Morgan reverses Aussie 3 Wheeler withdrawal

British car-maker Morgan has successfully reversed a compliance ban enforced on its quirky 3 Wheeler model.

Only last week, the manufacturer’s Australian arm was informed by the Federal Department of Transport that its 3 Wheeler would not comply with future Australian Design Rule changes to be enforced from November 2017. In short, it meant owners would not be able to register vehicles for public use.

In a strange turn of events, Morgan’s Australian arm has confirmed it will now continue to offer the 3 Wheeler, which sosts $93,900 plus on-road costs locally.

“We recently issued a media release announcing ‘last orders’ for the Morgan 3 Wheeler, due to planned changes to the Australian Design Rules (ADRs),” a release said.

“In response to this the Department of Transport in Canberra has reacted promptly to concerns expressed by ourselves, the media and Morgan enthusiasts.

“Following an additional submission, and with the assistance of the Department in Canberra, we are pleased to confirm that the approval for the Morgan 3 Wheeler has been updated and this unique vehicle will now be available for sale into the foreseeable future.”

Morgan stakeholders are now working with the Department of Transport to achieve a similar outcome for the Classic Morgan models, which include the Morgan 4/4, Plus 4 and Roadster variants.

The changes in ADR rules mean that, from this month, Morgan’s Classic models are ineligible for registration.

If the applicable changes to the four-wheel range aren’t overturned, that will leave the Plus 8 and 3 Wheelers as the only models eligible for registration in Australia.

On the plus side, Morgan’s new Aero 8 has been approved for Australia, and will enter production shortly. The three-variant Aero 8 range – which has an estimated price range of $270,000 – will arrive in local showrooms early next year.