Retro Performance Built To Last - Vector W8

The Vector W8 was an american supercar produced from 1989 to 1993. It was manufactured by Vector Aeromotive Corporation, it was designed by Gerald Wiegert and David Kostka. It featured the newest and most advanced aerospace materials back then, 19 W8s were produced. 17 of them were customer cars and two were pre-production cars, the prototype W2, and the two prototypes Avtech AWX3 and AWX3R, they featured a 7.0 liter DOHC TT engine. Only 22 cars were produced by Vector Aeromotive over the life of the company. The car originally sold for $448,000 new, but on today’s used market, they are available from $389,000 to well over $1.4 million for a very clean example.

The W8 was an upgrade of the Vector W2. The semi-aluminum monocoque chassis was epoxy bonded and riveted with an aluminum honeycomb structure floor pan, and 5.000 aircraft specification rivets were used in the assembly of the car. Everything on the W8 was designed to be durable, the body was made of lightweight carbon fiber and Kevlar, which was famous for its strength and lightness. The W8 had a Rodeck Aluminum resleevable, 6.0L racing engine coupled to very highly modified Turbo Hydro 425 GM 3-speed automatic transmissions from the FWD Oldsmobile Toronado two decades earlier. The 6.0L V8 engine also had intercooled twin-turbos, and produced 625 bhp at 5700 rpm and 880 NM of torque with 8 lbs of boost on paper, boost levels were driver adjustable between 8 - 14 lbs. When dyno testing at the factory, the engine output was 1200 bhp at 14 lbs of boost.

The factory claimed top speed of the W8 was 389 km/h (242 mph), with an acceleration of 0-100 km/h in 3.9 seconds. But when it was tested at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the older W-2 prototype reached 242 mph (389 km/h) with the less powerful Donovan block, as reported by Top Wheels magazine. This top speed was reached while still using the “high downforce” rear wing. Bringing the W8’s drag coefficient down to as little as .32 prior to Department of Transportation crash testing in Ann Arbor. The W8 design included subtle changes to the body during the 4 year production run, so that the initial car off the line looked slightly different from the previous one. It included a lower front fascia and air splitter, revised rear wing, mirror intakes, and also front grill. After the top speed testing was completed, production Vector W8s were no longer fitted with a removable glass roof due to buffeting that occurred at high speeds. Road & Track magazine published tests of the W8 in its March 1991 and August 1992 issues, and held high overall praise in nearly every aspect of the cars performance. In their own tests, the W8 recorded a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds, and despite not doing a top speed test, they set an estimated calculation of 218MPH in coherence with its redline RPM range of the W8s 3rd gear auto transmission. Automotive journalist Douglas Kott concluded the review of the W8 with good results for Vector and the W8; “Hats off to Gerald Wiegert and his team of dedicated engineers, and to all others with the fortitude and determination to have their dreams see the light of day.”

Vector intended to follow the W8 with the AWX-3 and AWX-3R. These stood for “Avtech Wiegert Experimental,” 3rd generation, the R stood for Roadster. But series production never got off the ground. Production of the W8 ended in 1993 as mentioned earlier, when the company was subject to a hostile takeover by Megatech, but Wiegert won back the design copyrights, equipment, and the remaining unsold cars. In 1995, following the hostile takeover, the new parent company Megatech LTD began production of their first car, the M12, which was going to be the successor of the W8. Despite its short-lived success, the Vector W8 remains the first American supercar and already benefits from the classic status.

The Bob Pond Collection, one of only 19 built. Believed to be one of three W8 Twin Turbos finished in red. There was one featured in the 1993 blockbuster film Rising Sun, and according to the car’s data plate, the Vector W8 offered here was the third production model built and was the car photographed in the March 1991 Road & Track feature. It was originally constructed in 1991 and was delivered new to an executive at Toys “R” Us, who returned it to the factory after a few months. At that time, it was converted by the factory to 1992 specifications and featured the new front splitter and different vents. It was also re-tagged by the factory as a 1992 model built in April.

Most magazines were generally impressed with the Vector’s strong grip, lack of body roll, good balance and suspension. The steering was too light and lacked self-centering, but the turn-in was sharp enough. It would display mild understeer at the limit, which meant the handling was not dangerous at all. In fact, the car was rather easy to drive for a supercar at that time, thanks to its GM automatic gearbox, light steering despite the heavy brake pedal, and a good driving position. The cabin was much roomier than most Lamborghini’s. The seats were closely packed together in the middle, so the pedals were only slightly offset. Build quality was also excellent. All components and materials were top-quality items, while fit and finish was better than its Italian rivals, surprisingly. It had a “built-to-last” feel, as mentioned earlier. Owners would find it to be very reliable and easy to maintain, too. The W8 could be considered a near-perfect supercar. After the new Vectors Motors Corporation moved to Florida and put the vector M12 into production, it was an unqualified disaster with just 14 cars built. Meanwhile, it is said that designer Gerald Wiegert is now working on a new supercar.

Specs:

Producion: 1989 - 1993
Units produced: 19
Layout: Mid-engine, RWD
Chassis: Aluminum honeycomb floor, aluminum box sections, tubular steel
Body: Carbon-fiber, Kevlar, glass-fiber
Engine: 6.0L 5973 cc V8, ohv, 2v/cyl, twin-turbo.
Power: 625 hp - 1200 hp
Torque 630 lb ft
Gearbox: GM 3-speed automatic
Suspension: Front: double-wishbones, Rear: de-dion axle
Tires: Front: 255/45ZR16, Rear: 315/40ZR16
Weight: 1506 kg
Top speed: 218 mph (c)
0-62 mph (100 km/h): 3.9 - 4.2 sec
0-100 mph(160 km/h): 8.3 sec

Riding on the 103.0-inch wheelbase, the W8 had a front track of 63.0 inches, a rear track of 65.0 inches, an overall length of 172 inches, a width of 76 inches and a height of 42.5 inches. Considering the topspeed was over 200 mph, it was better than the Italian competitors in many ways. Back then, Ferrari and Lamborghini were struggling to hit more than 200 mph.

A red Vector W8’s made its official TV debut in episode 15 of the 1990 tv series The Flash. A red 1991 W8 was used in the 1993 movie Rising Sun, and also appears in the video game Grand Turismo 2.

Would you choose the Vector W8 over some of the modern supercars? Let me know in the comment section.

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