videos of the Greatest American Hypercar Ever...

[nthfinity]

but one is very cheasy :spaz: :p
http://www.vectorsupercars.com/videos/com.mov
this one is cheasy^
http://www.vectorsupercars.com/videos/by2000.mov
actually, a fairly informative video on the legendary WX-3 that covered over 100,000 miles... the most ever for a prototype
700+ hp, 6 liter TT, amazing looks... the father of the W8 :)
http://www.vectorsupercars.com/videos/musicvid.mov
joe statrioni + Vector W8's + Leguna Seca

why didn't i love this car so much before? it could do what the Veyron does today 14+ years ago in street legal trim!

eat yer heart out McLaren F1 !

[yg60m]

Thanks mate, downloading now :wink:
BTW, if you love the Vector, I think hat I uploaded a test by Turbo.fr a while ago in the Vault ... I also have another video of the W8 but without action :?

[r2r]

...eat yer heart out McLaren F1 !

But you got to say, it doesn't look as good as the Mclaren F1.

[nthfinity]

...eat yer heart out McLaren F1 !

But you got to say, it doesn't look as good as the Mclaren F1.
all in the opinion...

but, without a doubt, the W8 its way more styled then the F1 is ;)

[FoxFour]

The Vector was joke. I remember when the owner claimed it could do 250 mph, never could produce the numbers. Weigert was a joke as well, big on talk, no action. Most of the magazines that drove the car reported that the car had major overheating problems.
100k miles of testing. Weigart was always a liar.



This article is from Sports Car Market Magazine, April 2000, and was written be Ferrari expert Michael Sheehan.

Vector, Another Fantasy Flop
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

(As Michael's article appeared in Sports Car Market Magazine, April 2000)

The Vector was created by Gerald "Jerry" Wiegart as an American challenge to the European Supercars of the 1970s. A non-running prototype was first shown at the Los Angeles Auto Expo in 1972. Projected selling price was then an unrealistically low $7,500.

The first running prototype , now called the W2 with the "W" for Wiegert and 2 for the number of turbochargers fitted to its 5.9-liter, 600-plus hoserpower Chevrolet V8, made its first significant appearance by gracing the cover of Car and Driver magazine in December of 1980. With production to begin in late 1981, the projected price jumped to $125,000.

By the early 1990s, magazine publicity had turned negative, with comparisons by Autoweek's Dutch Mandel between the Vector factory and Peter Pan's Never-never land and Wiegert himself to P.T. Barnum. Vector limped along with funding from a lawsuit filed against Goodyear for trademark infringement concerning the Goodyear Vector tire.

The first production Vector was finally delivered in September 1990 to Saudi Prince Khalid. The list price had skyrocketed to $489,800. Problems continued as celebrity Vector owners such as Andre Agassi returned their cars for full refunds after over heating and a myriad of other problems.

Production remained meager, the costs of production continued to climb and the company continued to hang on by its financial fingertips. Time was running out for Jerry Wiegert. A "new" Vector, the WX3, was introduced at the 1992 New York Auto Show, now with a claimed 1000 hp, as the search for funding continued.

Foreign funding arrived in late 1992 from Bermuda-based MegaTech limited, an Indonesian-based shipping, mining and manufacturing conglomerate owned by "Tommy" Suharto, son of Indonesia's (former) ruler. The new owners replaced Wiegert in March of 1993. Suharto later purchased Lamborghini, and by 1994, a Lamborghini V12 now powered the newest Vector, the Avtech SC Coupe.

By 1998 the dream had faded beyond hope. In a road test by Top Gear, a British magazine, in August of 1998, the Vector was summarized as "very probably the worst car in the entire world". With Lamborghini now owned by Audi-Volkswagen the supply of Lamborghini engines was gone, finances were cut off and the doors were finally closed forever. After production of less than thirty five cars, the Vector dream of an American Supercar finally died, a victim of excessive hype, under-financing, under-engineering, and continual cost overruns.

At the peak of the last economic boom, Vector s/n 48013 went to Japan for $375,000. Recently this same Vector changed hands in Japan for 10,000,000 Yen or about $65,000 USD. The new owners then spent another 2,000,000 Yen or about $13,000 USD for repairs and updates. Assuming 48013 will now run and drive for more than a few feet before spewing steam and shedding parts, it should prove a lot of thrills for not very much money. Ultimately, the Vector should be viewed as a minor footnote to automotive history, and a way to play "stump the parking lot attendants" at the local Four Seasons.

[nthfinity]

HOLY CRAP

90% of that is pure fabrication; massive streatching of the truth; and total myths!

how do i know? the true story of Vector is coming soon!

try this on; of the 17 vectors made, 2 (count em) have had mechanical issues.

1. Agassi ran his car (delivered early to the whiny bitch for his 250 person birthday party) it was delivered under signed contracts that agassi wouldn't run the car; he did, and guess what; it broke. (much more then that... but again, it will be coming later)

its engine, corvette? BS its a billit alluminum block that is pushrod... not designed, or in teh same family of engines as any GM block.

if people believe nearly any of what was written; its no wonder that people dont like the W8, and have a general bad attatude toward Vector.

the other mechanical issue came from a guy who had it tuned by porsche tuners... and did it TERRIBLY.

of the 17 vectors; every owner raves about it

the Japanese vector was originally owned by a Triad boss who died; and being the car is so rare, nobody wanted to buy it (for fear of being though of as a mafia man; and potential enemies... japan is wierd)

there is one car that is lost; the one that was owned by Prince Kalid

there is one car that isn't driven much; as the owner is afraid of its power.

all the rest, you dont hear about thier mechanical issues, or over heating

there is sooooo much misinformation about the car... sorry foxfour; you are a cool guy... but WAY off... but only because the media wanted you to hate it.

[FoxFour]

I cut this from another site, and he makes some good points
The best thing about Vector was some of the people it used to hire and have as consultants. People that have been through those doors have designed such cars as the McLaren F1, Shelby Cobra, 935's, numerous Ferraris, BMWs, Indy, F1 cars, etc.
The worst thing about Vector is that management could never decide what to do with a car like this in a dwindling market, and the fact that Weigert hired morons to just answer yes to him and never improve the car. But it was a hell of publicity campaign while it lasted. You add it up, 15 years, 40-50 million dollars, and only 15 cars ever built. The original engine was a 6 liter V-8 with twin H-3 turbos. This engine was good for 600-620 HP max non emissioned, and 530-550 Hp max with 1992 emission standards.
The Vector could never do 207, and 250-260 is just ludicrous. A slippery Porsche 916 with 1200+ Hp could barely manage mid 240's. And the Vector has probably 50% more frontal area. Max velocity for the W-8 168 mph, period. Weigert would never change his brick-in-the-wind design, so the car was stuck with a .55 coefficient of drag (considering the average Kenworth in new plastic is a mere .43 cd).
The old W-8 and the WX-3/M12 prototype shown, have curb weights of 3700 lbs. The WX-3/M12 prototype which has been in Newsweek is an old W-8 prototype in some new glass with the same old V-8 engine and chassis, not a new car.

Mistake #1- He should have not given that car to piss-head Agassi like that.
Mistake #2- He should have designed that car better, the front end was draggy as hell. And he always claimed it could do 250 mph.
Maybe he was a talented designer and inventor, but it looks to me like he was too pig-headed to take advice from the other designers and he ultimately failed.

[TeflonTron]

The Vector is not even a Supercar, yet alone a Hypercar! It's pig ugly, has no pizzaz or history, and none of its claimed numbers can be verified (hello Koeniggsegg). Fast on paper? Yes. Fast in reality? Who the hell knows, but I'd bet all of the tea in china that it's nowhere near as fast as the makers claimed.

[McLaren4eVa]

...eat yer heart out McLaren F1 !

But you got to say, it doesn't look as good as the Mclaren F1.

Beauty is within the eye of the beholder my friend thats why i believe that the......McLaren looks better, obviously

[FoxFour]

Look at the video again, state-of the art manufacturing? Using Cherry Max rivets?? What's so exotic about that?

[nthfinity]

the video is of the WX3 prototype, which WAS a poorly designed engine (more on that to come later)
rivets are common place use (aircraft quality) in motorsport in the Group C era. the car is extremely rigid; and strong. there are over 5000 rivets.
I cut this from another site, and he makes some good points
The best thing about Vector was some of the people it used to hire and have as consultants. People that have been through those doors have designed such cars as the McLaren F1, Shelby Cobra, 935's, numerous Ferraris, BMWs, Indy, F1 cars, etc.
The worst thing about Vector is that management could never decide what to do with a car like this in a dwindling market, and the fact that Weigert hired morons to just answer yes to him and never improve the car. But it was a hell of publicity campaign while it lasted. You add it up, 15 years, 40-50 million dollars, and only 15 cars ever built. The original engine was a 6 liter V-8 with twin H-3 turbos. This engine was good for 600-620 HP max non emissioned, and 530-550 Hp max with 1992 emission standards.
The Vector could never do 207, and 250-260 is just ludicrous. A slippery Porsche 916 with 1200+ Hp could barely manage mid 240's. And the Vector has probably 50% more frontal area. Max velocity for the W-8 168 mph, period. Weigert would never change his brick-in-the-wind design, so the car was stuck with a .55 coefficient of drag (considering the average Kenworth in new plastic is a mere .43 cd).
The old W-8 and the WX-3/M12 prototype shown, have curb weights of 3700 lbs. The WX-3/M12 prototype which has been in Newsweek is an old W-8 prototype in some new glass with the same old V-8 engine and chassis, not a new car.

Mistake #1- He should have not given that car to piss-head Agassi like that.
Mistake #2- He should have designed that car better, the front end was draggy as hell. And he always claimed it could do 250 mph.
Maybe he was a talented designer and inventor, but it looks to me like he was too pig-headed to take advice from the other designers and he ultimately failed.
Cd is actually closer to .32; the car is extremely slippery in its day and age.
chassis 15 is the only California emmisions car; and is also the second most powerful factory vector; with 725 WHP from the factory on 93 octane; and 1200 wHP on 114 octane...

the car actually topped off at Boneville @ 242 mph rpm limited @ 8200 rpm (W8 TT, not a pre prod car) this was published in one magazine; but quickly changed to 200+ for insurance reasons at the time.

the car does have a heat problem... it runs 170 F-220F if being pushed hard... the turbos have caused some staining of the paint on the rear deck lid.

boost is at 8 psi, and with 114 octane, it runs 12psi reliably.

the W2 prototype has to date run over 250,000 real miles (not adjusted or simulated miles like other mfr's do)

virtually everything you have posted is utter bunk; and based on lies brought forth by the negative press (which were heavily influenced by GM execs)

Weigart was the visionary; a guy by the name of Dave was the one who made things work.

LMAO @ 168mph!!!!!!! WTF is that based on LOL, second gear tops off @ 168 +- a few mph :lol: the frontal area on the W8 is wayyyy less then the Ford GT (cd of .387 with less hp reaching 212 mph rpm limited in 5th)

group C cars with drag coeficiants of .46 could still go 210mph with 700 hp, and 600 lbs less.

[FoxFour]

It's still ugly, would you spend all that money on ugly?? Just messing with you 'nth.

[yg60m]

I like it, it's ... different :wink:

[nthfinity]

It's still ugly, would you spend all that money on ugly?? Just messing with you 'nth.
just call me the W8 defender :wink: :twisted: seriously, this car was wayyy ahead of its time technology wise.

basically Vector was a $20,000,000.00 hole for money to be dumped into (about 10 million was put back into the company via car sales) is that so seriously different from the Veyron?

sure people had to wait nearly 20 years for the Vector to become a production reality...but once it had; its still faster then 99% of all the production cars in the world.

i can't/won't defend its looks... but I seriously want one of these cars.

i can guarentee that the story i'll be writing up as a featured nthimage.com article is going to be full of facts; and opinions on how it rides/drives.

[nthfinity]

Thanks mate, downloading now :wink:
BTW, if you love the Vector, I think hat I uploaded a test by Turbo.fr a while ago in the Vault ... I also have another video of the W8 but without action :?

thanks Yann, i'll go check it out! :) i'm curious how the French jurnalists took the car :)

[Gilles27]

... and not to mention some `drivers car´ features like the rigid rear axle (De Dion type?) or the 3 speed (automatic?) gearbox. Since when a pushrod based V8 can reach a 1000hp figure even turbocharging it?

[Gilles27]

Oh! I liked the vids, not many around. Thanks a lot.

[r2r]

...eat yer heart out McLaren F1 !

But you got to say, it doesn't look as good as the Mclaren F1.

Beauty is within the eye of the beholder my friend thats why i believe that the......McLaren looks better, obviously

True...that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but it looks like the design on the Mclaren F1 was resolved much better then on the Vector.

It is a pretty cool thing that he designed and build his own supercar, although the later version became fat and uglier.

[RC45]

... and not to mention some `drivers car´ features like the rigid rear axle (De Dion type?) or the 3 speed (automatic?) gearbox. Since when a pushrod based V8 can reach a 1000hp figure even turbocharging it?

Uhm since when?

Every single day - and sometimes 3 times a day :P.

That's since when.

You are aware that the Viper is a pushrod V10.. right? Turbo Vipers of over 1000hp are now common place - every tuner has one.

You are aware that the there are numerious 1000hp+ Chevy pushrod V8's from every tuner... right?

Before I jump to conclusions, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not just arbitrarily bashing American pushrod engines because you hate them - but because you are misinformed.. ;)

[yg60m]

This is another french vid of the car with subs, no real action but ...

:arrow: http://rapidshare.de/files/18991022/VectorW8.rar.html

[nthfinity]

... and not to mention some `drivers car´ features like the rigid rear axle (De Dion type?) or the 3 speed (automatic?) gearbox. Since when a pushrod based V8 can reach a 1000hp figure even turbocharging it?

Uhm since when?

Every single day - and sometimes 3 times a day :P.

That's since when.

You are aware that the Viper is a pushrod V10.. right? Turbo Vipers of over 1000hp are now common place - every tuner has one.

You are aware that the there are numerious 1000hp+ Chevy pushrod V8's from every tuner... right?

Before I jump to conclusions, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not just arbitrarily bashing American pushrod engines because you hate them - but because you are misinformed.. ;)

:D

i'm unsure about the "rigid rear axle" part right now... but i know its 4 wheel independant suspension; and there is a torsional bar beneath the motor that applies torque as the engine spins to keep the nose to the ground; where most cars the torque applies left/right, or even rearward...

the engine is 725-749 RWHP on pump gas; at 8psi... there is nothing to remotely try to argue about there... fact is plane as day.
on 114 racing octane, the car is 1200 RWHP @ 12psi; and the boost is fully adjustable built in (no aftermarket nessisary)

both the egine, and the trans can handle that beating with no complaints


Yg60m; thanks for the video... i couldn't find the turbo vids you were talking about in the vault...

[sentra_dude]

It has a...3 speed automatic? As in, torque converter...? Uhh :?

Are there any magazine tests of this thing, or independent tests?

You like this thing more than an S7 nthfinity?

[nthfinity]

the S7 is throughly modern; and a brilliant car/powertrain

but the Vector is the American version of the Veyron; just without the backing (in fact, quite the opposite) of a major manufacturer... which is why the company secumbed to its finances; and temporary hostile takeover.

but the Vector in a class above all the other exotics of its time; even the McLaren F1! and like the F1, its still faster then most of the uber-exotics out there!

there is a reason this car is called Aeromotive egnineered. so many components and systems were built way before thier time... and personally; i love the cars' style... nobody has anything that has ever been so outrageous in all of automotive history! not even the Zonda, Enzo, Veyron, Countach, Stratos (close), or any Bugatti IMHO.

yes, i like this car more then the Saleen S7/TT/1000hp TT; and more then the Ford GT even.... the automtatic has become nearly a moot point once you get an idea how insane this car actually is!

[Gilles27]

Uhm since when?

In spanish i want to say something like `¿desde cuando?´

You are aware that the Viper is a pushrod V10.. right? Turbo Vipers of over 1000hp are now common place - every tuner has one.

I never seen one of this in my whole life. Are road legal or even driveable (out of your beloved drag strips?) Don´t reply me with irony I don´t anything about them. :wink:

You are aware that the there are numerious 1000hp+ Chevy pushrod V8's from every tuner... right?

Same for these.

Before I jump to conclusions, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not just arbitrarily bashing American pushrod engines because you hate them - but because you are misinformed.. ;)[/quote]

I don´t hate American cars I really dream with have a muscle car I love the Mustangs for example the rock n´roll (my 2nd passion) fit nice on one of this.

I don´t know why but when I´m puting that sentence I was thinking in you `where is RC45 to read this and to jump on my?´ I´m talking serious: For a long time I have been reading your reply and you really hate others who don´t follow your opinions (manly europeans).

Now I feel like a true member of this community `I have had one confrontacion with the great RC45´

I´m not going to follow already with this because that you know much but of cars that I although you don´t have much respect towards the other opinions.

[saadie]

only the car which has the performance of a super car and looks like a supercar and is excusive like a super is called a supercar .....
which do not include modified cars ...... the viper is just overrated .... even its name isnt viper ;)
and anyway ... whats a hypercar .. a jumped up version of the word supercar invented by jermy clarkson? .. so shit ...
ohh btw .. RC is just a wuss .... he'd deffinetly second me on this one :d

[nthfinity]

only the car which has the performance of a super car and looks like a supercar and is excusive like a super is called a supercar .....
which do not include modified cars ...... the viper is just overrated .... even its name isnt viper ;)
and anyway ... whats a hypercar .. a jumped up version of the word supercar invented by jermy clarkson? .. so shit ...
ohh btw .. RC is just a wuss .... he'd deffinetly second me on this one :d

um... are you trying to say the Vector isn't supercar because its not exclusive? (try 17 ever for exclusive)

by that though process, a CGT/F360/F430/Gallardo/Murcialago etc. arent supercars, since there are so many of those cars out there!

what is a hypercar? invented by Clarkson???
i dont htink so... a hypercar is something that is on a whole different plane of existance to 'traditional supercars' a car that makes a super-car's accelleration seem slow, its handling seem wobbly, and its prowess seem bland.

the Vector is a hypercar by all accounts :)

I'm not even sure what to say about Gilles' response... perhaps something is lost in translation?

[saadie]

lol NO .... vector is a supercar ... and its deffinetly on my top ten :P

lol ... a supercar is a supercar .....
there is nothing known as a hypercar ... :P its been discussed before on jw long time ago .... even Google dosnt know what a hypercar is (http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=define:+hypercar&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) lol :wink:

lol @ the last line ..... you should tell gilles to read the whose tread again 3 times and edit his post :lol:

[RC45]

Before I jump to conclusions, I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume you are not just arbitrarily bashing American pushrod engines because you hate them - but because you are misinformed.. ;)

I don´t hate American cars I really dream with have a muscle car I love the Mustangs for example the rock n´roll (my 2nd passion) fit nice on one of this.

I don´t know why but when I´m puting that sentence I was thinking in you `where is RC45 to read this and to jump on my?´ I´m talking serious: For a long time I have been reading your reply and you really hate others who don´t follow your opinions (manly europeans).

Now I feel like a true member of this community `I have had one confrontacion with the great RC45´

I´m not going to follow already with this because that you know much but of cars that I although you don´t have much respect towards the other opinions.

Where to start?

Please - before you go off feeling offended or insulted grab an English-Spanish dictionary.

I said I give you the benefit of the doubt

What that means is that I am NOT saying you hate american cars.. I am saying that you simply don't know that a 1000hp+ V8 is a simple easy thing to make.

Buddy - I don't anyone - and about me "hating europeans" remember it's not because I am american it's because I am of direct european descent and grew up in a colony and I know how opinated and pompous europeans are :)

And there was no confrontation. ;) - and you were a true member of the community the moment you joined... oh - and there is nothing great about me.. ask saadie... I'm just a wuss.. :P

You indicated you don't believe a 1000hp pushrod V8 is possible - I simply let you know they are not only possible, but common place.

I even gave you the benefit of the doubt... or as you say in spanish "ventaja de la duda" - in other words, I am NOT assuming you hate american cars, but that you just didn't know that 1000hp pushrod V8's exist.

Oh - and having the Mustang as your muscle-car icon is a little weak... ;)

[nthfinity]

lol NO .... vector is a supercar ... and its deffinetly on my top ten :P

lol ... a supercar is a supercar .....
there is nothing known as a hypercar ... :P its been discussed before on jw long time ago .... even Google dosnt know what a hypercar is (http://www.google.com/search?client=opera&rls=en&q=define:+hypercar&sourceid=opera&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8) lol :wink:

lol @ the last line ..... you should tell gilles to read the whose tread again 3 times and edit his post :lol:

the same can be said for define: "supercar" as the definitions it comes up with aren't correct :lol:

so if the Vector is a supercar, what does that make the Gallardo, F360, F430, Askari, etc. ?? they aren't on the same level at all as cars like the CGT, Vector, McLaren F1/SLR, Enzo, Koenigsegg... how does one separate them from the growing mass of posh poseurs? :wink:

[DeMoN]

gotta get me shese vids once I go home.