The Vector M12: a Car born out of Corporate Greed

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When looking at the landscape of late '90s supercars, where power, precision, and sheer audacity collided, one American automaker dared to stand out— Vector, with the Vector M12. A car Born from the turmoil of corporate takeovers and visionary design, the M12 was a machine that sought to merge the American spirit with the Italian flair, resulting in an automotive anomaly that still captivates enthusiasts today.
The story begins with Gerald or as most called him "Jerry" Wiegert, the maverick behind Vector Aeromotive, a company that etched its name in automotive history with the W8, America's first production supercar. However, Wiegert's ambitions did not end there. In the crucible of California's innovation, he envisioned a successor to the W8, a car that would push the boundaries of speed and design. Thus, the WX-3 was born, a refined variant of the W8 boasting a twin-turbo V8 that promised either 600 hp or an unprecedented 1,200 hp depending on boost levels.
The WX-3 made waves at the 1993 Geneva Auto Show, capturing the imagination of enthusiasts. However, a corporate storm was brewing. A hostile takeover by Megatech, Vector's primary shareholder, changed the course of Vector's destiny. And In 1994, Megatech not only took control of Vector but also acquired Lamborghini from Chrysler, ushering in a new era.
The new management, steering Vector from California to Jacksonville, Florida, faced a unique challenge. The WX-3 dream seemed elusive, prompting a pivot towards a different approach. The result was the Vector M12, a marriage between American innovation and Italian exuberance, borrowing the chassis of the Lamborghini Diablo.
Now the new management removed Jerry from his position of CEO of Vector Automotive, but didn’t want to lose his design prowess so they gave him the opportunity the stay on as lead designer. Jerry was not happy with any of this and, well he sued. He could not do anything about his company, but he won back the design rights on the WX-3, the equipment and unsold stock. So this is where Vector and Jerry’s paths split.
Now Vector Under the guidance of Peter Stevens, known for his work on the McLaren F1, started working on the M12. Now since they could not use anything from the WX-3 they decided to develop the new car around the already successful diablo. Remember Megatech also aquired Lamborghini. Now The marriage of the Diablo chassis with a carbon-reinforced fiberglass body, reminiscent of the WX-3, birthed a peculiar-looking yet intriguing supercar.
The M12 made its grand entrance at the 1996 Detroit Motor Show. However, unlike its predecessor, the reception was lukewarm. The design, a fusion of Diablo features with Vector's eccentricity, did not strike the chord that the WX-3 had with enthusiasts. The elongated rear end, housing the powerful engine, gave the M12 a distinct yet polarizing appearance.
The heart of the M12 was the Bizzarrini-designed V12, a 5.7-liter powerhouse churning out 492 hp. While it shared the Diablo's engine configuration, the M12 lost some of the aircraft-inspired features that defined the W8. Now I will say it still wasn’t bad, I mean it’s a manual V12 supercar. Its difficult to make a boring Manual driven V12 supercar.
Anyways Performance-wise, the M12 was no slouch. With a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.8 seconds and a top speed of 189 mph, it was a formidable presence on the road. Yet, it fell short of the iconic Lamborghini Diablo in both speed and acclaim.
This meant that The M12 faced challenges in finding its market. Production was briefly halted due to a lack of demand, and just to show you exactly how bad it was, production was halted, because no one wanted one despite being priced nearly $40,000 cheaper than the Diablo. That’s bad. However, Vector persevered, eventually securing a few orders and resuming production.
In a bid to inject racing DNA, Vector converted a prototype into a race car with dreams of competing in the legendary 24 Hours of Le Mans. However Mechanical issues, unfortunately, thwarted this endeavor. Ultimately, only 14 M12s found buyers, with an additional 3 prototypes, including the race car.
As the new millennium approached, Vector faced financial turbulence. Megatech, having sold Lamborghini to the VW Group's Audi division, struggled to meet financial obligations, leading to Vector's bankruptcy. In a twist of fate, Jerry Wiegert, through legal battles, reclaimed Vector's assets. This part of the story makes me happy.

#supercar #Vector #M12 #WX3