RideLust

It’s got three wheels, a tweaked Harley engine up front and it’s made of wood. It’s the Morgan Three Wheeler and it looks to be one helluva lot of fun. The original Three Wheeler first saw the light of day way back in 1911 when Harry Frederick Stanley Morgan was looking for a way to get around. It was an oddball vehicle no doubt, but because of its unconventional design it was thus classified as a motorcycle thereby skirting the British tax on automobiles. The original cars were made up until 1952 when Morgan finally introduced a traditional four wheel car, the 4–4. It’s now 59 years later and the British car maker has now seen fit to reintroduce the Three-Wheeler with a modern V-twin engine, Mazda transmission, and a few other bells and whistles that are sure to bring nostalgia back in fashion. Fifth Gear recently took the new Morgan out for a test ride and although it’s a bit loud, it sure does look like a blast to drive.
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Recently, I attended the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals show at the Carlisle Fairgrounds in Pennsylvania. Held every May, this show features a vast array of meticulously maintained classic British, European and Japanese cars, exemplary examples of their more modern kin, as well as a beautiful collection of kit cars.  As far as sheer variety in makes, models and years, hands down, this show can’t be beat.

This has become something of an annual treat for me as I can think of few better ways to spend a weekend than by gazing at a gleaming sea of jaw-droppingly stunning automobiles, many of which I guarantee you won’t find at other shows. Plus, participation is open to anyone with an import or a kit car – all you have to do is register, make your car pretty and show up. It’s a great opportunity to display your cherished ride and meet other aficionados of your favorite marques.

I used to come down to show my Saab and hang out with the Saab contingent that makes it out every year. But even though I have a Subaru now, it’s just so much fun that I continue to make the trip to Carlisle (my WRX was parked over by the lone DeLorean, if you happened to be there). Volvo, BMW and Audi clubs also traditionally have a large showing so the weekend is packed with the cars you love, cars you haven’t seen before, your friends from the forums, barbeques – it’s a good time for everyone.  So, if you’re not too far out from Pennsylvania, I definitely recommend heading out there next May to check out the Carlisle Import and Kit Nationals. To tide you over, provided for your viewing pleasure are some of my favorite cars of the weekend. Enjoy!

 

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If you know anything at all about the Morgan Motor Company, it’s probably that they’re steeped in tradition. No matter what the rest of the world does, Morgan continues to produce hand built automobiles, most with ash wood frames, for customers who appreciate them. Morgans aren’t the fastest automobiles, they’re not the best handling and they’re not the most luxurious, but that doesn’t seem to impact their sales in the slightest. As if the company wasn’t quirky enough, they’re now borrowing a page from their own history and re-launching a three wheeler. Read More…

Back in 1911 the Morgan Motor Company released a funky little three wheeled car powered by a single-cylinder engine that could transport two people in relative comfort. Originally designed as transport for H.F.S. Morgan, the companies founder, the little roadster was a hit and was put into production in 1912. The three-wheeler stayed in production for over 40 years going through various redesigns and engine configurations, with production finally coming to a halt in 1952.
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Let’s see: greed, drunken women, a classic 240Z, a Morgan Aero 8, a Porsche 911 Turbo, a Nissan GT-R, an amazing lakeside road and a moral lesson. I’d say this video pretty much covers it all in six minutes.

I’m not sure if this short film by Dylan Osborn was ever used by Nissan in advertising, but it should have been. It’s a whole lot more entertaining than the “driving marital aid” video used by Kia.

Come live vicariously through us as we, the most prestigious automotive blog in the world, grace the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance with our stately presences. We’re sure to be the star attractions – forget the live unveiling of several never-before-seen new cars, and the endless rows of priceless works of automotive art sprawled out on the golf course greens like so many unobtanium sandtraps. Surely Jay Leno and the other celebrities will probably manage to jostle themselves into the photos of our expert appraisals of the class frontrunners, but we won’t be too upset. We’ll take a break from being the life of the Concours every so often to update you, our faithful readers. So check back often, and follow us at http://twitter.com/ridelust and in our Pebble Beach live coverage to catch all of the latest updates.

After being introduced in 2006 the Morgan AeroMax is all prepped and ready for production. Based off the Morgan Aero8 chassis and sharing many physical attributes with the classic based roadster, the AeroMax bring a non-classified coupe design into the Morgan line-up. And do not let those classic lines fool you as this roadworthy rocket is built to move.

Spinning the rear wheels of the Morgan AeroMax is a BMW 4.6 liter V8 that pounds out 367-hp. That is enough power to propel the lightweight body of ash wood and aluminum from zero-to-62 in 4.2 seconds and up to a top speed of 170 mph. However, with an eye toward the environment, possibly from their work on the hybrid based LifeCar Concept, Morgan has been able to restrict the toxic emissions of the AeroMax to 267 g/km. While those are not PZEV numbers they outshine most any other sportscar with the same performance numbers.

Morgan has scheduled a production run of 100 of the split rear-window coupes and to show their is a loyal Morgan following all AeroMax vehicles have been spoken for. They are however building a secondary list of potential buyers in case anyone of the 100 buyers with money down backs out of their purchase. If you hurry, maybe you can join them on the “could’a had one” list.    …Photo Gallery to follow after link… Read More…

 

What might be the oldest roadster builder in the world is looking to tackle the greatest hurdle existing today in the auto industry. But they are not only looking to prove it can be done.  They want to show that a car producing zero emissions can still give rise to an exciting auto that is a thrill to drive.
The Morgan LifeCar is a fuel cell hybrid sportscar that is getting ready to be presented at the Geneva Auto Show. The design of the car is based off of Morgan’s more modern roadster the Aero 8, but the whir beneath the bonnet is all new. In partnership with Morgan to make the LifeCar Concept possible are QinetiQ, OSCar and Oxford University.

The two more prevelant features of the Morgan LifeCar Concept are the ultra light weight chassis of the car and the hybridization built in. The propulsion system is based around a smaller hydrogen fuel cell that uses air that is pulled from around the car to be mixed and converted into electricity. Ultra light capacitors are designed to capture and store the excess electricity from the main unit and from the regenerative braking system, which will be used for acceleration.
The light weight chassis that houses the fuel cell hybrid system and the cars passengers is a key component in the LifeCar Concept. It allows for the use of less energy in acceleration and permits for he use of a smaller fuel cell. Combined they expect the Hybrid system and minimized weight of the car to reach a driving range of 200 miles. That is 200 miles of excited driving.  Gallery of Photos to follow Read More…