chance to face them in a duel.
On climbing into the Morgan 3 Wheeler, a curious sensation of anticipation will come over you. You're aware that you're sitting in something quite radical, and when you flick the switch to start the engine – plucked straight from a Eurofighter jet's bomb release mechanism – you almost cease to be driver. From now until the end of your journey, you're a pilot.
Vibrations, noises, and the distinctive fragrance of motoring engulf you for the initial moments of your journey, and you may wonder if jumping into the Morgan 3 Wheeler was such a good idea after all. But you're about to discover that it unquestionably was.
It doesn't take long to settle into the character of the 3 Wheeler, where the 2-litre motorbike engine is audibly violent, the 5 speed Mazda sourced gearbox is like an old friend. Pedal and steering feel is both welcoming and encouraging, and with each corner that passes you gain a little more guts to take hold of the Morgan and push on to its limits. On such small tyres and with only one driven wheel behind you, grip and handling obviously isn't the greatest, but that's just part of the fun. It's an engaging machine to drive, demanding focus and forward thinking from its 'pilot'.
There's something else I should point out about driving a Morgan 3 Wheeler. If you park it somewhere and linger nearby, members of the public will approach you to ask about it. They'll stop and ask you question after question, even ask to have a picture with it. This little Morgan has pulling power similar to any of the world's most exotic cars, believe me. If you're driving through a town or village, people (especially children) will point and wave to say hello to you, even though you're a complete stranger. What a curious feeling it is suddenly, and unexpectedly, being the centre of attention.
Most of us now drive cars that can give it all to us very easily. Electronic aids and engineering advancements have made it all very easy to drive in a sporting manner. Yes, you can buy another car for the same price as a Morgan 3 Wheeler that will be better in almost every measurable way. But the only one that really counts in sports cars is - and always will be – the feel good factor. The Morgan 3 wheeler might just be the most fun I have ever had behind the wheel of any car. It's neither quick nor comfortable, but it is without doubt one of the best cars I've ever driven, and it gets this accolade purely because of the way it makes you feel. If you ever get the chance to climb into one, make sure you do. It's an experience never to be forgotten.
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Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge)
> Jonny Edge (@thejonnyedge)
07/13/2014 at 09:11 |
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There's a reason I've chosen to publish this today. Morgan are celebrating 100 years at their Pickersleigh Road factory! Live music, an air show, and a whole host of beautiful Morgan cars are on display in Malvern today. I wish I could be there!