1991 Vector W8 Twin Turbo
Last post about the RM Sotheby's Arizona auction block starting in just two days (January 16th), we already spoke about some interesting lots including Lamborghini 400 GT Interim, Porsche 356 B 1600 S or Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet.
Today last but not least, this cool 1991 Vector W8 Twin Turbo, eye-popping 80's supercar, is for you for about $US 300,000. And this is an excellent opportunity to learn more about the California's manufacturer Vector and his founder Gerald Wiegert.
History of Vector W8
Behind Vector Aeromotive Corporation, there is man, Jerry Wiegert who wanted after his graduation of the California’s Art Center College of Design to create a supercar with European influence and West Coast design. In 70's, he conceived his first prototype with the help of Lee Brown, the W2 (W stands for Wiegert, just normal :-) and 2 for the number of turbochargers) was presented in Los Angeles Auto Show in 1976 with a claimed top speed of 390 kmh (242 mph).
Vector W2 (image from wikipedia)
But in order to start the production, Wiegert needed money so he showed his prototype all around America, the car has more than 160,000 km on the clock (the most mileage for a prototype in all car history). In 1989, Wiegert decided to upgrade his supercar with the W8 Twin Turbo using the most advanced technologies and materials like Kevlar and fiberglass.
This model was ordered in 1989 at a cost of more than $US 175,000 and was delivered only in 1991 because of Vector's financial problems. The company closed its doors in 1993 with only 19 W8 produced :
- 2 prototypes,
- 17 customer cars.
Jerry Wiegert realized his dream of making a supercar made in America with stunning performances, even if it wasn't the expected commercial success.
Specification
The Vector W8 Twin Turbo has a 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 engine producing 625 hp with a claimed top speed 390 kmh (242 mph). It can reach 100kmh in just 4.2 seconds and run 400 meters in 12 seconds (2 seconds faster than the Testarossa).
The design is very futuristic with a removable moonroof. The interior looks like an airplane cockpit with many buttons (Airpath compass and Hobbs hours counter) and a digital computer screen. I'm not fan of the dashboard but it's so 80's.
Lot Auction
| Date : | 16-17 January 2020 |
| Place : | Arizona |
| Price : | $US 300,000 |
| Link : | RM Sotheby's |
During this sale :
| Model | Estimate Price | + |
|---|---|---|
| Lamborghini 400 GT Interim | $US 575,000 | More |
| Porsche 356 B 1600 S | $US 175,000 | More |
| Ferrari 250 GT Cabriolet | $US 6,000,000 | More |
| Shelby 260 Cobra | $US 650,000 | More |
Sources
RM Sotheby's Arizona
Lot : Vector W8
Wiki :
Vector
Jerry Wiegert
Last Posts on Car
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Great car, thanks for sharing :D
It's as sci-fi and futuristic as any car can get, aside from a DeLorean. Owing to that relation, I think the purple suits it, although the Vector is tad too crazy for me, even for supercar standards! I've learned a lot about it from a recent Doug Demuro video on the W8 Twin Turbo, and it had some pretty neat features, like the "digital" instrument cluster.
Overall, as peculiar as it is, the Vector W8 Twin Turbo is a pretty iconic car, especially considering its efforts into making America's first proper supercar to challenge the Europeans. I hope whoever buys this at the auction will drive it around to give passers-by a real treat...
Cool I'll looking this video :
The story behind the Vector W8 is incredible...
It is indeed incredible, and while I don't always agree with Doug's opinions, I did enjoy his Vector W8 video. In fact, he had so much to say about the Vector, he had to make a separate video for the driving part...
@tipu curate
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