16STM is half car, half bike, all fun

Published Mar 15, 2013

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For all that Canadians have a reputation for being quiet and unimaginative, over the years they have produced some of the world's most outrageous vehicles - and this one, the three-wheeled Campagna T-Rex 16STM, is a case in point.

Even more than Bombardier with their Can-Am Spyder three-wheeler, Campagna are blurring the distinction between cars and motorcycles, pushing the petrolheads at IOL to come up with a new definition of what constitutes a car and what makes it a motorcycle - and no, Cyril, the number of wheels is not the deciding factor.

As near as we can figure, you sit ON a motorcycle but IN a car; if you can formulate a simpler, or clearer definition, let us know.

And that makes the Campagna three-wheeler a car.

Never mind that its engine and running gear are borrowed from a motorcycle - after all, Morgan have been doing that for the best part of a century and nobody will tell you a Morgan 'threeler' isn't a car!

It's built around a tubular-steel chassis that's also a roll-cage (there's nothing like making your heaviest components do two jobs at the same time!) and has two sports seats with three-point seatbelts and car-type controls. The body panels are fibreglass with carbon-fibre trim elements and the whole thing weighs in at only 500kg.

1.6-LITRE SIX

Campagna's previous adrenalin pump, the T-Rex 14R, derived its motivation from a four-cylinder 1400cc Kawasaki Ninja engine; the 16STM, however, has a 1649cc transverse six, borrowed from BMW’s K1600 GTL tourer.

Rated for 118kW at 7750rpm and 175Nm at 5250rpm, it should easily push the T-Rex past 100km/h in less than five seconds.

Sadly, Campagna's publicity material doesn't quote top speed - which is likely to be impressive - or pricing, probably just as impressive.

The 16STM comes complete with BMW's electronic driving mode selection for improved traction and better control on wet or loose roads, an Alpine audio system, iPod/iPhone jack, USB port and Bluetooth connectivity.

And yes, it will be street-legal in South Africa under the same legislation that governs Morgans and Guzzi-engined Morgan replicas.

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