This is the 1978 Vector W2, the very first Vector prototype ever built. Gerald Wiegert, an American engineer and businessman founded a design house in 1971 known as ‘Vehicle Design Force’. Wiegert partnered up with auto body expert Lee Brown in order to create their first concept car. The very first 1/1 scale concept, ‘The Vector’ was finished in 1972. The mock-up was featured on the cover of @motortrend in April of 1972, and was later shown at the 1976 LA Auto Show. From this time forth, the W2 project was launched, ‘W’ standing for Wiegert and ‘2’ representing two turbochargers. Lee left the company in 1977, and the company name then became ‘Vector Aeromotive’. The W2 concept was subsequently displayed at the 1977 LA Auto Show, and would later see 10 distinctive variations with performance improvements, color changes, and test mileage from 1976 until the late 80’s. Starting with two styling buck iterations, one orange (1) and one white (2), the initial running prototype was eventually completed and finished in white (3). From here, the car was then finished in dark grey/black (4), and eventually a wing and louvers were added (5). The car was then finished in red with a black hood (6) and eventually all red (7). The Vector was then finished in silver paint (8), grey again (9), and finally a dark blue paint finish was applied (10). In 1989, Wiegert and an impressive team of engineers including V.P. of Engineering, David Kostka went on to develop their first production car, the W8. Vector Aeromotive would eventually end up on approximately 1 W2 (1978), 19 examples of the W8 (1990–1993), 1 WX-3 (1992), 1 WX-3R (1993). After Indonesian company, MegaTech acquired a controlling interest in Vector in 1993, they produced 17 M12s (1995–1999). and 1 SRV8 (1999) using a race-converted M12. The very last project to boast a vector badge was a styling mock-up in 2007 from Wiegert’s Vector Motors Corporation, known as the Vector WX-8.
How many made? 1
Engine: 5.7L twin-turbo Chevy V8 producing 650hp.
Debut: 1977 LA Auto Show (concept)
Top Speed: n/a
0-60: n/a
Photo Credit: @wheelandgood, @dtrockstar1
Research: @rarecarsonly