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If your definition of fun includes raw power and a visceral driving experience devoid of frills, you may want to take a drive in the T-Rex by Campagna. A stripped down, muscled up vehicle combining the brutal power-to-weight ratio of a motorcycle with the low center of gravity and wide handling stance of a race car, the T-Rex is a “50 states legal” road car that performs like exotics costing five times as much. It’s unusual, exciting, and offers a driving experience unlike any I have had.
Built by the Campagna Corporation in the province of Quebec, Canada, and designed by Daniel Campagna and Paul Deutschman, the T-Rex is a tube-framed three wheeled vehicle that uses the engine and transmission of a Kawasaki ZZR-1200 at the back, and custom built race car style suspension at the front. The 152 hp motorcycle engine in a vehicle that weighs only 900 lbs (dry) creates performance numbers that few cars can rival. The low-slung seating position and lack of a windshield give it a gokart feel, and the swoopy bodywork and exposed roll cage draw attention like a naked girl on the infield at Sebring.
Daniel Campagna formed the company in 1990 and spent over 8 years designing and developing the T-Rex. He brought with him significant practical experience. After participating in the Formula Ford Competition Championships held in Quebec in 1976, 1977 and 1979 he went on to build the off-road racer Voodoo in 1982 and spent some time as mechanic to the Formula 1 legend Gilles Villeneuve. This man is clearly no stranger to performance vehicles!
The bodywork of the T-Rex was designed by Paul Deutschman who has done design work for Rover, Jaguar, and Callaway. As a designer for Callaway he was responsible for all their cars from the Corvette Aerobody to the C-7 and C-12. He also designed the Porsche Spexster which was featured on the cover of Sports Car Illustrated and Motor Trend Magazine. Together these men have created one of the most unique and spectacular vehicles available in a dealership today, and at a price point that is WAY below most exotic supercars capable of the same performance figures. Faster from 0 to 60 mph than a Ferrari Challenge Stradale or a Lamborghini Gallardo, and with an advertised lateral acceleration number of 1.9 g, you can’t beat this thing on a performance per dollar basis. The front brakes use 11 inch cross-drilled rotors and 4 piston aluminum calipers, and the rear has a 10 inch cross-drilled rotor with a 2 piston aluminum caliper. This provides some SERIOUS stopping power for a vehicle that is just over 900 lbs when it hits the road.
Driving the car is one of the most extreme experiences you can have on the street. You start by removing the steering wheel and sliding down into the “laydown” seats, much as you would any open wheel race car. The pedal box adjusts for height, and there is a special option available which will allow someone over 6’4” to fit into the car comfortably. Once you are in and strapped in place you realize that the view is virtually unobstructed, and it is significantly lower than that of any street car. With your butt just inches from the pavement, and your head not very much higher, you immediately feel as though you are ready for the track. The pedals are small and close together, and the shifter is close at hand and amazingly short in throw. The shifting is all sequential, with 6 gears to choose from and a reverse mechanism designed specifically for the T-Rex. After fitting the steering wheel back in place you snick the transmission into 1st and ease the clutch out. Even with the 315/35/ZR17 tire out back it’s easy to break the rear-end loose with the throttle in the first couple of gears, but the real thrill comes when you approach the 11,000 rpm redline. This is a 4 cylinder, Double Overhead Cam engine with ram air, and it makes its real power at high rpm’s.
Perhaps the most surprising thing was how supple the ride is. As brutal as the horsepower punch is, and as extreme as the driving position is, I expected the ride to be race car rough. It’s not. While this thing clings to the corners like an ancient carnivore lizard would a mastodon, the ride on the street is not at all punishing. Even though the total height of a T-Rex is only 42 inches, there are still several inches of ground clearance and suspension travel available.
As you accelerate up through the gears past 100 mph the T-Rex never feels light or “darty.” It holds its line and gives the driver complete confidence. However, the lack of a windshield or any kind of doors once again adds to the extreme experience. With no helmet (in Florida), and nothing but a pair of sunglasses for protection, the wind makes your cheeks flap and your shirt threatens to shred as you look up at the towering trucks you flash by on the interstate and wonder if you really could slip under one and pop out the other side like an action movie chase scene!
While the top speed is “only” 140 mph, I can assure you that in a lightweight, low slung car like this 140 will seem plenty. There is an optional windshield available for the T-Rex, but the vehicle is actually sold and registered as a motorcycle, and as such cannot be sold with the windshield as standard equipment. There are also optional “saddle bags” available which allow you to bring some personal belongings with you, but this is no everyday grocery getter for mom and the kids. This vehicle is all about performance and FUN!
And speaking of fun, perhaps the most fun to be had with the T-Rex comes when you park it. I happened across a T-Rex parked on a street during the recent St. Petersburg Festival of Speed, and it was among heady company. Surrounded by the newly introduced (at the time) Chevrolet Corvette C6, a Lotus Esprit, a Bentley Continental GT, a Rolls Royce Phantom and a Lamborghini Murcielago AND Gallardo, the T-Rex had drawn a crowd of about 20 people. And more were walking quickly past that exotic lineup to stand in the second and third row for their chance to inspect the T-Rex. I’ve never seen a car draw more interest from a crowd of auto enthusiasts than this thing!
While certainly not for everyone, and not a practical form of transportation for most, if you are looking for extreme performance, exotic looks, and an opportunity to own something that will set you apart, the T-Rex is your monster. With a base price in the neighborhood of $48,000 it’s not cheap, but compared to anything else that can put down this kind of performance numbers and draw such an admiring crowd, it is a serious bargain.
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