Morgan’s new 3 Wheeler swaps twin for tri-power, Ranger makes retro Splash, Lancia Lambda’s 100th
Morgan’s new 3 Wheeler swaps bike power for tri power
Intake: Having just built its final S&S motorcycle-motored 3 Wheeler, Morgan has confirmed that its next generation trike will be powered by Ford. Most details of the new model—including its scheduled launch date—are still secret, but Morgan says the next 3 Wheeler will have a three-cylinder, naturally-aspirated Ford engine. Ford makes three triples: a one-liter, a 1.1-liter, and a 1.5-liter with power outputs ranging from 84 hp in the Focus right up to 200 hp in the Fiesta ST. The one-liter and 1.5-liter are turbocharged, however, and Morgan says its version won’t be boosted, so that leaves the 86-hp 1.1 as the most likely option. Steve Morris, Morgan chairman and CEO says: “We are thrilled to confirm plans for an all-new three-wheeled Morgan, a model that continues an incredible story dating back to 1909. The outgoing 3 Wheeler was adored by customers and enthusiasts alike, and will inspire this next generation. The upcoming model is an all-new ground-up design and Morgan’s team of engineers and designers have considered everything that the company has learnt from the decade of building and selling the previous model. We look forward to sharing more about this exciting new vehicle in due course.”
Exhaust: We won’t lie. Tears may have been shed when we heard that the last 3 Wheeler had been produced. The news that a next generation is coming—and that it is powered, at least initially—by internal combustion is exciting indeed. The Ford triple might not look quite as cool as the S&S motor that was hung out ahead of the front axle, but it will likely perform better, and won’t singe anyone who gets a little too close, like the old one did.
Ford Ranger splashes into ’90s nostalgia
Intake: Ford just announced the return of the Ranger Splash, a special appearance package that we first came to know (and love) on Rangers of the 1990s. The $1495 package will be exclusive to 2022 model year SuperCrew Rangers of the XLT or Lariat trim levels. Tick the Splash box on your Ranger build, and you’ll get orange-and-black graphics, special 18-inch wheels, a special grille, and gloss-black accents on the bumpers, rearview mirror caps, fender vents, and wheel lip moldings. Inside, orange contrast stitching adorns the special seats, steering wheel, shifter, and parking brake boot, adding a pop of color to an otherwise monochrome cabin. The coolest part: Every few months, Ford will unveil a one-time-only exterior color in limited quantities exclusively for the Ranger Splash, adding to the hype around this package.
Exhaust: As far as heritage mining goes, we absolutely love this play. Those original Ranger Splash packages are the darlings of a Radwood-crazed car scene, so this resurrection makes perfect sense. We’ll admit, the photos above look more like a Boss 302 tribute package for the Ranger than a package that’s any bit water-related, but we’re confident the forthcoming limited-run paint colors will produce a bigger—oh yeah, we’ll say it—splash.
It’s official: Forester to get next taste of Wilderness
Intake: Though it has since been taken down, Subaru Canada yesterday posted an official product page for the Forester Wilderness. The slip gives us our first undisguised look at the next vehicle to get Subaru’s gnarlier off-road package. (The first Wilderness model, the Outback, debuted this spring.) The recipe appears identical: a slathering of black plastic body cladding, a slight lift, orange accents, and handsome five-spoke wheels. A roof rack is only natural. Judging from the Outback, expect those rims to be matte black and come clad in all-terrain Yokohama Geolandars.
Exhaust: Subaru has never been and likely never will be a premium nameplate, so it’s leaning heavily into the outdoorsy schtick to move more of its crowd-pleasing crossovers. The company’s immense sales success over the last decade suggests it knows its market down-pat, so we expect the Wilderness models to be a hit.
James Bond’s DB5 is boxed and ready to play
Intake: Finally, after almost two years’ delay, the 25th 007 movie No Time To Die is to be released on September 30. To mark this momentous occasion Aston Martin has put on a special display in London. Parked outside the British capital’s landmark Battersea Power Station for one month is a Goldfinger continuation car, complete with its own full-size replica Corgi toy box. First introduced by the model maker in 1965, more than two million mini DB5s have been sold worldwide during several re-issues. Aston Martin’s full-size version will only reach 25 buyers, however. No Time To Die will see the DB5 in action again (it was last seen being blown up in Skyfall) along with a classic V8, the new DBS, and the Valhalla, making Bond 25 the most Aston-heavy 007 film ever.
Exhaust: Mr. Bond, we’ve been expecting you, but judging from the Aston Martin action in the latest trailer it looks like it will have been worth the wait.
100 years ago, Lancia brought unibody construction to the masses
Intake: Drive just about any modern car, and you can trace the design of your ride to this stuffy looking Italian classic. Debuting exactly 100 years ago today, the Lancia Lambda was the first unibody design to be produced en masse. This meant there was no chassis underneath the body to which the suspension (independent front) and drivetrain (SOHC, narrow-angle V-4) attached. Rather, the body was structurally sound enough to support all those components while also being stylish and functional—for the ’20s, that is.
Exhaust: The late 1910s and early 1920s ushered in a slew of technological advances for the automobile, and many methods and techniques were tried and discarded due to a lack of the technology needed to produce the designs reliably. Unibody construction was not much of a sales point in 1921—you couldn’t easily rebody it with the custom coachwork in vogue at the time—but as the automobile became ubiquitous and other manufacturers and buyers became increasingly cost-conscious, the financial savings of eliminating the chassis made the construction commonplace.
The “aluminating” rebirth of the Ford Excursion
Intake: Judging by resale value alone, there are a lot of people who adore, cherish and miss the Ford Excursion. The heavy duty Ford SUV with the heart and soul of a Super Duty truck is such a force to be reckoned with that Custom Autos by Tim made an entirely new one. Called the Aluma X Edition and sporting the aluminum body shell from the Ford Expedition atop a “2017 and up F250/350 Super Duty truck” the conversion looks almost factory. The only fly in the ointment is that the cost is rather steep: The Aluma X Edition starts at $125,000, which doesn’t include the donor 2017–up Super Duty truck you must provide.
Exhaust: In an era when new Ford Super Duties sell for six figures from the factory, what’s the big deal about spending a bit more for an Excursion rebirth that harkens back to the Ford Centurion conversions of yesteryear?
