Campagna Motors broke
28.01.2019
D ie Campagna boss André Morissette spread the message on Facebook: The banks are no longer in a position to provide the financing required during the insolvency proceedings that have been running since November 2018 - Campagna Motors is at an end. Morissette thanks all employees, customers and suppliers and hopes that the small automaker will find a buyer. Until then, business will be idle, Morissette is looking for a new job.
Formula 1 mechanic Daniel Campagna founded Campagna Motors in 1988 together with automotive designer Paul Deutschman in Boucherville (province of Québec) in southwest Canada. The company gained notoriety with the 1995 T-Rex: The three-wheeled two-seater is currently powered by a transversely mounted BMW six-cylinder engine with 160 hp - at BMW, this engine is used in the K 1600 GT, among others. In some US states, the T-Rex could be registered as a motorcycle, but the occupants secured with three-point seat belts did not have to wear a helmet. The vehicle has pedals, but the BMW manual gearbox is operated in a similar way to a motorcycle. During the entire construction period, motorcycle engines from Suzuki and Kawasaki were also used.
Electric model was in the planning stage
23 employees built two to three T-Rexs per week; with a Harley-Davidson engine. On April 4, 2018, Campagna presented an electric version of the T-Rex, powered by technology from the Californian electric motorcycle manufacturer Zero Motorcycles. Four months later there were initial rumors that the company could no longer service loans and was having problems getting BMW engines - Campagna Motors filed for bankruptcy protection and then filed for bankruptcy in October.
In spring 2008 Campagna Motors was already insolvent - at that time André Morissette rebuilt the company together with his business partner David Neault. You can still order the T-Rex and V13R on the Campagna website, and there is also a call to participate in the company. The required total investment volume is given as 14 million dollars (the equivalent of around 12.25 million euros), the minimum investment is 700 dollars (612 euros) - an indication that the manufacturer has been needing fresh money for some time.
