| Crespi Competición | |
| Type: | Private |
| Industry: | Automotive |
| Predecessors: | --> |
| Founder: | Tulio Crespi |
| Successors: | --> |
| Hq Location City: | Balcarce, Buenos Aires |
| Hq Location Country: | Argentina |
| Areas Served: | --> |
| Products: | Automobiles Formula racing vehicles |
| Owner: | Tulio Crespi |
Tulio Crespi S.A. (trade name: Crespi Competición) is an Argentine automobile manufacturer, founded in 1962 by Tulio Crespi (b. June 22, 1938), a former racing driver. With an industrial plant in Balcarce, Buenos Aires, Crespi has been producing automobiles and Formula racing vehicles.[1]
Crespi made significant contributions for Formula Renault 2.0 (building many chassis for former Formula 4) and Argentine Turismo Carretera. Its sports cars included models Tulio and Tulieta, both exhibited at the 1975 Paris Motor Show, the first time an Argentine manufacturer participated in the biennial. In the last years, the company expanded its products line to mini truck vehicles.
Tulio Crespi started his career as racing car constructor, giving his first steps in "Fórmula Mini Junior", where he also made good performances as a driver. In mid 1960s he made cars for open-wheel racing car category Formula 4.[2] [3] It was the first time in the history of the show an Argentine manufacturer exhibited cars designed and produced in the country.[2]
By mid-1970s, the Chacarita workshop could not keep up with the growing demand of vehicles. Helped by Juan Manuel Fangio, Crespi could acquire a land on PR226, only 4 kilometers distant from the city of Balcarce (home town of Fangio) to build and industrial plant and make Crespi's business grow. The factory was inaugurated in early 1980s and it has been producing vehicles since.[2]
In 1985, Crespi launched the Spiaggia, a small convertible built on a Renault 4 platform. It had a reinforced plastic body, inspired on Renault 5 and four seats. Crespi's most recent vehicle was Campomóvil, a mini truck that featured a glass fibre-reinforced resin body and powered by a Briggs & Stratton engine, released in 2012.[2] In 2022, Crespi launched a new version of the Campomóvil equipped with an electric motor.[4]
Crespi Competición has exported its prototype cars to Ecuador, Colombia, México, and Chile. The company is also provider of racing cars for Turismo Carretera, TC 2000, and Turismo Nacional. Crespi's cars has been driven by Juan Manuel Fangio II, Oscar Aventín, Guillermo Ortelli, Omar Martínez, Fabián Acuña, Juan María Traverso, Daniel Cingolani, Miguel Etchegaray, Juan Manuel Silva, and Tito Bessone, among other notable drivers.[1]