Description

Chassis No. 1V9VW2629PW048001

The 1980s represented a time of conspicuous consumption and the automotive industry was no different. The decade represented possibly the boldest period in modern fashion history, a wondrous era of over-the-top silhouettes, teased perms, saturated colors, and power suits. Perhaps nothing else captures that ethos more than automobile design and associated advertising. One only has to look at the radical enhancements to the Lamborghini Countach and the release of the Ferrari Testarossa among others. Vector, founded in the late 1970s by Gerald “Jerry” Wiegert, had no intention of falling in line with the storied European manufacturers and referred to itself not as an automaker but as the Vector Aeromotive Corporation.

Vector Design Force, as it was originally known, was founded on one principle — producing groundbreaking supercars and eclipsing the old guard at the highest levels. It would take nearly a decade of time and ambition from Wiegert until the company would make good on its claims. With a name change to Vector Aeromotive, production finally commenced in 1989 with the company's debut model, the W8. Aptly named W, after the company founder, and 8 for the number of cylinders, it was very much America's first supercar, one whose styling equally shocked and enthralled inside and out. This demonstration of American entrepreneurial drive carried a price tag of almost $500,000, a sum virtually unheard of at the time.

A highly modified twin-turbo Chevrolet V8 producing 650 horsepower was coupled to an automatic TM425 Transaxle with claimed performance resulting in a run from zero-to-sixty mph in 4.2 seconds and a projected top speed of 242 miles per hour. While there is no evidence a W8 was fully tested, these projected performance figures are core to the legend surrounding Vector as a company. While many doubted Vector's ability to produce road-legal W8, quite remarkably 20 W8s were ultimately produced . After all, the difference between a car made purely for show and a fully serialized road car is quite an accomplishment. Tennis great Andre Agassi is perhaps the most famous of these original owners. Eager to receive his spaceship for the road, he famously insisted on taking delivery of a car, said to be a pre-production model, before it was fully ready.

With plenty of publicity, Wiegert and Vector would arrive at the 1992 Geneva Motor Show with something entirely new. The Avtech WX-3 prototype previewed the company's next production car. Painted silver for the 1992 display, it was a pure showpiece lacking any kind of powertrain, yet it was a sign of what was to come, catching the automotive world by storm. Boasting a body made of carbon fiber and Kevlar construction the WX-3 was more streamlined than its predecessor. The car was now sporting a very period-appropriate pop-up headlights with a more aerodynamically curved front profile, and a seemingly impossibly raked, almost flat windshield. Inside the interior was updated to a three-abreast bench configuration that was trimmed in black leather with teal green inserts. The Aeromotive influence continued with the same cockpit-style layout of interior gauges and switchgear. Now with a more conventional toggle switch layout, the same fighter jet-sourced display from the W8 remained to serve as the dash display.

Following the 1992 Geneva display the WX-3 would once again return to the Vector stand in 1993, but this time with even more to present. In the year since its debut, Vector returned to California and successfully installed a twin-turbo Rodeck 7.0-liter, 1,000 horsepower V8 behind the passenger compartmeny. The car was repainted the Brilliant Aquamarine it wears today, a choice made in an apparent nod to Wiegert's Aquajet jet-ski company logo and one that suits the car extremely well.

Importantly for this unicorn of automotive and American supercar history, the WX-3 was the only Vector to be fitted with the larger and more powerful 7.0-liter twin-turbo engine. Its Roadster sister car, also debuting at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show, was fitted with the same conventional powerplant as the earlier W8 model. As a result, the WX-3 is a true high-performance supercar of the time with a variable turbo boost selector bringing reported power to 1,000 horsepower with claimed performance figures of zero-to-sixty mph in just 3.3 seconds and a claimed top speed of 248 mph.

Unlike many concept and show cars of the 1990s the story of this Vector, following its appearance at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show is well documented. Due to a takeover of the company the planned production of additional WX-3s would not take place. Fortunately for collectors, the WX-3 was retained by Weigert during these proceedings and remained with him until 2019. Having been carefully preserved by its creator it was then sold to a private collector and has since been subject to almost $300,000 of restorative work to bring it to roadworthiness. Invoices on file and available for review detail the work performed by Miller Motorcars of Greenwich, CT. While most of the restoration costs can be attributed to the mechanical aspects of the car, a new interior was installed that was carefully selected to match the original colors. It should be noted, however, that as the Vector WX-3 was never fully completely at the factory as a model line and a viable production car, and despite the considerable current investment in the car's drivetrain, one should be mindful of the car's limitations in modern traffic conditions.

Having never been exhibited at any international events or concours, the WX-3 is perhaps the zenith of small production supercars of its era. With increased market focus on these “Youngtimers” it is almost inevitable that the next caretaker could be the one to grace the lawn of myriad concours events. While Vector may have been unable to scale supercar production in the manner they would have liked, the passage of time has a way of elevating these underappreciated creations. Founder Jerry Wiegert sadly passed away in 2021, but like John DeLorean or Preston Tucker, Wiegert will always be remembered for creating something entirely new, rewriting the rules as America's first Supercar manufacturer in his own audacious style.

Addendum & Administrative Notes

Due to California emissions laws, please note that this vehicle may only be sold to an out-of-state resident for use outside of California or to a licensed automotive dealer.