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Filed under: Performance, Videos, Motorcycle, Celebrities, Specialty

The three-wheeled Campagna T-Rex has been in production since 1995, featuring a variety of motorcycle engines to power it along the way, but Canada-based Campagna has never been able to sell it in the US as a street-legal vehicle. All that changed with the company’s new owners. The T-Rex recently was certified here to be sold and registered for the street as a motorcycle, and we were able to test the latest model, the BMW-powered T-Rex 16S, around Southern California in May. We found it to be particularly entertaining on a twisty road, if not a replacement for a daily driver, and now Jay Leno’s Garage has captured the fun on video.

Previous Campagnas have used motorcycle engines from Kawasaki, such as in the T-Rex 14R, and Harley-Davidson, in the V13R, but the newest model uses a BMW Motorrad-supplied 1600cc six-cylinder engine and six-speed sequential transmission (modified by Campagna to house a reverse gear) from its K1600 motorcycle, which, with 160 horsepower and 129 pound-feet of torque, pairs nicely with the three-wheeler’s 1,150-pound weight. Believe it or not, Campagna’s vice president of sales, Michel Paukette, says the 16S is wider than a Corvette ZR1 by two inches and, thanks to the wide front stance and low weight, is able to pull 1.1 g around a skidpad on performance-oriented street tires. 0-60 miles per hour comes in about four seconds, making it quick by any standard. If that, and the $62,000 price tag, is too much of a handful, then customers can still order the less-expensive 14R or V13R.

But Leno’s favorite T-Rex engine is the BMW mill in the 16S, which is a step up from the V13R and 14R both in performance and refinement. Amenities that are found in the K1600, such as satellite radio, Bluetooth and USB ports, can be found in the 16S, though Leno makes a good point that the stereo system might be useless with the engine sitting directly behind the cockpit. Watch the video below for more information on the 16S and, more importantly, to see Leno wring out that beautiful-sounding engine.

Continue reading Campagna T-Rex roars into Jay Leno’s Garage

Campagna T-Rex roars into Jay Leno’s Garage originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 22 Jul 2013 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Hybrid, Truck, Work, Electric

2012 Bremach T. Rex

2012 Bremach T. Rex – Click above for high-res image gallery

Bremach has been pumping out rugged work trucks in Italy since the late 1950s, so it’s safe to say the company is clued-in to building no-nonsense, workaholic machinery. Its latest creation is called the T. Rex, and goes a long way to proving that EVs don’t have to be Dustbuster-shaped people carriers.

Just like the Tesla Roadster proved EV technology can work in a sports car, the Bremach T. Rex proves the instant torque of an electric motor is as handy as a pocket in a shirt off road as well. The T. Rex’s electric motor provides 100 kW of power at 0 rpm, with a claimed 150-mile range even under work conditions. Bremach will also warranty the powertrain for 30,000 miles or three years.

If full electric scares you or you want a little more range, the T. Rex is available with a traditional 6.0-liter gasoline-fired Chevrolet V8 with either a six-speed manual or five-speed automatic cog box. Even with the big-bore Chevy mill, Bremach claims the truck will achieve 20 mpg on the highway. For those who like to ride the middle line, there are compressed natural gas and hybrid options available as well. All of these powertrain options are available in a two- or four-door hardtop or a two-door convertible.

The T. Rex was designed to be as capable as possible while staying extremely fuel and space efficient. Partly by leaving the truck’s spaceframe skeleton exposed, Bremach’s designers were able to jam three seats into the T. Rex’s narrow cab, which the company claims will withstand five Gs of force. Bremach says that’s two Gs more than most of the competition… we’ll have to take their word for it. The price for all this is fairly steep, with a loaded EV version of the T. Rex hitting the register at just over $120,000. Awesome don’t come cheap.

Click past the jump for videos of the T. Rex in action.

Gallery: 2012 Bremach T. Rex

2012 Bremach T. Rex

[Source: Bremach]

Continue reading Bremach T. Rex is World’s Most Badass EV [w/video]

Bremach T. Rex is World’s Most Badass EV [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Apr 2011 20:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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