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The Vector W8 was a low-volume American supercar developed from Gerald Wiegert’s earlier W2 prototype. Its mid-engine, twin-turbo V8 and aircraft-inspired design drew attention, but its bold performance claims must be read alongside uneven period test experiences and production challenges.
Published specifications differ, and the total number built depends on whether a source counts prototypes as well as customer cars. Here is what the available accounts establish—and where they disagree.
What is a Vector W8?
The W8 was Vector Aeromotive’s production-development supercar, following the functional W2 prototype. It combined a mid-mounted, twin-turbocharged 6.0-liter V8 with a three-speed automatic transmission. Its wedge-shaped body, digital displays, and aviation-style controls reflected Vector’s aerospace-inspired design and marketing approach.
From the W2 prototype to the W8
Road & Track reports that the original Vector was displayed at the Los Angeles Auto Expo in 1976 and that a running prototype followed in 1978. Audrain Auto Museum describes the W2 as the W8’s direct predecessor and a functional prototype that accumulated more than 100,000 miles. The W8 developed that concept into a customer car.
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- Brand new box. Detailed exterior. Real rubber tires. Officially licensed product. Does not have any openings. Made of diecast with some plastic parts. Comes in a plastic display showcase. Dimensions approximately L-3 inches long.
The W8 used a semi-aluminum monocoque chassis and composite body construction. Audrain describes carbon-fiber and Kevlar body construction. “Aerospace-inspired” describes Vector’s design frame; it should not be taken to mean that every component came from aircraft production.
Vector W8 specifications and performance
Published figures vary by source and should not be combined into a single supposedly definitive specification. Car and Driver’s May 1991 test sheet and Audrain’s exhibit report different weights, torque figures, and performance numbers.
| Specification | Car and Driver, May 1991 | Audrain Auto Museum |
|---|---|---|
| Engine | 364 cu in / 5,972 cc, twin-turbocharged and intercooled pushrod V8 | 6.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 |
| Power | 625 hp at 5,700 rpm | Not stated in the dossier |
| Torque | 630 lb-ft at 4,900 rpm | 649 lb-ft |
| Transmission | Three-speed automatic with manual shifting mode | Three-speed automatic |
| Curb weight | 3,680 lb | 3,320 lb |
| 0–60 mph | 3.8 seconds in its test | 4.2 seconds |
| Top speed | 218 mph manufacturer claim | 242 mph claimed or internally tested figure |
Car and Driver also recorded 0–100 mph in 8.3 seconds, a 12.0-second quarter-mile at 118 mph, 191 feet for 70–0 mph braking, and 0.91 g on its 300-foot skidpad. These are results from that publication’s test, not a guarantee of every W8’s performance. Its listed 218 mph top speed is explicitly the manufacturer’s claim; Audrain’s 242 mph figure is not an independently verified road-test result.
Rank #2
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Why is the Vector W8 controversial?
The controversy centers on the gap between impressive published numbers and the problems reported during testing and early ownership. Those accounts are important evidence, but individual incidents do not establish how every W8 performed.
What happened during Car and Driver’s test?
Car and Driver recounts that a red engineering prototype stopped transmitting torque after several photo passes. In a gray prototype, the magazine recorded a 250°F water-temperature reading during basic test work. The publication’s performance figures belong to its reported test session; the breakdowns and temperature reading should not be generalized to every customer car.
What was the Andre Agassi carpeting incident?
Audrain recounts that tennis player Andre Agassi returned his W8 for a refund after rear carpeting burned from high exhaust temperatures. The museum says Agassi had requested delivery before the car was fully prepared, and that Vector agreed to deliver it with conditions. The episode points to a serious heat issue and a controversial early delivery, but it is not a controlled reliability study of the production run.
Rank #3
- Brand new box. Detailed exterior. Real rubber tires. Officially licensed product. Does not have any openings. Made of diecast with some plastic parts. Comes in a plastic display showcase. Dimensions approximately L-3 inches long.
How well was its aerodynamics validated?
In a Road & Track retrospective, former Vector aerodynamicist Paul T. Glessner described the limitations of the development work: “We did coast-down testing, which gets you a potential drag number, but it’s plus or minus 10 or 15 percent.” This is Glessner’s account of the testing’s uncertainty, not an exact drag-coefficient measurement.
How many Vector W8s were made?
There is no single uncontested all-in production count in the sources reviewed. Audrain says Vector completed 17 customer cars before entering receivership in 1993. RM Sotheby’s describes two prototypes plus 17 customer cars, while one of its listings calls a particular car “one of only 19 built.” Road & Track reports Wiegert’s claim that 20 examples were built. These totals may count prototypes and customer cars differently.
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What happened to Vector Aeromotive?
Audrain says Vector entered receivership in 1993. The WX-3/AWX-3 was intended as a successor, but the research supports describing it as a prototype or plan, not a production replacement. The available sources do not establish a fuller account of the company’s internal disputes, so those should not be treated as settled history here.
Rank #4
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- The fighter casing is a high quality alloy, The tire and the propeller is engineering plastic. The stand base keeps the model plane in good condition
- F-16D military aircraft model accurately reproduces the appearance and details of the real jet airplane, including the visible cockpit, missiles hanging from the bottom, smooth lines and glossy curved surface
- Metal Airplane model is an excellent gift for aerospace enthusiasts, making it a fantastic birthday present and keepsake. It is suitable for display in the living room, study, or office
Collector context
RM Sotheby’s records a 1992 W8 sold for $275,000 USD at its Monterey auction in 2014. That is one dated transaction, not a current valuation or price guide. The auction listing’s “one of only 19 built” wording is one source’s count, not a resolution of the production-total discrepancy.
FAQ
What engine did the Vector W8 have?
Car and Driver describes a mid-engine, twin-turbocharged and intercooled 364-cubic-inch (5,972 cc) pushrod V8, with aluminum block and heads and port fuel injection. The period test sheet lists 625 hp at 5,700 rpm.
How fast was the Vector W8?
Car and Driver recorded 0–60 mph in 3.8 seconds and listed 218 mph as the manufacturer’s top-speed claim. Audrain gives 4.2 seconds to 60 mph and a 242 mph claimed or internally tested top speed. Those figures differ, and the 242 mph number should not be presented as an independently verified road-test result.
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The sources document specific problems, including a failed transmission and high water temperature during Car and Driver’s test of engineering prototypes, as well as the heat-related Agassi carpeting incident described by Audrain. They do not establish a failure rate for all W8s.
What is a documented Vector W8 auction price?
RM Sotheby’s reports that a 1992 W8 sold for $275,000 USD at its Monterey auction in 2014. This is historical sale evidence, not a current market estimate.
Quick Recap
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