In fact, the president is quick to compare the T-Rex to a luxury toy -- an alternative to high-performance cars like Ferraris and Lotuses. "Buyers choose these products to have fun, hit the open road from time to time, parade down the streets at night and also spend the weekends on the track. Naturally, they expect high reliability as well as convenient access to repair and maintenance services.

The tubular chassis is the only component that's manufactured on site. All the other parts come from outside contractors and are assembled in Boucherville.

While touring the assembly plant with journalists, Mr. Morissette pointed to a red T-Rex being assembled. "The one with the serial number 82 will go to Antwaan Randle El, wide receiver for the Washington Redskins, who wears the 82. Isn't that a nice coincidence or what? We hope his buddies in the NFL will be jealous and will all want their own some day," says Morissette with a big smile.

With all the resources at its disposal, Campagna Motors could theoretically manufacture 3,000 units a year. The executives are not that ambitious, however. "At the end of this year, we hope that production will have exceeded a hundred units. And when 2010 is over, production numbers will have doubled and Campagna Motors will have added a second model to its portfolio," explains the president.

Called V13R, this new model is another three-wheeler or "trike" yet the design is different. Powered by the Revolution engine of the Harley-Davidson V-Rod, it's expected to reach about 50 units in the first year. The T-Rex, on the other hand, uses a more powerful engine sourced from the Kawasaki ZX-14R.

Sensible goals
The hopes and dreams of Mr. Morissette are based on tangible facts. "If Lamborghini is able to sell 26 cars in Quebec during a single year while we've managed to sell 32 T-Rexes despite the economic downturn, then our sales forecasts are not far-fetched," he claims.

According to him, the U.S. market could eventually account for 500 to 700 units a year. "Before we can do that, we have to mend fences with our American retailers, which got kind of cheated by the previous administration," he insists. "We pay special attention to the promises that were made in order to ensure they're all kept. A solid dealer network is vital to build customer satisfaction."

Here, on the assembly line, a worker is busying himself around the tubular chassis.