Simpson Design

Simpson Design is an American automobile coachbuilder established in 1978 by Jim Simpson. The company began in Houston, Texas, and later moved its headquarters to Clinton on Whidbey Island in Washington State, near Seattle. Rather than operating as a high-volume vehicle manufacturer, Simpson Design has focused on low-volume, custom-built sports cars and coachbuilt body and interior packages. The company is particularly associated with projects developed around the Mazda MX-5 Miata chassis. This platform provides a lightweight, rear-wheel-drive basis for bespoke styling and bodywork while retaining the underlying character and engineering of a production sports car. Simpson Design’s work therefore occupies a niche between automotive design, specialist manufacturing, restoration, and custom coachbuilding. Its output has included both production-oriented models and concept or show cars created for public display and industry events. Among the company’s named production models are the Swift, Italia 3 GTZ, Italia 3 SWB, Italia 2, and Italia Classic. These vehicles and conversions reflect Simpson Design’s emphasis on individualized exterior forms, handcrafted construction, and customized interiors rather than standardized mass production. The available reference material does not provide complete technical specifications, production volumes, pricing, or current model availability, so the precise commercial status of each model is not established. Simpson Design also developed several show cars intended to demonstrate its design and coachbuilding capabilities. Blue Ray 1 was created for the 1991 Specialty Equipment Market Association show. Blue Ray 3 followed in 1992 and was produced for the introduction of Nardi at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance; it also appeared at Concours Italiano. Other identified show-car projects include Blue Ray 2 and Manta Ray. The company relocated from Houston to Clinton, Washington, in 2002. Its Whidbey Island base places it within the broader Pacific Northwest automotive and enthusiast landscape while allowing it to maintain a specialist, craft-oriented identity. Jim Simpson is identified as the company’s owner and current chief executive in the available reference material. No separate parent company, public listing, stock ticker, or independently reported financial information is identified. Simpson Design is best understood as a small, specialist American automotive design and coachbuilding brand whose reputation is tied to bespoke sports-car conversions, Miata-based projects, and show-car construction.

Simpson Design was founded in 1978 in Houston, Texas, by Jim Simpson, who has been identified as the company’s owner and chief executive. From its beginning, the business operated as a specialist automotive design and coachbuilding concern rather than as a conventional mass-market car manufacturer. Its work has centered on custom sports-car bodies, interiors, and complete bespoke vehicles. The company’s early public design activity included Blue Ray 1, a show car created for the 1991 Specialty Equipment Market Association show. The project established Simpson Design’s presence in the enthusiast and specialty-equipment environment, where custom vehicle design and presentation are important parts of a coachbuilder’s profile. In 1992, the company produced Blue Ray 3 for the introduction of Nardi at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance. The car also debuted at Concours Italiano, placing Simpson Design’s work in the context of prominent American automotive concours events. Simpson Design’s catalog has included production-oriented models named Swift, Italia 3 GTZ, Italia 3 SWB, Italia 2, and Italia Classic. The available source identifies the company as concentrating mainly on custom sports cars built on the Mazda Miata MX-5 chassis. This approach combines a recognized lightweight sports-car platform with individualized coachbuilt styling and interior treatment. The reference material does not establish the production quantities, mechanical specifications, retail prices, or continuing availability of the named models. In 2002, Simpson Design moved its headquarters from Houston to Clinton, Washington, on Whidbey Island outside Seattle. The relocation gave the company its current Pacific Northwest base. Its identified show-car portfolio also includes Blue Ray 2 and Manta Ray, alongside Blue Ray 1 and Blue Ray 3. These projects illustrate the company’s dual role as a builder of customer-oriented specialist cars and a creator of vehicles intended to showcase its design and fabrication capabilities. The available material provides no evidence of public ownership, a parent automotive group, a stock-market listing, or a major international distribution network. Simpson Design is consequently characterized by its independent, low-volume, craft-oriented model of operation. Jim Simpson remains associated with the company’s ownership and leadership, while the brand’s core identity rests on bespoke sports-car construction, coachbuilt bodywork, customized interiors, and Mazda MX-5-based automotive design.

• 2002

  Headquarters relocated to Washington State

  [1]Simpson Designen.wikipedia.org

  Simpson Design moved its headquarters from Houston to Clinton on Whidbey Island, Washington.

• 1992

  Blue Ray 3 presented at major concours events

  [1]Simpson Designen.wikipedia.org

  Blue Ray 3 was created for the introduction of Nardi at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and debuted at Concours Italiano.

• 1991

  Blue Ray 1 created for SEMA

  [1]Simpson Designen.wikipedia.org

  Simpson Design created the Blue Ray 1 show car for the Specialty Equipment Market Association show.

• 1978

  Company founded in Houston

  [1]Simpson Designen.wikipedia.org

  Jim Simpson founded Simpson Design in Houston, Texas, establishing the specialist automotive design and coachbuilding business.

A specialist American coachbuilder offering low-volume custom sports cars, bespoke bodies, and interiors, with a strong emphasis on Mazda MX-5 Miata-based designs and enthusiast-oriented show cars.

• Production model

  Swift

  Swift is one of the production models associated with Simpson Design. The available reference identifies the name but does not provide confirmed specifications, production numbers, pricing, or detailed information about its bodywork and mechanical configuration.

• Production model

  Italia 3 GTZ

  Italia 3 GTZ is a Simpson Design production model listed among the company’s specialist sports-car offerings. Publicly supplied reference material does not establish its detailed design specification, drivetrain, production volume, or current availability.

• Production model

  Italia 3 SWB

  Italia 3 SWB is a production model in Simpson Design’s catalog. The SWB designation is part of the model name, but the available source does not explain the vehicle’s dimensions, engineering, production history, or relationship to the other Italia models.

• Production model

  Italia 2

  Italia 2 is identified as one of Simpson Design’s production models. It belongs to the company’s low-volume custom sports-car portfolio, although the available reference does not provide technical details, launch information, or confirmed current sales status.

• Production model

  Italia Classic

  Italia Classic is a named Simpson Design production model. It reflects the company’s coachbuilding-oriented approach, but no detailed description of its styling, chassis, powertrain, production quantity, or present availability is supplied by the reference material.

• Show car · 1991

  Blue Ray 1

  Blue Ray 1 was a Simpson Design show car created for the 1991 Specialty Equipment Market Association show. It served as a public demonstration of the company’s custom automotive design and coachbuilding work.

• Show car

  Blue Ray 2

  Blue Ray 2 is listed among Simpson Design’s show cars. The available reference does not state its debut year, display venue, technical basis, or detailed design features.

• Show car · 1992

  Blue Ray 3

  Blue Ray 3 was created in 1992 for the introduction of Nardi at the Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance and debuted at Concours Italiano. It is one of Simpson Design’s best-documented show-car projects.

• Show car

  Manta Ray

  Manta Ray is identified as a Simpson Design show car. The supplied reference does not provide its date, venue, chassis basis, or other technical and historical details.

1. 1Simpson Designen.wikipedia.org