Vector W8

Ferrari. Lamborghini. Porsche. These three manufacturers together monopolized the supercar fandom at a time when supercars were still very much an emerging aspect of automotive culture. Then the 1990s arrived, and the rest of the world seemed to have had enough of the status quo and as such, revolutionaries and determined usurpers would follow. 

The effort to bring down the establishment appeared to be a concerted effort, as manufacturers from Asia, the U.S., and the rest of Europe looked to shake up the supercar space simultaneously. There were certainly different approaches to this goal, for example, with the Honda pioneering the ‘everyday supercar’ movement with its NSX; producing a high-performance supercar which was also reliable, comfortable and refined – a combination of characteristics simply unheard of at the time. Using the aforementioned as a template, others such as McLaren with its F1 would then take that philosophy to the next level.

An American Tale

Then we have Vector Aeromotive Corporation, who added their relatively lesser-known American flavor to this mix. Founded by industry veteran Gerald Wiegert in Wilmington, California, this company, through the production of its Vector W8 Twin Turbo, would make its entrance into the automotive establishment with a manner which would be fittingly described as “shock and awe”. 

This was probably the only tactic that Wiegert could employ, knowing very well that he could not rely on brand heritage or prestige to make a statement. “The idea is to build a reputation, not ride on one,” said Wiegert, acutely conscientious as to what this journey would entail. 

This message resonated enough to garner some enthusiasm within the right circles – and more importantly some investors – so the company was able to raise more than $13 million USD of capital and expand their operations into a 35,000 square foot facility.

A Leap of Faith

Initially dubbed the W2 in its prototype stage, the W8 Twin Turbo would eventually go on to become a 6.0L, mid-engined, rear-wheel drive, V8 supercar with 625-horsepower, and an extroverted chassis/exterior composed of carbon fiber, kevlar, and aerospace-grade materials. 

Without question, Wiegart and Vector Aeromotive Corporation abstracted the idea of a supercar further, taking it to outer space with certain on-paper specifications that wouldn’t feel out of place in a dialogue about the supercars – or even hypercars – of today. 

The Vector W8 Twin Turbo in many respects was ahead of its time; however, due to the company’s financial troubles and eventual dissolution, the car ultimately fell behind the perpetually shifting curve.

The Legend Lives On

In the end, there were only 17 customer cars built – plus two prototypes – before production was eventually ceased. Today, the W8 Twin Turbo has a small but formidable cult following of whom the nostalgia is not lost on. It is considered a classic unicorn car which is on the radar of many private collectors. Examples come up for sale every now and then and are able to fetch huge money – from $200,000 USD for restoration projects to as much as $1,000,000 USD for mint examples.

Despite things not really taking off for Vector Aeromotive Corporation, Wiegart had still achieved his goal of shaking up the automotive industry, by producing a supercar like no other before it. Some would even argue that the Vector W8 Twin Turbo has forged a distinguishable legacy, putting the U.S. on the map as a serious super(car) power by setting the stage for the production of future supercars with a ‘Made In America’ distinction, such as the Ford GT and Saleen S7.

Engine & Performance

The Vector W8 Twin Turbo had an engine which not only set the precedence of what the car itself was all about but also how future engines would be perceived – particularly in the United States. The sheer abundance of power that the mid-mounted unit produced made for remarkable specs on paper, though its real-world performance in some cases is at best, debatable.

Specifications:

• Engine type & size: 6.0L Twin-Turbo V8
• Horsepower: 625 hp @ 5,700 rpm
• Torque: 649 lb-ft @ 4,900 rpm
• O-60 mph: 4.2 seconds
• Quarter mile: 12 seconds @ 124 mph
• Top speed: Estimated 218 mph

The engine is a 6.0L twin-turbocharged V8 which produces an advertised 625-horsepower @ 5,700 rpm and 649 lb-ft of torque @ 4,900 rpm, operating with 8 pounds of boost. Mounted transversely in the engine bay, the aluminum block-and-head, fuel injected power plant is based on a 5.7L Chevrolet engine which had been strokered, and then provided with forced induction.

Boost pressure through the Garrett turbochargers can be adjusted by the driver up to a maximum of 14 psi, with Vector Aeromotive Corporation claiming that this would allow the engine to output an astronomical 1,200-horsepower. Mated to the engine is a three-speed automatic transmission sourced from the Oldsmobile parts catalog, which is appropriately fortified to withstand the demands of its new taskmaster and then fitted to a Gleason-Torsen differential.

All of these factors contributed to highly impressive performance figures at the time, even by today’s standards. The rear-wheel driven Vector W8 Twin Turbo was capable of achieving 0-60 mph in 4.2 seconds and could complete the ¼-mile sprint in 12 seconds @ 124 mph. 

By comparison, this meant that it was faster than a Ferrari F40, Bugatti EB 110 GT and Jaguar XJ220 – each of which held the top speed records at one point – in these metrics. It is interesting to note, however, that a top speed test was not officially conducted by Vector Aeromotive Corporation nor any third-party test drivers. Instead, a theoretical top speed was provided – 218 mph, to be exact – by making calculations based on the 3-speed’s gear ratios and the engine’s maximum rpm.

No expenses were spared by Wiegert and Co. to ensure that the engine would be a talking-point in the automotive industry.

Chassis & Handling

To achieve his vision of creating a supercar which would unbalance the oligarchy, Wiegart knew that the W8 Twin Turbo would have to be more than just brawn. Therefore, the suspension was also intricately assembled with a state-of-the-art approach, resulting in an amalgamation of parts which would give the car the dexterity and poise it needed to complement its power.

Over the front wheels, W8 Twin Turbo is equipped with a double-wishbone independent suspension with adjustable Koni shocks, concentric springs and an anti-roll bar. In the rear, a De Dion rear axle with diagonal trailing links, adjustable Koni shocks, concentric springs and an adjustable anti-roll bar complete the package.

W8 Twin Turbo is fitted with a braking setup which matches 13-inch vented rotors to aluminum 4-pot Alcon calipers, in both the front and rear. Allowing the car to meet the tarmac were specially-made Michelin XGT Plus tires (255/45/16 Front, 315/40/16 Rear) mounted to a set of bespoke wheels, forged to the specifications provided by the original buyer when ordering their allocation.