Today my girlfriend, Meghann and myself went to the Morgan dealership, Auto Europe in Birmingham, MI because they have received this regions very first US spec 3 Wheeler on their showroom floor and it is ready for test-drives. When we got there the 3 wheeler was in the detailing shop around back where they were just getting done with a fresh wash and wax. We took this moment to go over the car and I must say, after watching all the videos I could watch and reading all the reviews I could find, in person this vehicle is so much more outrageously fun than one could ever imagine.
On our way through Auto Europe's indoor show space on our way to the detailing area, we passed a trio of British engineering that I just had to snap a photo of. There were a few Bentley and MINI and Aston Martin and other Lotus in the same room, but not as nicely grouped.
Upon closer inspection of the US spec 3 Wheeler, there really are very minimal differences that I could find. One that I had pointed out previously is the DOT compliant orange reflectors that are adhered to the front sides of the lower body tub. The next major difference that I noticed from all the images I have seen is a more refined 12v plug placement and trim. It is up under the dash panel on the passengers side closest to the center column, there is a hole in the dash where it curves under where the plug is, looked very clean and not out of place.
In this image you can see the 12v plug cap on the underside of the dash near the center column on the passengers side.
After a quick photo-copy of my drivers license and a quick discussion about what way we should go, I turned the key and flipped the bomb release flap and pushed the button to start the grumble of the massive v-twin up front. The engine immediately started-up and after an adjustment of the mirrors we were off. The first thing for me to test were the breaks and they were actually very easy to get to stop, after all the reports and videos I really expected to have to get on them to slow the vehicle, which wasn't the case. Shifts were crisp and easy, clutch was very smooth and easily engaged and everything was really high quality, much better than even I had imagined that it would be. The parking break did stump me for a bit, but I figured it out. And, the turn signal stalk placement will really take some mental adjustment on my part as it is not on the side I am use to. But these are very trivial negatives when compared to the positives.
We had about 30 minutes to drive round before we were expected back. This gave me time to drive up and down Woodward Avenue and then Big Beaver Road. This coming weekend is one of the largest auto-culture events that takes place here, called the Woodward Dream Cruise, with over 100,000 cars that just drive up and down Woodward Ave and over 1 million spectators that line the sides of the road in folding chairs and on picnic blankets, partying and watching the moving car show. The die-hard fans were already out along Woodward, claiming their spots at the prime intersections and grassy shaded areas. The 3 wheeler drew so much attention, it was crazy. At almost every light we had to stop at, I had people asking about the Morgan. Surprisingly, a lot of people knew what it was and I had questions that ranged from what kind of engine it was to how cool was it to actually drive.
Upon returning the 3 wheeler, I posed for one more photo, my hair was amazing.
Upon returning to Auto Europe, it dawned on me that now that I had driven it and experienced what all the 3 wheeler had to offer, the next 10 weeks were going to go by even slower. As we both climbed out of the cockpit we had the biggest grins on our faces. It was obvious to the guys there that we had just returned from one of the most exciting motoring experience of our lives. We went back inside and spoke with my sales associate John about the drive and my order and of things Morgan. The customer service is top-notch and on par with my experience with the large luxury brands.
As for performance, I ended up doing burnouts in first and second gear with out even trying. The power on tap always seems to be in abundance. I did stall it once because I was too busy talking to someone at the red light and when it went green I panicked.
Other than that, my first impressions were so much higher than I had expected. The bevel-box noise was almost non existent, huge improvement here, especially compared with some of the early videos. The steering wheel kick back was very minimal, unless I hit a pothole more then a couple inches deep. After my time in the vehicle I am 100% glad I made my decision to place my down payment when I did.
