Three-wheelers! They’re cool, right? I’ve always thought they were cool, but I get it if a few too many spottings of guys (it’s always guys) blasting their dubious musical tastes from RGB-LED-bedazzled Polaris Slingshots have knocked three-wheelers in general down a couple or twenty pegs in car-coolness for you. I actually kinda like the Slingshot Grand Touring (the one with a roof and hilarious half-gullwing doors), but it’s far from my first choice in one-wheel-missing motoring.
I’m split between new and old for three-wheeled fun, and my top choice is sort of new and old. I speak of the Morgan Super Three as seen in the top shot, and below as a squadron storming a beach. I trust they were thoroughly hosed off with fresh water and given a good WD-40ing after that outing. Does the Super Three drive well? Who knows, all I can tell you is it’s cool as hell. Not merely punk rock, but steampunk rock.
A close second for a currently-in-production three-wheeler would be a Vanderhall. I like the fuselage look, and that’s about all I can tell you. A buddy of mine has one with Gatling guns on it. Non-functional, I assume, but no promises. Sadly, he’s about two hours away from me, but if I ever get to take a spin, I’ll let you know.
I’d also be thrilled to have any of the vintage three-wheelers that most quickly spring to mind when my thoughts wander to the subject. I don’t care how easily it rolls over (or not), a Reliant Robin has got to be an absolute hoot, no matter how it drives. I considered adding an arrow to the pic below, but I think you can spot the Robin.
How about a Bond Bug? Luke Skywalker’s landspeeder was actually one of these beneath its X-34 shell. His went for peanuts on Tatooine Marketplace, but a nice one can fetch up to $20,000, apparently.
And here’s a (sorta) Harley three-wheeler that’s way, waaay cooler than those mobility trikes HD sells today. I give you the TriHawk, complete with a deep dive from Mercedes:
Now that looks positively jaunty!
Your turn: what three-wheeler can you see yourself driving?
Trihawk
Citroën in the front, Harley at the end.
Literally, they had Citroën running gear then Harley bought the company and killed it.
A Tri-Vette.
Like a Gremlin in profile, with a weird, long snoot grafted on for the (single) front wheel.
A guy I worked with years ago owned one.
Ural is the correct answer.
Did you mean Urinal?
As a Ural owner, I totally agree!
I can’t say I’ve ever had a desire to own/drive a three wheeled vehicle but if I had to choose, some form of motorcycle with a sidecar. Then populate the sidecar with a goggled dog and go for a cruise.
Vespa Ape, because hell yeah
This is the correct answer. You see newer 50cc ones tearing around Denmark a lot.
Big Wheel still my fave …
https://encrypted-tbn0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQcMj04JnbyfdNiACgSNv70YBkU36EIYq9pHJQLkDSF6Q&s=10
I’ve tried the CanAm Spyder. No thanks. Wants you to THINK it’s a motorcycle, but misery to drive if you like motorcycles.
I would love to try (in no particular order)
Reliant Regal, as by this time next year we’ll be millionaires
Not interested in any 3 wheeled cars but I do like my Piaggio MP3.
I feel like there’s so much unused potential with the MP3 as a platform.
Agree. 3 wheels really are better than 2 when the 2 wheels are in the front and the vehicle still leans. Sad to see the Niken only last a few years but it was overly complicated due to Piaggio’s patents.
except it is the hardest vehicle to avoid potholes
My MP3’s track is 21 inches wide. A standard lane is 120 inches in the city and 132 inches on highways. If there are so many potholes that they can’t be avoided on a MP3 it is long past time for DOT to do some roadwork.
They don’t work great offroad though.
I’d love to see a dual sport-ish MP3
I want them to reboot the PHEV MP3, give it an e-CVT as well.
Was going to say this, except the “my” part. The MP3 is an amazing machine.
I would like to drive the commercial vehicles like Goliath’s GD 750 and Goli or Tempo’s Hanseat. While the Goliaths were considered superior due to their RWD and even set a number of speed records (!), the Hanseat had the last laugh and survived in India until February 2000.
Having a Scammell Scarab would be a dream come true, but as for driving one on the regular I doubt it’s a good choice. (Though I think they’re a bit less tippy when the trailer is attached.)
I hadn’t heard of the Goliath or the Hanseat. Now I have a whole fantasy garage of heavy-duty trucks with an odd number of tires.
And I didn’t know about the Mechanical Horse and its family. Thanks for pointing them out! I’ve added them to my list, too.
The same is true for the Moto Guzzi Ercole and the BMW F 76/79 I just found out about. Guzzi even built a 3×3 version.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moto_Guzzi_Triporteurs
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_F_76
Your caption for the Vanderhall must have been written by AI….
…because that photo sure didn’t come from Vauxhall.
But yes – ever since encountering a Vanderhall in Santa Monica one Saturday evening at dusk while out getting fuel – I’ve wanted one.
I still wish Mercedes would get one to review for us.
Mike Harrell to the weirdophone, Mike Harrell to the weirdophone.
I’m working as safety staff for the Lemons race at Pacific Raceways this weekend and I need to get back to the track, so, briefly:
HMV Freeway: Mine is uncomfortable and disconcerting to drive in a fun way. Would drive again.
American Microcar Tri-Ped: Mine is uncomfortable and disconcerting to drive in an uncomfortable and disconcerting way. Would drive again.
ZAP Xebra: Mine was uncomfortable and disconcerting. The steering shattered (yes, shattered) before I got a chance to drive it. Would cut into little pieces and discard again.
I think that about covers it. Oh, and I wouldn’t mind trying out a Stimson Scorcher should the opportunity present itself.
Does anyone make a three wheeler configured where the 2 front wheels drive and the REAR wheel steers? That could be an unsafe amount of fun to whip around!
I think it’s just a forklift at that point.
The forklift at work is fun and not unsafe but I think a big part of the “not unsafe” is that it’s governed to 5 mph.
The Dymaxion Car, and that wasn’t even the weirdest thing about it.
Came here for the Dymaxion reference. Thank you.
I’d love to see a replica but with front steer. Maybe computer steer by wire would make it workable.
Inherently unstable aircraft with fly by wire outperform stable aircraft.
Without the computer control of course they just kill you.
So maybe a replica that uses Cybertruck parts? That’s pretty much the high water mark (or nadir) of steer-by-wire. An equation that results in one more Dymaxion car and one fewer Cybertruck sounds like good math.
Rear-steered trikes are inherently unstable: they get into a “death spiral.”
We had a pruning tower that was sort of rear steer. Two driven wheels in the front, and a wheel on the back that was mounted as a free swiveling caster. Steering was accomplished by varying the speed of the two driving wheels with a pair of variable displacement hydraulic pumps powering hydraulic motors in the hubs.
I don’t know how something like that would work at higher speeds but it was fun to drive. Especially since you were 12 feet up in the air on a boom controlling the speed(or reversing it) with one foot and steering with the other foot leaving your hands free to handle a 10 inch saw at the end of a ten foot pole.
Fun? Yes!
Check your caption on the Vanderhall. The main difference with it to it’s other modern 3 wheeled kin is the Vanderhall drives (and steers) the front wheels.
I have owned a couple of recumbent trikes of the human-powered variety, but a car? Probably a Messerschmitt Kabinenroller.
New 3-wheeler, an Aptera. Would really love for them to succeed this time around.
Vintage choice, probably a Morgan. Now to decide which one. Though there’s always a Corbin Sparrow too. Hmmmm…
As Frank Sinatra once said:
Wheels, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way
Also, that Vauxhall looks pretty cool.
Aside from my electric Milan SL velomobile and custom-built electric trike, or the custom 3-wheel one-seat car I helped with the design and build of for a friend, it would have to be an Aptera 2e.
Any and all of the above listed in the article. They’re all just that awesome. Also, how about a Bond Minicar, Messerschmitt KR200, or a BMW Isetta, too?
1965-67 Reliant Regal 3/25 saloon. I’d say a later 700cc model, but it would have to be pre-1968 to guarantee no emissions trouble
I drive a Columbia Expediter somewhat regularly. If It was mine, I’d swap in a Tesla motor and WHEEEEEEE!
https://www.columbiavehicles.com/our-vehicles/expediter
Morgan. Doesn’t matter which one, new or old.
It’s not really in the dream queue, but we’re just being hypothetical here 😉
I all aboard for this answer!
I still kind of want to drive an Elio.
Most definitely the Morgan Super 3. I’ve had opportunities to drive the Super and its predecessor and while that older version with its naked v-twin banging away up front was quite enjoyable, the newer Super with its Ford four-banger is the better car.
I think you nailed it. Not just a Morgan, but that Morgan.