vector wx3 — CARS — The Bad Blonde

This is a story about a man with bold ambitions and iffy funding. A story of an American supercar that would have rivaled the Ferraris and Lamborghini’s of the day. A story that will leave you wondering how much substance is behind the hype?

Vector Motors was founded in 1978 by American businessman and automotive engineer, Gerald Alden “Jerry” Wiegert. As a youth, Wiegert was highly interested in aerospace and cars.

And he had the aptitude for it, he won a full scholarship to college and pursued engineering.

Wiegert spent time at the big Three, Chrysler, Ford, and GM before deciding to create his own American supercar.

With this endeavor Weigert became one the first real stateside attempts to compete with the European performance car brands, like Ferrari and Lamborghini.

Keep in mind the AMC AMX3 was in creation in 1970 and expected production in 1971. Full video on YT.

In 1971, Wiegert teamed up with well known auto body expert, Lee Brown to create Vehicle Design Force in Wilmington, Ca. The pair with their new company planned to create the American supercar, The Vector. Pre-production literature touted a DOHC Porsche powerplant and at eyepopping price tag of $100k… At the time, a Lamborghini Miura was priced at $21k (equivalent to $160k).

Even though this car was featured on Motor Trend in 1972 and was displayed at the LA Autos Show in 1976, the car would never be produced and Lee would leave the company in 1977.

It was after all this initial hype that Lee Brown left the team and Wiegert renamed Vehicle Design Force to “Vector Aeromotive”..

With this shake up and name change, Wiegert would focus his attentions on the new concept car, the Vector W2.

The eye catching and aggressively designed W2 concept was revealed in 1978, though immobile during the time of show. A running prototype would soon be catching headlines in 1979 and would travel over 100k miles. Possibly the most miles traveled of any concept vehicle.

At some point Motor Trend and Top Gear got their hands on the prototype and did extensive testing, THOUGH Top Gear was strictly told to not perform a top speed test on the W2 even though Vector was claiming 230mph capabilities.

Claiming a top speed and not demonstrating a cars capabilities would eventually catch up to Wiegert..

In 1989, Vector Aeromotive Corporation would have the evolution of the W2 ready for production. The W8 was funded by public stock offerings and apparently some profitable trademark infringement lawsuits against Goodyear Tire and Vantage cigs?

It was said these infringement lawsuits are most of what funded this American supercar dream. (Goodyear with their Vector tire.)

Two W8 prototypes were constructed though only one ran. The team utilized an automatic Oldsmobile TM425 Transaxle paired with a twin-turbo CAN-AM modified chevy small block V8.

Vectors were hand built, an extensive and lengthy process that includes testing and calibrating… One who orders a Vector should practice patience… Unfortunately, one very famous tennis player of the day who ordered a Vector was not so patient.

Andre Agassi demanded that his Vector W8 be delivered before it was ready and Wiegert agreed to it. This would be a bad decision for the company. They told Agassi that he could display it BUT it was not ready for him to drive.

Naturally, Agassi took the Vector W8 for a spin and it broke down, he demanded his $455k purchase price back, Vector Aeromotive refunded him BUT this resulted in negative publicity for the car and company.

Not the same situation, but it reminds me of the bad publicity that Bugatti received when Michael Schumaker crashed his EB110 and blamed it on shoddy brakes.

Of the Vector W8, a total of 17 were built for public sale (including Agassi’s after they finished it). The Vector W8 first and only cinema appearance was in the 1993 Rising Sun film being driven by a Japanese businessman. (starred Sean Connery and Wesley Snipes).

In 1992, Wiegert and Vector Aeromotive would introduce the WX-3 coupe at the Geneva Auto Show. Considered a further evolution of the W8. Only two WX-3 prototypes would be created, a coupe and roadster.

It was planned that the WX-3 offer three different engine options: a 600hp “basic” V8, an 800hp tuned option, and a 1,200hp twin-turbo option.

It was right at this time, that Megatech, and Indonesian company, gained controlling interest of Vector Aeromotive. This would come as a bit of a surprise to Wiegert who would return from the Genevar Auto Show to be asked to step down from the company he founded and only perform the role of designer.

Side note, Megatech also owned Lamborghini at this time..

Wiegert said hell nah and ordered the Vector headquarters to be completely locked down. Completely locked down and with him in it. All of this turmoil would result in Wiegert being fired from his own company.

With Wiegert pushed out, MegaTech moved the company from California to Jacksonville, Florida to share office space with Automobili Lamborghini.

The abrupt dismissal of its founder didn’t put a pause on Vector Aeromotive Corporation. They quickly went to work on the Vector M12 which was loosely evolved from the WX-3 but was now powered by the Lamborghini Diablo V12 engine.

Production of the M12 began in 1995 and a quick introduction to the automotive world happened in 1996 at the North American Internation Auto Show in Detroit where they displayed two examples. However, MegaTech’s high hopes did not win over low sales. The production of the M12 came to a halt when projected sales of the $189k car did not meet projected targets.

MegaTech decided to clear house and sold Lamborghini to Audi in attempts to raise funds. By 1999. Only 14 Vector M12s were produced. They couldn’t get their Lamborghini motor orders as they couldn’t afford to pay Lamborghini.

It was purported that MegaTech principal, Tommy Suharo, son of then-indornesian president, had been embezzling from the ailing company.

With a super car hail mary, Vector Aeromotive dropped the M12 price, subbed a GM LT1 engine, and renamed the it the SRV8. Though this would not save the company and only one of the SVR8 prototype would be produced.

The company would crumble BUT there was one man waiting to pick up the pieces. Wiegert purchased what was left of the company he founded (after a few named changes) Vector Motors.

Wiegert immediately began work on a new model call the WX8 powered by a supercharged 10 liter all aluminum V8 with a projected hp of 1,850 which would have made it faster than the Bugattis of the time. In the mid 2000s Wiegert showcased the WX8 prototype at multiple car shows.

Nearly 20 years later, where is Vector and the WX8 now? Well as of 2018 Vector Motors was bankrolling their WX8s by selling their two WX3 protoypes for 3.5 million via Dupont Registry. Naturally, Wiegert incorporated a buy back provision.. Which basically states, let us buy back our cars with a bonus or exchange for stock in the new Vector Motors Corporation equalling double in price paid.

It was hard to tell if they sold on Dupont Registry, BUT I was able to track down that the pair of WX-3s were sold individually with RM Sotheby’s during the 2019 Arizona Car Week.

The Turquoise coupe sold for $615,500 and the Amethyst Roadster went for $500,000…

Sadly the supercar dreamer Jerry Wiegert passed away January 15 2021 and with him, I believe so did the dream of Vector as their website is no longer afloat and I can not find anymore information on if the company will continue their pursuit of the supercar dream.