"Lingaliro ndikumanga mbiri, osati kukwera kavalo," adatero Gerald Wiegert m'mawu omwe anali ofewa komanso owopsa.Purezidenti wa Vector Aeromotive alibe luso lapamwamba la njira yotsirizayi, ngakhale kuti wakhala akugwira ntchito kuyambira 1971 kuti apange ndi kupanga mapasa-turbo Vector, 625-horse-powered teknoloji yapakatikati ndi 2 F Zojambula za rom mpaka zitsanzo za thovu kukhala zitsanzo zonse, Vector adawonetsedwa koyamba ku Los Angeles Auto Expo mu 1976. Chithunzi chogwira ntchito chinamalizidwa zaka ziwiri pambuyo pake, chophatikizidwa ndi zigawo zomwe zinasonkhanitsidwa kuchokera ku zinyalala ndikutsukidwa kuchokera kumadera - kuti apereke nyumbayo. loto.
Wigt amayenera kulandira mendulo yamtundu wina chifukwa cha kupirira, mphotho yamtundu wina chifukwa chokhazikika.Buck the trend, kunyalanyaza mizimu yolira ya Tucker, DeLorean ndi Bricklin adventures yomwe inalephera.Vector Aeromotive Corp. ku Wilmington, Calif., Potsiriza ali okonzeka kupanga galimoto imodzi pa sabata.Otsutsa amangofunika kuyendera malo awiri omaliza ku Switzerland omwe akukonzekera msonkhano wawo womaliza (ku Switzerland) kupanga koyamba Vector W8 amapasa-turbo anagulitsidwa kwa kalonga Saudi, amene 25 galimoto zosonkhanitsira, zomwe zikuphatikizapo Porsche 959 ndi Bentley Turbo R) .Pafupi asanu ndi atatu ma Vectors akumangidwa mu magawo osiyanasiyana pomaliza, kuchokera kugubuduza chassis mpaka pafupi-yomaliza magalimoto.
Amene sali otsimikiza ayenera kudziwa kuti kampaniyo yakula kuchokera ku nyumba imodzi ndi antchito anayi mu 1988 mpaka nyumba zinayi zomwe zili pamtunda wa 35,000 ndi antchito pafupifupi 80 panthawi yolemba.Kuyesa kwautsi kuli m'kati.Anakweza ndalama zopitira $13 miliyoni m'ndalama zogwirira ntchito kudzera muzopereka ziwiri zapagulu zapagulu.
Koma dzuŵa lotentha la masana ku Pomona, Calif., fairgrounds, mchitidwe wotsiriza wa chikhulupiriro wa Wigt unaonekera. Galimoto ya flatbed yonyamula Vector W8 TwinTurbos iwiri imadutsa msewu waukulu wa phula kupita ku drag strip.
Kuyambira 1981, Vector's VP of Engineering, David Kostka, wapereka malangizo amomwe mungakwaniritsire nthawi zabwino kwambiri zofulumizitsa.Pambuyo pa kuyesedwa kodziwika bwino, Kim akukankhira Vector pamzere wopangira ndikukhazikitsanso kompyuta yoyesa.
Kuwoneka kodetsa nkhawa kunawonekera pankhope ya Kostka.Ziyenera kukhala.Zaka khumi zakugwira ntchito maola 12 pa tsiku, masiku asanu ndi awiri pa sabata, pafupifupi gawo limodzi mwa magawo atatu a moyo wake wodzuka - osatchulapo gawo lalikulu la moyo wake - amadzipereka pa galimoto.
Sayenera kudandaula.Kim amaika phazi lake pa mabuleki, amasankha zida za 1 ndipo amagwiritsa ntchito phokoso kuti azitha kuyendetsa galimotoyo.Kubangula kwa injini ya V-8 ya 6.0-lita yonse ya aluminiyamu kumakhala kolimba kwambiri, ndipo mluzu wa Garrett turbocharger umagwirizana ndi kulira kwa Gilmer-mtundu wa nkhondo ndi loarsing brake drive ndi loarsing fight's car-8. s kutsogolo mainchesi, kutsetsereka chokhoma chokhoma panjira.Ndi chifaniziro cha bulldog wokwiya kukoka galimoto yake.
Mabuleki anamasulidwa ndipo Vector anathamangitsidwa ndi kupota gudumu pang'ono, utsi wochuluka kuchokera ku mafuta a Michelin ndi pang'ono pang'onopang'ono.Mukuphethira kwa diso - masekondi 4.2 - kugunda 60 mph, mphindi isanafike 1-2 shift.The Vector whizzes kudutsa ngati lalikulu-bore, kupitiriza ndi kuwonjezereka kwa Canbimrot. Ngakhale kuti pafupifupi mtunda wa kilomita imodzi, phokoso la injini linkamvekabe pamene galimotoyo inkadutsa mumsampha.speed?124.0 mph m'masekondi 12.0 okha.
12 koloko.Chiwerengero chimenecho chimayika Vector patsogolo pa onyamula mbendera monga Acura NSX (masekondi 14.0), Ferrari Testarossa (masekondi 14.2) ndi Corvette ZR-1 (masekondi 13.4).Kuthamanga kwake ndi liwiro linalowa mu kalabu yapadera kwambiri, ndi mamembala a charter asted4 ndi Ferrari omwe ali ndi Ferrari ndi Ferrari ilinso ndi ndalama zake;Vector W8 TwinTurbo imagulitsa $283,750, yokwera mtengo kuposa Lamborghini ($211,000) koma yocheperapo kuposa Ferrari (F40 ya US-spec imawononga pafupifupi $400,000).
Ndiye nchiyani chomwe chimapangitsa Vector W8 kuyika chizindikiro? Kuti ndiyankhe funso langa lililonse ndikupereka maulendo owongolera a malo a Vector, Mark Bailey ndi VP wa Production, wogwira ntchito ku Northrop wakale komanso mpikisano wakale wa Can-Am.
Akuloza ku malo a injini ya Vector yomwe ikumangidwa, iye anati, “Si injini yaing’ono imene yapotozedwa mpaka kufa.Ndi injini yayikulu yomwe siigwira ntchito molimbika. "
Six-lita zonse zotayidwa 90-degree pushrod V-8, chipika chopangidwa ndi Rodeck, 2-valve mutu wa silinda wopangidwa ndi Air Flow Research.The midadada yaitali anasonkhanitsidwa ndi dynamometer anayesedwa ndi Shaver Specialties mu Torrance, CA.Chilichonse chomwe chimatenga;mndandanda wa magawo a injini umafanana ndi mndandanda wa Khrisimasi wa mpikisano wamphete: ma pistoni a TRW, ndodo zolumikizira zitsulo zosapanga dzimbiri za Carrillo, mavavu achitsulo chosapanga dzimbiri, manja odzigudubuza, ma crank opukutira, owuma ndi zosefera zitatu zosiyana Oil sump refueling system.Mtolo wolukidwa zitsulo zosapanga dzimbiri zokhala ndi zokokera zofiira ndi zabuluu zonyamula madzi kulikonse.
Ulemerero wa injini iyi uli pagulu lake la intercooler lowonekera, lomwe limapangidwa kuchokera ku aluminiyamu ndikupukutidwa mpaka kuwala kowoneka bwino. Itha kuchotsedwa mgalimoto mumphindi zochepa ndikumasula zingwe zinayi zotulutsa mwachangu. Imalumikizidwa ndi Garrett turbocharger yoziziritsidwa ndi madzi ndipo imakhala ndi gawo lapakati la carpet ndi impecific ya ndege.
Kuyatsa kumayendetsedwa ndi ma coil pa silinda iliyonse, ndipo mafuta amaperekedwa kudzera mu jakisoni wotsatizana wa madoko, pogwiritsa ntchito ma jakisoni amtundu wa gulu la Bosch R&D.
Mabawu okwera mokongola ngati injini yokhayo imayiyika mozungulira mu cradle.Blue anodized and embossed milled milled aluminium billet, bolt imodzi ku mbali ya chowonjezera cha chipika ndipo ina imawirikiza ngati mbale ya injini / transmission adapter. The transmission ndi GM Turbo Hydra-matic, yogwiritsidwa ntchito ndi V-8 powered front-drive Oldssone the Elslonado Kutumiza kwa 3-speed ndi cholinga chopangidwa ndi Vector subcontractors pogwiritsa ntchito zipangizo zomwe zingathe kupirira 630 lb-ft. Torque yopangidwa ndi injini pa 4900 rpm ndi 7.0 psi boost.
Mark Bailey anali wokondwa pamene ankandidutsa m'sitolo yopangira zinthu, akundilozera chimango chachikulu cha chitsulo cha chrome-molybdenum, zisa za zisa za aluminiyamu, komanso zomangika ndi epoxy ndikugwedezeka ku chimango kuti chikhale cholimba.Pepala la aluminiyamu m'malo opangira zigoba. Iye anafotokoza kuti: “Zikanakhala kuti [zomanga] zonsezo zinali zamtundu umodzi wokha, bwenzi zimapindika kwambiri ndipo zikanakhala zovuta kuzimanga molondola.Zonse zikadakhala danga, mukanagunda dera limodzi ndikukhudza china chilichonse chifukwa chubu lililonse The subs amatenga chilichonse. ”Thupi limapangidwa ndi mitundu yosiyanasiyana ya carbon fiber, Kevlar, ma fiberglass mats, ndi unidirectional fiberglass, ndipo silikhala ndi nkhawa.
Chotsitsa cholimba chimatha kuthana bwino ndi katundu wa zida zazikulu zoyimitsidwa.Vector imagwiritsa ntchito mikono iwiri ya A-mikono kutsogolo ndi chubu chachikulu cha De Dion kumbuyo, choyikidwa ndi mikono inayi yomwe imadutsa mpaka ku firewall. mofanana ndi mapangidwe omwe amagwiritsidwa ntchito pa galimoto ya 3800 lbs. NASCAR stock car, makina opangidwa ndi aluminiyamu chipolopolo cha gudumu chimayang'ana m'mimba mwake mwa khofi can.Palibe chidutswa chimodzi cha chassis chomwe chili chochepa, kapena ngakhale chokwanira.
Ulendo wa fakitale unatha tsiku lonse.Panali zambiri zoti muwone ndipo Bailey anagwira ntchito mwakhama kuti andisonyeze mbali zonse za opaleshoniyo.Ndiyenera kubwerera ndikuyendetsa galimoto.
Loweruka linafika, ndipo galimoto yachitukuko ya slate-grey yomwe tidayesa idakokera chitseko chotambasulidwa.Kulowera ndi ntchito yovuta kwa osadziwa, okhala ndi zipinda zocheperako komanso malo ang'onoang'ono pakati pa mpando ndi kutsogolo kwa chitseko.Ndidangonjenjemera pampando wa driver ngati nswala wangobadwa kumene.
Mpweya wonunkhiza wa chikopa, monga pafupifupi mkati uliwonse wamkati umakutidwa ndi chikopa, kupatulapo dashboard yotambasula, yomwe imatsirizidwa ndi zinthu zowonda za suede. The Wilton wool carpeted floor ndi kwathunthu lathyathyathya, kulola magetsi chosinthika Recaros kuikidwa mkati mwa mainchesi pang'ono wina ndi mzake.Mpando wapakati malo amalola dalaivala miyendo yowongoka, ngakhale kugunda ndi gudumu ndi gudumu lolunjika.
Injini yayikulu imakhala yamoyo pakutembenuka koyamba kwa kiyi, kukhazikika ku 900 rpm yopanda ntchito. Ntchito yofunika kwambiri ya injini ndi kutumiza ikuwonetsedwa pazomwe Vector amachitcha kuti "ndege-style reconfigurable electroluminescent display" - zomwe zikutanthauza kuti mawonedwe anayi osiyana a chidziwitso alipo. "Chiwonetsero chomwe chimayenda molunjika kudzera pa pointer yokhazikika, komanso kuwonetsera kwa digito pawindo la pointer.Kostka akufotokoza momwe gawo la tepi yosuntha limapereka chidziwitso cha kusintha kwa chiwerengero chomwe mawonedwe a digito okha sangathe.
Nditafika pa chogwirira chosinthira, ndinamira kwambiri pawindo lazenera kumanzere kwanga, ndinabwerera kumbuyo ndikubwerera ku msewu.
Monga momwe zilili ndi ma Exotics ambiri, mawonekedwe akumbuyo amakhala pafupifupi kulibe, ndipo Vector ili ndi malo akhungu omwe Ford Crown Victoria amatha kukhala nawo mosavuta.Kutalikitsa khosi lako.Kupyolera muzitsulo zopapatiza za hood, ndimatha kuona galasi lamoto ndi mlongoti wa galimoto kumbuyo kwanga. galasi lalikulu kwambiri padziko lonse lapansi limatambasula ndikumakumana ndi dash pansi, ndikupereka mawonekedwe apamtima a asphalt mayadi angapo kutsogolo kwa galimotoyo.
Chiwongolero ndi dongosolo lothandizira mphamvu la rack-ndi-pinion lomwe liri lopepuka pang'onopang'ono ndi kulondola kwabwino kwambiri.Pambali yotsika, palibe kudzikonda kwambiri, zomwe zimapangitsa kuti zikhale zovuta kwa osadziwika kuti agwirizane.Poyerekeza, mabuleki osagwiritsidwa ntchito amafunikira mphamvu zambiri-makilomita 50 pa mtunda wa mamita 320-pounds kuchokera ku 320 pounds kuchoka pansi pa 3svector pounds kuchoka pansi pa 320 pounds kuchoka ku 0. s kuchokera ku 80 mph mpaka 250 mapazi ndi kuchokera ku 60 mph mpaka 145 mapazi ndi maulendo abwino kwambiri a Ferrari Testarossa-ngakhale Redhead amagwiritsa ntchito pafupifupi theka la kuthamanga kwa pedal kuti athetse liwiro.
Kostka analunjika kumsewu waukulu wopita kumtunda, ndikuvomereza, ndipo posakhalitsa tinali mumsewu wochepa wopita kumpoto. Mipata imayamba kuonekera pakati pa magalimoto, ndikuwulula njira yofulumira yotseguka. Pa malangizo a David, kuyika malayisensi ndi miyendo. s pedal kupita kutsogolo bulkhead.
Kenako pakubwera mathamangitsidwe aiwisi, achangu omwe amakakamiza magazi mu minofu yaubongo kuseri kwa chigaza;mtundu womwe umakupangitsani kuyang'ana panjira yakutsogolo, chifukwa mudzafika pamene mukuyetsemula.An wastegate yoyendetsedwa ndi magetsi imalowererapo pafupifupi 7 psi, kutulutsa mphamvu ndi swish yosiyana yopanda kanthu. Menyanso mabuleki;mwachiyembekezo sindinamuwopsyeze mnyamatayo mu Datsun B210 patsogolo panga.Mwachisoni, sitingathe kubwereza ndondomekoyi mu gear pamwamba pa msewu wopanda malire popanda kuopa apolisi.
Tikayang'ana pa W8's chidwi mathamangitsidwe ndi mphero mawonekedwe, n'zosavuta kukhulupirira izo kugunda 200 mph. Kostka malipoti Komabe, kuti redline 3 n'zotheka - kugunda 218 mph (kuphatikizapo kukula matayala).
Pambuyo pake, tikuyenda mumsewu wa Pacific Coast Highway, chikhalidwe cha Vector chotukuka chinayamba kuonekera. Imamveka ngati yaying'ono komanso yofewa kuposa m'lifupi mwake ndipo imakongoletsedwa ndi masitayelo. Kuyimitsidwa kumatulutsa tinthu tating'ono ting'onoting'ono mosavuta, tokulirapo mokhazikika (komanso chofunika kwambiri, osatsika pansi), ndipo imakhala yolimba, yolimba pang'ono yokhazikika pa ulendo wathu wa 30 rz r-sm r-0 r-0 r-0 chikumbutso cha Tumper 30 valavu.Fufuzani zowonetsera kuti kutentha ndi zovuta zonse ndi zachilendo.
Kutentha mkati mwa Vector Black ndikotentha pang'ono, komabe.Ndinafunsa ndi mawu amphamvu kuposa nthawi zonse.David anagwedeza mutu ndikudina batani pagawo lowongolera mpweya.Zowonadi zoziziritsira mpweya sizipezeka m'galimoto yachilendo, koma kuphulika kwa mpweya wozizira kumawombera pafupifupi nthawi yomweyo kuchokera munjira zingapo zakuda zamaso.
Posakhalitsa tinatembenukira kumpoto kumapiri ndi misewu yovuta ya canyon.Mukuyesa kwa tsiku lapitalo, Vector inatulutsa magalamu a 0.97 pa skateboard ya Pomona, chiwerengero chapamwamba chomwe tachilembapo pa china chilichonse kupatulapo galimoto yamtundu. .Cornering ndi yofulumira komanso yakuthwa, ndipo kutsetsereka kwa mawonekedwe a ngodya ndi abwino kwambiri.Kuthamanga kwakukulu kwa mphepo yamkuntho kumakonda kutilepheretsa kuyang'ana pamwamba pa ngodya zazing'ono zomwe tidakumana nazo, kumene Vector 82.0-inch-wide Vector amamva ngati ng'ombe mu shopu ya china.Galimotoyo ikufuna kutembenuka kwakukulu, kutembenuka kwakukulu, komwe kungakhoze kuchitidwa ndi kugwedezeka kwamphamvu ndi kukhazikika kwake. zovuta kuganiza kuti tikuyendetsa mpikisano wothamanga wa Porsche pamene tikudutsa m'makona akuluakulu awa.
Peter Schutz, wapampando ndi CEO wa Porsche kuyambira 1981 mpaka 1988 komanso membala wa alangizi a Vector kuyambira 1989, sangakane kufananizako.Zipewa za Gerald Wiegert ndi gulu lake la mainjiniya odzipereka, komanso kwa ena onse omwe anali ndi khama komanso otsimikiza kuti akwaniritse maloto awo.