The Magic Number – Classic Three-Wheelers

The number three has always held a powerful symbolism. Not only do good things come in triplet form but the third time is indeed the charm whilst also being the magic number. Well, according to De La Soul it is anyway, and with the release of the all new Morgan Super 3 last week we thought we would go all Pythagoras and honour that most enchanting of numbers by compiling a list featuring some of the greatest classic three-wheelers.

Three-wheelers have been around for a long time. In fact, it is generally accepted that the first purpose built, production automobile was a trike. The Benz Patent Motorwagen was a single cylinder, three-wheeled contraption designed and built by Karl Benz (yes, that Benz) in 1886. This was genesis – a vehicle that would kick start the whole shebang and other manufacturers quickly followed suit. In 1908 Henry Frederick Stanley Morgan got involved and to cut a long story incredibly short we now have the the aforementioned Super 3.

Obviously there were other people producing their own three-wheelers but the advantages remained the same across the board: they were cheaper to produce and maintain than their four-wheeled counterparts and they were popular with bikers because they could legally be driven on a motorcycle licence. Rather unfairly derided over the years many three-wheelers have now reached cult and even iconic status and there’s a healthy enthusiasm for the design these days with classic values steadily rising. As Morgan has proved with the Super 3 there’s certainly a future for this quirky configuration and we are whole-heartedly on board.

1) Morgan 3-Wheeler

Of course the first entry on this list is going to be the Morgan 3-Wheeler. If Benz introduced the concept to the public then Morgan popularised it. Having created three-wheeled cars since the turn of the century the name Morgan is synonymous with the design and the company re-introduced its iconic 3-Wheeler in 2011, almost 60 years since original production ceased in 1952. Utilising an 82bhp S&S V-twin motorcycle engine mated to a Mazda MX-5 gearbox the 3-Wheeler can get to 60mph from a standstill in around six seconds. Dripping with character and with crisp handling it was the pinnacle of what could be achieved within the confines of the three-wheel construct, providing pure, unadulterated driving pleasure along the way.

2) Reliant Robin

The butt of many a jibe over the years the old ‘Plastic Pig’ actually enjoyed quite the production run with the last models having been built in 2002. Debuting in 1973 and superseding Reliant’s previous three-wheeler, the Regal, the Robin was fitted with a 750cc four-cylinder engine that grew in capacity to 850cc two years later. Penned by British design firm Ogle (famed for their work on the Scimitar as well as the Raleigh Chopper), the car proved popular with the public thanks in part to its particularly frugal fuel consumption as well as its ability to be driven on a motorcycle license and it went on to receive two major re-vamps over the course of its life. Despite what Top Gear would have you believe they were nippy enough and absolutely not liable to roll over when cornering. And no, Del Boy’s steed wasn’t a Robin but a Reliant Regal Supervan.

3) Grinnall Scorpion III

We remember playing TOCA 2: Touring Cars on the original Sony Playstation (yes, we’re that old) and being able to choose the three-wheeled Grinnall Scorpion as our weapon of choice to hoon around circuits like Brands Hatch with, all in cutting edge, 3D graphics. Well, they were cutting edge at the time but looking back now they resemble more of a blunt spoon but that doesn’t detract from the greatness (or is it madness?) of the Scorpion itself. Designed in 1991 by Stephen Harper of MGF and Escort Cosworth fame, the Scorpion featured a fibreglass body over a space frame chassis with a 1200cc BMW K-series motorcycle engine providing the get-up-and-go. It was a similar setup to the Morgan but whereas the 3-Wheeler adopted a vintage aesthetic the Scorpion III went with a more modern, sporty style. With its high power to weight ratio performance was comparable to the Morgan too but the Scorpion was a little twitchier in the wet and after what is widely considered a rather intense driving experience eyes will certainly pop and knuckles will most definitely have turned white.

4) Bond Bug

Distinctly less sporting than the Scorpion III above the Bond Bug is by no means less revered while perhaps being more fondly remembered. Following Reliant’s acquisition of Bond Cars in ’69 the bug went into production a year later with the bones of a Reliant Regal underneath but with a much snazzier, ’70s body on top that incorporated that iconic lift-up canopy. Designed (again by Ogle) to be more appealing to the young’uns the bug was initially equipped with the same 700cc engine used in the Regal and could top 76mph. It was later increasing to 748cc in ’73. Today it remains a fun, quirky and characterful go-kart-esque three-wheeler that is still guaranteed to turn heads wherever it goes.

5) BMW Isetta

The only non-British entry on the list (if you don’t count the Benz Patent Motorwagen that is) the Isetta started life as its own entity before BMW stepped in to claim it. The Italian-designed ‘bubble car’ was first produced by Iso in 1953 and was truly innovative in its design and concept. Similar to the Bond Bug that came later the entire front of the car hinged outwards to allow entry for the occupants. Power came from a two-stroke motorcycle engine producing a whopping 9bhp but what it lacked in performance it more than made up for in character. Iso licensed production of the Isetta to a number of firms but it wasn’t until 1955 that BMW got in on the act and earnestly adopted the micro car as its own. Although the inherent design of the Isetta remained untouched BMW re-engineered most of the mechanicals, including fitting their own single-cylinder, four-stroke motorcycle engine which upped power to 12bhp. When the Isetta is mentioned nowadays, most people associate these three-wheelers with the Germans.

From the Benz Patent Motorwagen and its important and influentially historic beginnings, to the recently released Morgan Super 3 there have been some truly special three-wheelers produced over the years. Some mocked, some lauded, but whatever the case the three-wheeler is here to stay and we couldn’t be happier about that.