New Vector WX8 revives iconic American supercar name!

[Omnis]

Looks like a wedged out Supra.

 

[///M-Spec]

[OT]Mmmhmm, but I'm not adamantly claiming that Veyron is invincible (sp), unlike numerous Z06/997 turbo enthusiasts who keep nagging that "Z06/997 turbo cannot be beaten mere Nissan, because it's a Nissan and this is Z06/997 turbo".. Didn't I just admit that Veyron can be/has been beaten in top speed?[/OT]

You made a claim that "American small companies" couldn't "touch" the Veyron "no matter what they do". Wow. No matter what they do?? You support this view for no other apparent reason than the car in question is American and the Veyron.... is a Veyron?

What if the WX8 is better in every objective way? Still wouldn't matter because it's American, right?

This is precisely the sort of attitude you just spent eleventy billion pages arguing against and insulting people over. Replace 'American' with 'Japanese' and 'Vector' with 'Nissan' and you have a direct match. You can backpedal on the statement if you want, but the writing is clearly on the wall.

Epic failure of living up to the same standards you expect others to.


M

 

[Dave A]

I don't think he was astating that as his opinion, to me it came across more as a view of how it is. The fact is that despite other cars taking the Veyrons top speed record, the Veyron is still viewed in general as the better car and imo it is. Ofcourse a car that's better than the Veyron in every way is possible, but the reality is that the Veyron's reputation will not be beaten easilly, even by a better car.

 

[Barracuda]

This car looks great imo. In any case, it still looks a hell of a lot better than an Ascari.

Vector is back, there is a hope in this new world of global warming dirty hippies

Oh, and i love you ///M-Spec . Good to see someone actually defending America for once, save for YSSMAN of course

 

[Leonidae]

Bullseye, Dave A.👍

Let's see.. Saleen S7 Twinturbo, SSC AERO-whatwasitsname, now Vector, and if I recall right there was even fourth one that made big claims some years back when Veyron came out and hasn't been heard ever since. They're popping up like mushrooms after rain with theme of more power, less weight, bigger engines, bigger turbos, less money, less creature comforts and still they either fall short, barely match or beat Veyron in one category, and that's about it.

 

[Tornado]

They're popping up like mushrooms after rain with theme of more power, less weight, bigger engines, bigger turbos, less money, less creature comforts and still they either fall short, barely match or beat Veyron in one category, and that's about it.

Except the Saleen S7 TT isn't a Veyron competitor, and is older than the Veyron regardless.
And while it is hard to take Vector seriously (come one, they made up the idea of hilarious claims), it isn't a Veyron competitor either. Nor is the SSC Ultimate Aero.



Anyways, it is good to good old Vector back. And I do like this car quite a bit. But it needs flip ups or something on the front, because Supra headlights hardly worked on the Supra.

 

[///M-Spec]

I don't think he was astating that as his opinion, to me it came across more as a view of how it is. The fact is that despite other cars taking the Veyrons top speed record, the Veyron is still viewed in general as the better car and imo it is. Ofcourse a car that's better than the Veyron in every way is possible, but the reality is that the Veyron's reputation will not be beaten easilly, even by a better car.

Its not a question of whether or not the Veyron is a better car.

It is a question of judging a car based on its merits, rather than country of origin or badge on the hood. Our friend here just went 21 rounds arguing against a perceived bias versus the GT-R because it wasn't a Porsche (or a member of the traditional supercar establishment).

But then he makes a statement that shows a clear, very strong bias against the WX8 and "American small companies" and bashes it by wrapping himself around the flag of .... gee.. the supercar establishment. To me, it sounds like blatant hypocrisy, especially coming so closely on the heels of the other thread.

Let's play a word game. Find & Replace on his original statement.

"why is there suddenly an unnatural interest of hyper quick vehicles among Japanese companies? no matter what they do, they still can't touch Porsche other than ring times."

If someone had posted that in the GT-R thread, I guarantee you'd never hear the end of it from him.

Oh, and i love you ///M-Spec . Good to see someone actually defending America for once, save for YSSMAN of course

Thank you. But I'm not so much defending America as I am calling someone out for a major inconsistency.

Bullseye, Dave A.👍

Gee, where would you be without other members to make your arguments for you?

Let's see.. Saleen S7 Twinturbo, SSC AERO-whatwasitsname, now Vector, and if I recall right there was even fourth one that made big claims some years back when Veyron came out and hasn't been heard ever since. They're popping up like mushrooms after rain with theme of more power, less weight, bigger engines, bigger turbos, less money, less creature comforts and still they either fall short, barely match or beat Veyron in one category, and that's about it.

Where in the article does it say the WX8 is designed, built and marketed as a Veyron competitor? I think you came up with that comparison all on your own. Now, what reason would someone have to do that?


M

 

[Leonidae]

The full specs on the car are in the release (which you'll find after the jump), but it's fairly similar to the original plan. A race developed chassis with a bunch of aerospace technology, powered by a big V8. In this case it appears to be a Z06 mill that has been tweaked to produce 600HP, or a whopping 750 with an optional supercharger. Claimed acceleration is right in the middle of the supercar pack with 0-60 mph happening in 3.3 seconds, the quarter in 11.3 sec. at 138 mph, and a top speed of 260-270 MPH, given the proper gearing.

I'd say that their target is pretty clearly defined right there.

 

[Tornado]

Which is an incredible disservice the the Veyron. Because it wasn't designed merely to take on top speed, and since the Veyron doesn't actually hold the record anymore, the fact that this car was (maybe) designed with top speed in mind doesn't make it a Veyron competitor even if the Veyron was designed purely for speed. That makes the Vector an SSC Ultimate Aero the Vectors' competitor. And considering the Vector is slower than the SSC in every measurement, including most likely top speed (because what the car is geared for and what the car is limited at/capable of are two different things), you can't draw that conclusion either.

 

[Dave A]

I agree when it comes to genuine Veyron competitors, your typical supercars are not it. The Mercedes SLR is far more of a Veyron competitor than the S7TT. Unfortunately though, comparisons will be made and people will argue cases such as Veyron v Enzo II or whaever Ferrari decide to call thier next flagship, when a better argument should be Veyron v 599GTB. Granted price an dperformance differences are big, but they're the same type of car, a supercar quick Grand Tourer. I'm not saying thoes are directly comparable, but that's essentially what the Veyron is, a stupidly fast GT.

 

[Azuremen]

I agree when it comes to genuine Veyron competitors, your typical supercars are not it. The Mercedes SLR is far more of a Veyron competitor than the S7TT. Unfortunately though, comparisons will be made and people will argue cases such as Veyron v Enzo II or whaever Ferrari decide to call thier next flagship, when a better argument should be Veyron v 599GTB. Granted price an dperformance differences are big, but they're the same type of car, a supercar quick Grand Tourer. I'm not saying thoes are directly comparable, but that's essentially what the Veyron is, a stupidly fast GT.

Agreed.

To hold a bias though against an American super car, because of price or name, is bleh. Price and speed aren't always the best reference to competitor... an MR-S is more of an Elise competitor than a STi, despite that the STi is closer in price and speed.

But then we can also consider what the Veyron was built for - top speed record setting. It just happened to get alot of other goodies along with it.

 

[McLaren]

I don't think he was astating that as his opinion, to me it came across more as a view of how it is. The fact is that despite other cars taking the Veyrons top speed record, the Veyron is still viewed in general as the better car and imo it is. Ofcourse a car that's better than the Veyron in every way is possible, but the reality is that the Veyron's reputation will not be beaten easilly, even by a better car.

The only way we'll know an American supercar or any other is capable of Veyron status is when it hits 250Mph and prices at $1 million. The fact that VAG managed to incorporate serious luxury with the speed is the big reason for its price. US Supercars makers are offering $350,000-$500,000 cars capable of 250Mph, but that other $650,000-$500,000 isn't there because it simply does not have the luxury features a Veyron does.

 

[JCE]

Ugly. The Americans have the technology to make a Veyron competitor--but choose not to do it. Therefore any American top-speed hypercar FAILS. PERIOD. McLaren hit the nail on the head in the post above me.

The best American supercar is still the S7 followed by the Ford GT.

 

[opendriver]

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/14/la-2007-vector-even-worse-in-person-but-theres-hope/

Remember the new Vector we told you about yesterday, the one we likened to a previous gen Camaro? Believe it or not, the Vector Avtech WX-8 looks way worse in person. But don't let that turn you off. This is clearly just a prototype and although the overall shape may stay the same, there are a lot of tasty nuggets we learned about the car from stopping at its booth here in LA. First of all, the engine will be longitudinally mounted, not transverse. Secondly, besides that 7.0L V8 with its twin-turbo setup, there will also be an optional upgrade to a single whippled marine mill that should pump out somewhere north of 750 HP. If that seems too tame, you can opt for a twin-supercharged version that promises a whopping 1850 HP (!). The performance stats for that one are listed as 0-60 in 2.5, the quarter in a superbike-like 10.0, and a top speed of 275 MPH+. Well, that plus sign after the 275 can make it 300 MPH with Bonneville gearing, according to Vector. By the time this thing reaches production, we wouldn't doubt claims of 3,000 HP and 400 MPH knowing Vector. And as a slightly veiled slap at a certain super-Lambo displayed just on the other side of the wall, there is a huge photo of an F-22 Raptor behind the Vector to remind us of the inspiration and aeromotive engineering behind it. No pricing or production dates were announced though, so stay tuned.

I do agree the car looks like crap, but, when they lay down a 270MPH top speed, I think that it will shut everyone up

Any idea on how much it might cost? Im guessing 900K

 

[Tornado]

1850 BHP? That is the Vector I love.

 

[Casio]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Veyron's top speed is limited because the tyres it uses aren't rated for any higher speeds? Where are these companies getting these 300mph+ road tyres from?

 

[GT Pro]

1850hp production Vector? Doubt it. Like Chrysler proved with the ME-412, the capability of the American's to do such feats is there- but they will, probably, choose not to do so.

 

[Solid Fro]

The only car that deserves to be compared to the F-22 Raptor is the Lamborghini Reventon, not a fiberglass infused car with Supra headlights.

 

[Barracuda]

The point of a $350,000 price tag would be that more people could buy one. Your getting more performance for nearly 1/3 of the cost of the veyron. Yes the veyron is luxurious but your going to be spending all your time worrying if someone has scratched the paint, whereas in the other car it doesn't quite matter as much and you can go faster.

Stop with all this veyron competitor crap. Just because it's a fast car doesn't make it a competitor to the veyron. The super cars that are coming out are competing for speed, for the rank as top gun in the performance department, not to compete with the veyron.

I'd much rather have a cheap supercar with insane performance than a $1,000,000 show piece.

 

[McLaren]

Ugly. The Americans have the technology to make a Veyron competitor--but choose not to do it. Therefore any American top-speed hypercar FAILS. PERIOD. McLaren hit the nail on the head in the post above me.

The best American supercar is still the S7 followed by the Ford GT.

We do have the technology, but our companies don't the resources. VAG spent millions of dollars just developing tires and suspension. If Ford can't even keep GT production running for years (which isn't a bad thing), then I doubt even the almighty Saleen has the funds to do so either; which coincidentally is also nearing the end of its production.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but the Veyron's top speed is limited because the tyres it uses aren't rated for any higher speeds? Where are these companies getting these 300mph+ road tyres from?

SSC got the support from Michelin. That & just bravery though.

 

[High-Test]

Is it just me, or are the wheels on the car in the poster the same ones one that "Civette" someone posted a long time ago?

A marine use engine. That's interesting. I'd like to see how that does. Are they using a boat engine for a higher rpm range?

 

[Jim Prower]

count me among the not thrilled about Supra headlights and turn signals

on the other hand, if it's as fast as they say it is, It's faster than any other Toyota product has ever gone....

 

[Muzaffar]

Well its time to post here somehow.....

Wow! This cars for real! I don't even believe all the hype going on this car. I don't care how ugly you guys say about the car, but it looks good to me! Don't mind if they did use parts from other cars, cause they are a small company!!! What do you expect from them? The performance is mind boggling. 1850HP!!!! Man, thats not a car anymore, its a rocket!!! The tire should not be a problem since you can't really hit those lunatic speeds on the streets. Like the Veyron, i think they would only allow you to go at those speeds on some special track using some special setup as well. But yeah, all those in a dream. Its very very unlikely if they have the money to develop and sell the cars.

If PD is picking up the news, hopefully Vector would return in GT5 and include the WX8.

 

[JCE]

We do have the technology, but our companies don't the resources. VAG spent millions of dollars just developing tires and suspension. If Ford can't even keep GT production running for years (which isn't a bad thing), then I doubt even the almighty Saleen has the funds to do so either; which coincidentally is also nearing the end of its production.

What's truely sad is I liked the ME4-12. I think it could be a great American hypercar assuming it has at least a rudamentary Merc suspension setup ganked from the last years of DaimlerChrysler. The interior would be adequat enough for some comfort--it could theoretically compete with the Veyron. And I do mean theoretically since it will never be produced--which would actually be a shame. I saw one in person at the Dallas Auto Show and it was magnificant.

 

[///M-Spec]

I'd say that their target is pretty clearly defined right there.

I'd say you're jumping to conclusions in order to prop up an ill-conceived argument.

Just because the claimed top speed happens to be higher than the Veyron's doesn't mean Vector is setting out to match all the other criteria that Bugatti has built its reputation on.

Do they advertise a luxurious interior? Sophisticated AWD system? Bespoke mechanical components? Sophisticated active aerodynamic management? The sort of refinement you would expect of a Bentley? These are all the qualities you ASSUMED on your own. Nowhere in the article posted does it say they're shooting to beat the Veyron not only in top speed, but in all other areas that make it a special car.

The price difference alone should make it very clear they don't expect to play in the same waters as Bugatti (VAG).

Let's say I set out to bake the biggest pizza in the world. Say it's 21 feet wide, 1 foot wider than the previous record holder.

Someone then says, "dude, you fail. The 20 foot pizza has pepperoni and tastes better."

To which my reply would be: "I set out to make the biggest pizza in the world; not the biggest AND best tasting with pepperoni."

I hope you don't have trouble making this sort of very simple distinction.


M

 

[Venom800tt]

What's truely sad is I liked the ME4-12. I think it could be a great American hypercar assuming it has at least a rudamentary Merc suspension setup ganked from the last years of DaimlerChrysler. The interior would be adequat enough for some comfort--it could theoretically compete with the Veyron. And I do mean theoretically since it will never be produced--which would actually be a shame. I saw one in person at the Dallas Auto Show and it was magnificant.

ME412 used a race car style pushrod suspension with coil-over shocks. About the only thing of Mercedes relation was the quad turbo AMG motor. Rumor has it that if it does enter production sometime in the future that AMG motor might or might not be used.

http://www.allpar.com/cars/me412.html

 

[McLaren]

What's truely sad is I liked the ME4-12. I think it could be a great American hypercar assuming it has at least a rudamentary Merc suspension setup ganked from the last years of DaimlerChrysler. The interior would be adequat enough for some comfort--it could theoretically compete with the Veyron. And I do mean theoretically since it will never be produced--which would actually be a shame. I saw one in person at the Dallas Auto Show and it was magnificant.

As did I. Strange, but true, I found the ME-412 to be more eye-catching than the GT or Saleen. It just looked awesomely fast. It's a shame it was actually being considered until US auto makers saw those "big" financial problems. The split between Mercedes and Chrysler has probably put the final stake in the idea anyways.

ME412 used a race car style pushrod suspension with coil-over shocks. About the only thing of Mercedes relation was the quad turbo AMG motor. Rumor has it that if it does enter production sometime in the future that AMG motor might or might not be used.

http://www.allpar.com/cars/me412.html

As said above, the split that happened a few months ago was probably the key in its death. If it is considered to return, I can't begin to imagine a Mercedes-sourced engine.