ICONIC British sports car company Morgan has launched a new three wheeler just a year after the previous model went out of production.

The Super 3 follows on from the 3 Wheeler which Morgan released in 2011 and carries on a three wheel tradition first started in 1909 when founder HFS Morgan built his first three-wheeler.

The newcomer is priced from £41,995 and will be powered by a three-cylinder 1.5-litre engine from Ford in place of the motorcycle derived V-twin engine of the previous 3 Wheeler.

Mated to a five-speed manual gearbox it develops 118bhp and gives the Super 3 a 0 to 62mph acceleration of seven seconds and a maximum of 130mph.

Fuel figures are said to be an average of 40mpg with emissions of 130g/km.

The Super 3 weighs in at just 635 kilos and measures some 3.85 metres long, 1..85 metres wide and 1.132 metres high.

It is Morgan's first ‘clean-sheet' design since the launch of the Aero 8 in 2000 and the company's biggest visual departure since the 1962 Plus 4 Plus.

Built at the company's workshops in Malvern, Worcestershire, Morgan says the Super 3 is the most configurable model it has produced and first deliveries are scheduled for June.

Steve Morris, chairman and chief executive of the Morgan Motor Company, said: "Following on from the incredible success of the outgoing Morgan 3 Wheeler has been no easy task.

"When we first decided to reintroduce it back in 2011, the company couldn't have imagined just how popular and successful the V-twin model would be. The Morgan 3 Wheeler represents something different, something unique and something to be celebrated. As we launch Super 3, I am confident that our latest three-wheeled offering is as relevant as ever.

"We have developed this vehicle at a time when the industry, and the wider world, has been challenged beyond comprehension. Yet our engineering and design teams, along with our project partners, have been able to deliver a fitting new chapter to Morgan's three-wheeled story.

"The all-new Super 3 introduces new levels of engineering integrity to Morgan, a new sense of adventure to the brand and a new design language that indicates our future direction."

Aerodynamically the Super 3's most notable feature is cast aluminium structures that provide the face of the vehicle, brace the engine and control the corner packages, while also directing air into the side-mounted cooling packs.

Two rectangular ‘diffuser plates' - referred to as ‘sideblades' - intelligently manage cooling requirements while also presenting a platform for panniers, luggage racks and liveries.

Inside, the car has a minimalist dashboard featuring Morgan's traditional centre-mounted dials and for the first time in a Morgan they are fully digital.

Their surrounds - available in both anodised black or silver finishes - are formed from metal as is any touchpoint in the cabin. The engine start/stop button, inspired by the ‘missile release' button on military aircraft, is carried over from the outgoing model.

A choice of seat materials includes vinyl, water-resistant leather, saddle leather with enhanced durability and a technical fabric that combines a high level of water resistance, UV resistance and ease of maintenance..

Available for the first time is a footwell heater, which Morgan says makes the Super 3 even more suitable for adventure, while there's also a reach- and rake-adjustable steering wheel and a quick-release adjustable pedal box.

A universal fixing - the same as the ones mounted to the vehicle sideblades - is mounted under the dashboard and allows for a cup holder or Quad Lock phone mount to be fitted.

Bungee cords can be fitted to the outer cockpit to provide quick storage for coats, maps and small bags, while a the Super 3 also has lockable underseat compartment as well as a navigation system similar to that available for motorbikes.

As with the previous Morgan 3 Wheeler, an array of graphics packs is available and there is a choice of five full vehicle liveries and seven individual decals with the opportunity to combine graphics and a custom 'call sign' or national flag.

Morgan produces around 850 cars per year, of which more than 70 per cent are exported.

Its model range - comprising Super 3, Plus Four and Plus Six - is sold through 50 official dealerships in 32 countries.