Simpson Designs
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1978
- HeadquartersClinton, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
Simpson Designs firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Simpson Designs
- Legal name
- Simpson Design
- Website
- https://simpsondesign.net
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1978
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Simpson Designs industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bespoke Exotic Automobile Manufacturing
- NAICS
- Automobile and Light Duty Motor Vehicle Manufacturing (33611), Other Motor Vehicle Parts Manufacturing (336390), Motor Vehicle Seating and Interior Trim Manufacturing (336360), Industrial Design Services (54142)
- SIC
- Motor Vehicles & Passenger Car Bodies (3711), Motor Vehicle Parts & Accessories (3714)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Automotive Exterior Body Panels & Closures Manufacturing (Bumpers/Fenders/Hoods/Doors/Tailgates) (IMACAKAD)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Specialty Vehicle Body Manufacturing (Emergency/Military/Mobile Clinics) (IMACAGAD), Automotive Exterior Trim & Appearance Components Manufacturing (Moldings/Badges/Grilles/Chrome/Cladding) (IMACAKAE)
Keywords
Where Simpson Designs is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Clinton
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Simpson Designs business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Custom One-of-a-Kind Automobile Commission: Clients commission bespoke hand-built automobiles tailored to their individual needs and budget. Jim Simpson personally designs and builds each vehicle from design through final assembly.
- Existing Design Sales: Sale of existing Simpson Design automobile creations to prospective clients, offering immediate ownership without commissioning lead time.
- Limited Production Run Vehicles: Limited production cars like Italia 2 that can be reproduced across a small run, enabling multiple clients to own the same design.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Other | Multi-year contract | Quote-based custom commissioning |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
Simpson Designs product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Simpson Design hand-builds bespoke exotic automobiles that combine the style and quality of vintage classics with the reliability of modern sports car technology. Founder Jim Simpson personally designs and fabricates each vehicle—either as a fully commissioned one-of-a-kind build or a limited production run (e.g., Italia 2)—on existing automotive platforms using hand-shaped steel body panels and fiberglass molds. Pricing is quote-based, with each car tailored to the individual client's tastes and budget.
Product overview
Simpson Design specializes in unique, hand-built exotic automobiles combining the high level of style and quality of vintage classics with reliability and mechanical peace of mind of modern sports car technology. The company offers a portfolio of bespoke, one-of-a-kind automobiles including the Swift, Italia 3 GTZ, Italia 3 SWB, Italia 2, Blue Ray 3, Manta Ray, and Italia Classic. Cars are built tailored to individual client needs and budget, utilizing existing car platforms combined with hand-shaped steel and fiberglass body panels. The company also produces limited production runs for clients seeking reproducible designs. Founded by designer and master mechanic Jim Simpson in 1978, Simpson Design operates from Clinton, Washington, serving clients across the USA, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Swift A hand-built custom sports car inspired by Giovanni Michelotti's 1957 Lotus XI, bodied by Ghia Agile in Switzerland. Available as a bespoke one-of-a-kind commission or limited build through Simpson Design.
- Italia 3 GTZ A bespoke hand-crafted sports automobile featuring Italian-inspired design elements, built by Jim Simpson for individual clients seeking a custom exotic car.
- Italia 3 SWB A short-wheelbase variant of the Italia 3, offering a more compact hand-built sports car experience with classic styling and modern reliability.
- Italia 2 A limited production hand-built sports car designed for production-minded clients seeking a reproducible Simpson Design build rather than a single one-off commission.
- Blue Ray 3 A concept car built on a pre-production second generation Mazda 929 prototype chassis, which represented Nardi at their 60th anniversary at Concorso Italiano during the 1992 Monterey Pebble Beach weekend.
- Manta Ray A unique hand-built exotic automobile with distinctive styling inspired by marine life, produced by Jim Simpson for individual clients.
- Italia Classic A classic-inspired hand-built sports automobile combining vintage styling with modern sports car reliability, available as a custom commission from Simpson Design.
Companies that use Simpson Designs
Customer profileNamed customers2 records
Segments1 record
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Simpson Designs technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature5 records
Simpson Designs partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered minor.
- NardiminorSimpson Design's Blue Ray 3 concept car represented Nardi at their 60th anniversary at Concorso Italiano during the 1992 Monterey Pebble Beach weekend. This was a display/partnership arrangement where Nardi showcased Simpson Design's work at their anniversary event.
- MazdaminorSimpson Design's designs on Miata platforms have been featured in Mazda's booth at the Laguna Seca Historic races. This partnership provided visibility for Simpson Design at major racing events.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Simpson Designs competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Pininfarina: Iconic Italian design house and coachbuilder with both bespoke and series-production work, a broader incumbent in the same custom body design and luxury automotive space Simpson Design occupies.
Direct peers
- Zagato: Historic Italian coachbuilder producing bespoke, limited-edition hand-crafted sports car bodies, directly comparable to Simpson Design's niche of hand-shaped bodywork on existing platforms.
- Superformance: US-based specialty sports car producer building continuation and replica vehicles on donor chassis for enthusiasts, overlapping with Simpson Design's platform-based bespoke builds.
- Morgan Motor Company: Small-volume British manufacturer of bespoke hand-built sports cars emphasizing craftsmanship, traditional techniques, and bespoke customer commissioning — a near-parallel business model in artisanal sports-car production.
- Caterham Cars: Low-volume sports car manufacturer offering bespoke and limited-run vehicles with extensive customer customization, comparable to Simpson Design's limited production approach using donor platforms.
- Factory Five Racing: US-based specialty manufacturer of replica and kit sports cars built around donor platforms, comparable in product approach and small-scale bespoke production philosophy.
- Callaway Cars: US small-volume specialty automaker producing limited-edition, bespoke-modified sports cars using donor platforms, sharing Simpson Design's boutique low-volume model.
- Singer Vehicle Design: Bespoke Porsche 911 restoration and modification firm producing hand-built, ultra-premium one-off and limited-run sports cars for affluent enthusiasts — strong analog to Simpson Design's bespoke positioning.
- Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera: Italian bespoke coachbuilder producing limited-edition hand-built sports cars and bodywork, mirroring Simpson Design's artisan one-off and small-batch model with similar Italian-design heritage.
Emerging players
- Eagle E-Types: UK-based bespoke restomod and continuation sports car builder producing low-volume hand-built vehicles for collectors, comparable to Simpson Design's niche of custom hand-built classic-styled sports cars.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Simpson Designs social profiles
Digital presenceSimpson Designs financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Simpson Designs leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles1 record
Simpson Designs funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Simpson Designs M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Simpson Designs
What does Simpson Designs do?
Simpson Design hand-builds bespoke exotic automobiles that combine the style and quality of vintage classics with the reliability of modern sports car technology. Founder Jim Simpson personally designs and fabricates each vehicle—either as a fully commissioned one-of-a-kind build or a limited production run (e.g., Italia 2)—on existing automotive platforms using hand-shaped steel body panels and fiberglass molds. Pricing is quote-based, with each car tailored to the individual client's tastes and budget.
Is Simpson Designs a public or private company?
Simpson Designs is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Simpson Designs founded?
Simpson Designs was founded in 1978. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Simpson Designs based?
Simpson Designs is headquartered in Clinton, United States, in the North America region.
How does Simpson Designs make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Custom One-of-a-Kind Automobile Commission is the primary driver. The others are existing Design Sales and limited Production Run Vehicles.
Who are Simpson Designs's main competitors?
Pininfarina is listed as a broad incumbent. Direct peers are Zagato, Superformance, Morgan Motor Company, Caterham Cars, Factory Five Racing, Callaway Cars, Singer Vehicle Design and Carrozzeria Touring Superleggera. Eagle E-Types is listed as an emerging player.
Does Simpson Designs have an API?
No public API is recorded for Simpson Designs.
What industry is Simpson Designs in?
Simpson Designs's product category is Bespoke Exotic Automobile Manufacturing. Its primary akta.pro industry code is IMACAKAD, Automotive Exterior Body Panels & Closures Manufacturing (Bumpers/Fenders/Hoods/Doors/Tailgates), with a secondary code of IMACAGAD, Specialty Vehicle Body Manufacturing (Emergency/Military/Mobile Clinics). Its NAICS code is 33611 and its SIC code is 3711.