America's First Supercar - Vector W-8 V8 Twin Turbo
#1
01-22-2009, 06:49 PM
America's First Supercar - Vector W-8 V8 Twin Turbo
Until the release of the Ford GT and the Saleen S7, the American auto manufacturers had a huge void. They simply lacked a production supercar to compete against Europe's best. The closest vehicle that would come to mind would be the Corvette but it lacked the performance, refinement and exclusivity, as it was priced to be more affordable. Some might bring up the classic Ford GT40 but that was a purpose built race car.
For the car enthusiast who demanded nothing the best but opted to stick with American-made products and never dare step foot into a foreign car, there weren't too many options. They can either turn to boutique tuner shops like Callaway to modify their Corvettes or Saleen for their remanufactured Ford Mustangs. Seeing this void as an opportunity , Gerald Wiegert founded Vector Motors and created the W8 sports car in 1989. Using the highest technology available, "The Vector is advanced aerospace technology for the street", Weigert proclaimed. The result was a supercar capable of exceeding 200mph and commanded a $450,000 plus price tag with celebrity clients such as Andre Agassi during the company's heyday in the early 1990s.
Some have pointed out that vehicle pictured here, though badged as a W-8 on the rear bumper, is in fact not a W-8 but a one-off prototype WX-3R that was built in 1993. The WX-3R was planned to be the W8's successor with a planned 1000 plus horsepower, but the specifications of the pictured prototype are not known.
Last edited by Sid 6.7; 01-23-2009 at 09:44 AM.
#2
01-22-2009, 06:54 PM
Daaaymn, nice! Reminds me of a the Lamborghini Diablo, just all modernized.
IMO the Ford GT, Corvette ZR1 & Dodge Viper are supercars.. this ones more exotic for sure though.
IMO the Ford GT, Corvette ZR1 & Dodge Viper are supercars.. this ones more exotic for sure though.
#7
01-23-2009, 12:45 AM
search for pics of the older model....gets uglier....but then again it has a top speed of 242mph
Last edited by artieman; 01-23-2009 at 12:47 AM.
#8
01-23-2009, 03:20 AM
gross, looks like a Fiero trying to be a Lamborghini
i spy a blue sensation ge8 in the background :thumbsup:
i spy a blue sensation ge8 in the background :thumbsup:
#10
01-23-2009, 09:56 AM
Dailymotion - Rare car - Vector WX-3 and WX-3R Concepts, a video from tapiocacips. Rare, car, Vector, WX-3, ca
The WX-3 cost $1,000,000 to build and can be considered to be Wiegert's dream car. Even though the W8 was flawed, most of the flaws that plagued it were worked out in the WX-3. Wiegert planned for the WX-3 to go in production, but Megatech bought Vector and fired Wiegert. Wiegert initiated several lawsuits and copyrighted the designs, stamping out any hopes of the WX-3 of going in production. Originally the WX-3 Coupe was painted silver but was later re-painted in an aquablue/green color in which it remains today.
Wiegert had also planned a roadster version of the WX-3, named WX-3R, which would have shared all its mechanical components with its closed top cousin. Like the model it was based on, the WX-3R did not pass prototype stage. Both versions were shown at the 1993 Geneva Auto Show.
WX-3
WX-3R
W8
M12
W2
WX8
The WX-3 cost $1,000,000 to build and can be considered to be Wiegert's dream car. Even though the W8 was flawed, most of the flaws that plagued it were worked out in the WX-3. Wiegert planned for the WX-3 to go in production, but Megatech bought Vector and fired Wiegert. Wiegert initiated several lawsuits and copyrighted the designs, stamping out any hopes of the WX-3 of going in production. Originally the WX-3 Coupe was painted silver but was later re-painted in an aquablue/green color in which it remains today.
Wiegert had also planned a roadster version of the WX-3, named WX-3R, which would have shared all its mechanical components with its closed top cousin. Like the model it was based on, the WX-3R did not pass prototype stage. Both versions were shown at the 1993 Geneva Auto Show.
WX-3
WX-3R
W8
M12
W2
WX8
Last edited by Sid 6.7; 01-23-2009 at 10:02 AM.
#11
01-23-2009, 10:24 AM
Of course what many of you may remember, is that Weigert described the car and his company as being "aeromotive".
This was based on his usage of aerospace engineering and parts in the production of his cars. He didn't use $.10 fuse blocks and inexpensive relays. He used super-high-dollar circuit breakers from advanced jet fighters. All of the wiring was aerospace spec equipment. The W8 used over 5,000 aircraft spec rivets in it's construction. The body was made largely of lightweight carbon fiber and kevlar, known for its strength, and lightness. The aluminum honeycomb semi-monocoque was derived from Group C racing technology.
The result was supposed to be a vehicle, that with regular maintenance, would outlive the owner, never needing a complete overhaul.
What this also meant was that in 1990 dollars it was $455,000 new. In today's money that's well over $750,000.
The W8 had an estimated top speed of over 220 mph. However, in testing at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the W-2 reached 242 mph with the less powerful Donovan block, as reported by Top Wheels magazine. This top speed was reached while still using the "high downforce" wing. Later aerodynamic testing further honed efficiency, bringing the car's drag coefficient down to just .32 prior to DOT crash testing in Ann Arbor, MI.
This was based on his usage of aerospace engineering and parts in the production of his cars. He didn't use $.10 fuse blocks and inexpensive relays. He used super-high-dollar circuit breakers from advanced jet fighters. All of the wiring was aerospace spec equipment. The W8 used over 5,000 aircraft spec rivets in it's construction. The body was made largely of lightweight carbon fiber and kevlar, known for its strength, and lightness. The aluminum honeycomb semi-monocoque was derived from Group C racing technology.
The result was supposed to be a vehicle, that with regular maintenance, would outlive the owner, never needing a complete overhaul.
What this also meant was that in 1990 dollars it was $455,000 new. In today's money that's well over $750,000.
The W8 had an estimated top speed of over 220 mph. However, in testing at the Bonneville Salt Flats, the W-2 reached 242 mph with the less powerful Donovan block, as reported by Top Wheels magazine. This top speed was reached while still using the "high downforce" wing. Later aerodynamic testing further honed efficiency, bringing the car's drag coefficient down to just .32 prior to DOT crash testing in Ann Arbor, MI.
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