Morgan 3 wheeler at the 2012 Gumball3000

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Hun200kmh

Hun200kmh

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So, how cool is it when a manufacturer is still run by the founder's family, its CEO being the founder's grandson, and said CEO takes the latest "toy" they produce and crosses the USA within the Gumball3000, getting that "toy" mixed in a field of nothing but supercars?

Anything can happen, as the sometimes very funny blog entries by Charles and Kira Morgan show. With demonstrating pics.

Like this one.

"A police car pulls us over for driving in the USA with a UK license plate but I assure him that it is all perfectly legal. The car is a temporary import and I show him our comprehensive insurance policy. After checking with his superiors he waves us on our way.
"
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Reading the blog's page and watching all the pics, I couldn't avoid a smile thinking on how Mr. Charles Morgan compares to other car-companies CEOs everywhere. He has probably a fantastic life, he obviously enjoys cars and car events and he probably can afford living it without the hassle of dealing with all the problems a CEO needs to.

I will add that I briefly met him when I went to Malvern two years ago to pick up my car and it's hard to translate how himself walking about and saying "Hi" to workers and clients and for-whatever-reason visitors was entirely convincing and just another part of the evidence that the Morgan brand, factory, and products are ... different.

But there's nothing amateurish or childish in all this about a CEO taking himself a car to the Gumball3000. True, Charles Morgan crossed the USA in a 3-wheeler having fun. BUT ... he also achieved, with a very low-budget, a fantastic marketing exploit in the american market. Cunning plan, cleverly executed 👍

Oh and he won the "Spirit of the Gumball" award :lol:

Check it out:
http://www.morgan-motor.co.uk/mmc/newspages/gumballdiary.html
 
For a second, when it said 3 wheeler I thought of this:


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That thing in your picture looks pretty badass though.
 
Badass indeed, although, from the factory liveries, my favourite is the RAF one, as you can see here:

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I want one of these cars. I will, probably, make my own custom livery for it, based on the portuguese airforce and replacing the RAF circle with the portuguese military cross, as seen in this spitfire drawing:

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If I achieve this goal (and I plan to, only need Morgan to keep the 3 wheeler in their lineup for a few more years), I will post the end result in gtplanet :D
 
Don't think so. Check Jay Leno's impressions on a pre-production car. You only need to watch the first minute.


 
Hun200kmh
Badass indeed, although, from the factory liveries, my favourite is the RAF one, as you can see here:
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Yeah I would also pick a fighter plane livery but maybe customise it a bit.

kikie
Hammond drove one on Top Gear.
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Yeah exactly, I'm surprised that people have never heard about this car before, its been around for a while now.
 
I am aware of this car since well before it was released and "top geared" ;) this thread was more about Charles Morgan taking it to the Gumball3000 in what I consider a fantastic move as both CEO and car fan..

Anyway and whiel we're at it, I just got in this review from autocar, both in video and text form. In the text I found something that pleased me, considering I want one but I need a couple of years to achieve that goal.

This:

At the moment production is flat out to meet a demand that doesn’t look like drying up any time soon. And we’d be willing to bet that the 3 Wheeler is set to become a mainstay of the Morgan range for years. It’s practically a classic as soon as it’s delivered
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Considering I waited more than 20 years to be able to get a 4 wheeled Morgan, always fearing that when the moment came the car had ceased production or the factory/brand had gone forever .... this can only be good news. :D

For anyone curious to check out more, here the review:

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/morgan/3-wheeler

and the video they made about it:

 
Yes. And I "race" (well, do an yearly hill climb ...) it too, click the red line in my sig, and check this picture of my first "wet" climb :D


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That's me ^^^^^
 
I approve of this madness. Give this to OAK Racing and take it to Le Mans... :lol:
 
That this would be an awsome car to cruise around the city in, alot cooler than a smart car :lol:
but i gotta wonder about road legality in the states though.
 
It's fully legal in the US. Officially imported and everything. I believe they have an exemption, as it's considered a motorcycle here. I could be mistaken.
 
Eunos_Cosmo
It's fully legal in the US. Officially imported and everything. I believe they have an exemption, as it's considered a motorcycle here. I could be mistaken.
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Correct. That's how it passes legislation in the UK too.

Huge respect and admiration for Morgan. Genuine success story and proof that with the right products a British car company can thrive.

I'm desperate to have a go in a 3-Wheeler. Wonder if they'll lend me one for a few days?...
 
casey_2005
So I would have to wear a helmet but could take the HOV lane if I wanted? Awesome, as is the car.
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Depends on your state laws. Ironically, in the UK it's illegal to wear a full-face helmet in a car like the Morgan even if it came into being by conforming to motorcycle laws. It "restricts vision" apparently, which is laughable since motorcyclists seem to do okay wearing their legal-requirement helmets... personally, I think my vision would be more restricted if I was blinded by flies, bees and pebbles hitting my eyes.

Most screenless car owners in the UK seem to go for the hat'n'goggles look instead.
 
homeforsummer
Possibly, but a pipe and bomber jacket definitely are.
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Fairfax and Carstairs from "Allo Allo" come to mind, I guess a 3 wheeler would be "most appropriate" to such characters.

But it comes with the Morgan Motors T&C, you must use expressions like "bloody mess" and "Jolly good" and definitely use "I say!" before 95% of sentences, or else they'll come to your home and take the 3 wheeler away from you :lol:
 
Not sure, though if required I can certainly grow one.

In all seriousness, I might see if Morgan will lend me one for a few days. Might be fun to get dressed up in appropriate regalia for a photoshoot...
 
We're straying off topic, but - this to HFS - make sure you are English. Coming down the M5 with my "new baby" I stopped at a service area to eat something and was given a lecture from an old man from a soon-to-depart bus filled with equally elderly people, on how the car was a "Fine English Car, and mark my words young man, I said ENGLISH, not British. This one's from ENGLAND!"

Since I look like this

https://www.gtplanet.net/forum/picture.php?albumid=1028&pictureid=29962

I was a bit ...

:nervous:

... and mumbled something like "of course" and got off into the cafe before the guy had a better look at me and asked if I was a frog eater, onion seller from accross the channel or something worse from even more southern regions, like Italy or Spain (no one ever remembers Portugal anyway :lol: )

:D
 
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Hun200kmh
We're straying off topic, but - this to HFS - make sure you are English.
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Definitely. Even better, I'm from Yorkshire, which is like English squared. The only reason Morgan isn't the perfect car company is because they build them in the wrong county...

Incidentally, Ginettas, which are built in Yorkshire, aren't perfect either, since they're built in the wrong bit of Yorkshire :lol:
 

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