1993 Vector W8

Vector Aeromotive manufactured a limited number of vehicles throughout its short tenure, yet it left a significant and enduring impact, successfully realizing founder Jerry Wiegert's highly ambitious vision of creating a 'fighter jet on four wheels.' The handcrafted supercars represented a groundbreaking advancement in every aspect, incorporating innovative construction techniques, elevated quality standards, modern production methods and materials, as well as a variety of aerospace technologies.

The W2 ('W' for Wiegert and '2' for the number of turbochargers) prototype was conceived by Wiegert in a small warehouse in Los Angeles, California, in the late 1970s. He had just graduated from college and founded a design house called Vehicle Design Force. Joined by auto body expert Lee Brown, they created a new car called The Vector, which was featured on the cover of Motor Trend magazine in April 1972. A non-running concept prototype was shown several years later, in 1976, at the LA Auto Show. In 1979, a functional model was constructed, showcasing the design and engineering expertise of the team, as well as their capability to develop a vehicle of supercar caliber.

Having renamed 'Vehicle Design Force' as 'Vector Aeromotive,' production of the W2 commenced in 1990. The W2 had been driven over 100,000 test miles, and numerous improvements to the car's styling and technology were implemented. The W8 was the beneficiary of these upgrades, boasting modern aesthetics and a host of groundbreaking technologies and components.

Chassis
The Vector W8 received a semi-aluminum monocoque chassis was epoxy bonded and riveted with an aluminum honeycomb structure floor pan. It had a 103-inch wheelbase, an overall length of 172 inches, a width of 76 inches, and stood 42.5 inches tall. At the front was a double A-arm suspension while the rear used a De Dion tube located by four trailing arms. Koni adjustable shocks, with concentric springs, were used front and rear, along with 13-inch vented discs with Alcon aluminum 4-piston calipers. The wide wheels were wrapped with special Michelin XGT Plus tires that measured 255/45ZR-16 at the front and 315/40ZR-16 at the rear.

The lack of power-assisted steering and anti-lock brakes helped keep the curb weight to a minimum.

Engine and Transmission
The Vector W8 had a rear transverse mid-engine placement with power sent to the rear wheels. The engine was a Rodeck aluminum resleevable 365 cu in (6.0 L) competition engine with a dry-sump oiling system, stainless-steel valves, Carrillo stainless-steel connecting rods, forged pistons, a forged crank, and roller rocker arms. With assistance from a pair of intercooled Garrett turbochargers, the engine produced an advertised 620 horsepower at 5,700 RPM and 650 lb-ft of torque at 4,900 RPM with 8 PSI of boost pressure. The driver could adjust the boost pressure between 8 and 14 psi, with the peak recorded engine output of 1,2000 bhp on maximum boost.

The engine was paired with a modified Turbo-Hydramatic 425 General Motors three-speed automatic.

Body
Lightweight carbon fiber and Kevlar were the primary materials used for the body. Its design was courtesy of Wiegert and David Kostka, and inspired by the Alfa Romeo Carabo. Like many supercars of the era, it had a wedge-shaped design, with the front reaching towards the ground. It had a steeply raked windscreen, scissor doors, and a rear-mounted wing.

The W8 generated a skidpad acceleration of 0.97g. In its most refined shape, benefitting from aerodynamic and styling improvements carefully implemented throughout its development lifespan, the W8 had a drag coefficient of 0.32. Updates bestowed upon the W8 included adjustments of the rear wing, mirror intakes, and front grill, along with a lower front fascia and air splitter, and the removal of some of the gills. Early examples had a removable glass roof, but this feature was abandoned in later examples due to buffeting that occurred at extreme speeds.

Interior
The cockpit continued the aerospace theme with a digital computer screen, Recaro Classic (Electrically adjustable) seats, digital climate control, and numerous instruments highlighted by an Airpath compass and Hobbs hours counter. The seats were upholstered in leather and suede, and the carpeting and floor mats were of wool.

The driver seat was positioned slightly towards the center of the car for improved vision and drivability.

Performance
The projected top speed of the Vector W8 was 242 mph (389 km/h), and zero-to-sixty mph took a factory-claimed 3.9 seconds. Road & Track tested the W8 and reported a 0-60 mph acceleration time of 4.1 seconds and estimated the top speed to be 218 mph.

Production
Before Vector was forced into receivership in 1993, a total of seventeen customer cars and two pre-production cars rolled out of the company's Wilmington, Los Angeles factory. Prior to production, the W8 successfully passed DOT crash tests, as well as emissions tests.

The company's demise was due to a lack of funding, a plethora of competition from other supercar manufacturers, issues with emissions compliance, and an economy that made ownership of a supercar unobtainable by most. The negative publicity of tennis star Andre Agassi and his W8 tarnished the company's reputation when he returned his for a refund after the rear carpeting burned due to a hot exhaust system. Car and Driver published less-than-flattering findings of the W8, after all three cars provided broke down in different ways. The road tests performed by Road & Track did not experience any problems, and their review was positive.

Vector had orders for 30 cars, but they were unable to build them until the W8 passed emissions testing, which did not happen until mid-1991. By that point, the company had laid off 50 of its 80 employees.

Production of the W8 ceased in 1993 following a hostile takeover by the primary shareholder, Megatech. Two years later, Megatech began production of the M12.

Wiegert sued Megatech and won back the design copyrights, equipment, and remaining unsold cars.

Successor : the Avtech WX-3
The Avtech WX-3 was intended to replace the W8, but ultimately, only two examples were ever constructed. The WX-3 never made it past the prototype stage.

by Daniel Vaughan | Sep 2024