Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: 1999 Vector M12 is still wedged in our inner twelve year-old minds]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/04/ebay-find-of-the-day-1999-vector-m12/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/04/ebay-find-of-the-day-1999-vector-m12/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/09/04/ebay-find-of-the-day-1999-vector-m12/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

1999 Vector M12 - click above image for hi-res gallery

Wow. No, make that whoa. Why? More rumor and myth than car, this here is an honest to goodness Vector M12. And its yours for the taking. Unsure as to what you're about to bid on? Here's the explanation. To those of us that grew on on A-Team and Knight Rider, the Lamborghini Countach was the most positively exotic automobile ever. Forget about reality (and reliability, livability, etc.), our biggest hopes and dreams involved us in a black Countach with Paulina Porizkova and /or Kathy Ireland riding shotgun. Not that we would have known what to do with either the car or the girl, but hey - we were twelve. But there was a dark side.

Vectors. They were like evil spirits. Something cooked up by the government in Area 51 using alien technology. And not just that regular old alien tech - we're talking the crazy stuff. You simply cannot imagine how impossibility AWESOME the Vector W2 was to a twelve-year-old mind. And you should have seen the jet fighter interior. It was like the space shuttle - the evil space shuttle. Then the W8 came out and it was still basically as nasty and mind bending. Then in the mid-Nineties, the M12 showed up, and well, the a little of the luster was lost.

We've heard some abso-fab stories - guns, cocaine, barricading one's self inside a building for 30 days - about what was going on at Vector in 1995. Suffice to say there was a very ugly battle between founder Jerry Wiegert and an Indonesian company called Megatech that hostilely took Vector over and canned Wiegert. As a result, the M12 never got the 1,200 hp twin-turbo 7.0-liter V8 (or the Wiegertian top speed of 250 mph) that was planned for the never released WX-3. The M12 did however get the WX-3's aesthetics, although in reality it was nothing more than a Lamborghini Diablo with a goofy looking fiberglass body, terrible three-spoke wheels, the lowest rent interior possibly imaginable - and it weighed 3,600 pounds.

But never mind all that - you're bidding on an genuine American-Italian hybrid supercar with a 490 hp 5.7-liter V12 that can hit 60 mph in 4.8 seconds on its way to a top speed of 190 mph. And this one has 3.900 miles on it. Not shabby in the slightest. And remember, counting the four pre-production examples, Vector only made eighteen M12s. Unlike the common-as-a-housefly W8 (fifty built). Besides, you know your inner twelve-year-old will never be at peace without a Vector. Happy bidding. A big thank you to Davis for the tip!


Gallery: Vector M12 on eBay

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[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: 1999 Vector M12 is still wedged in our inner twelve year-old minds originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Jerry WiegertJerryWiegertLamborghini DiabloLamborghiniDiabloM12VectorVector M12Vector W2Vector W8Vector WX-3VectorM12VectorW2VectorW8VectorWx-3Fri, 04 Sep 2009 13:28:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: Rare '69 DeTomaso Mangusta packs pedigree, Gurney engine]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/31/ebay-find-of-the-day-rare-69-detomaso-mangusta-packs-pedigree/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/31/ebay-find-of-the-day-rare-69-detomaso-mangusta-packs-pedigree/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/08/31/ebay-find-of-the-day-rare-69-detomaso-mangusta-packs-pedigree/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

1969 De Tomaso Mangusta with Gurney Eagle engine - Click above for high-res image gallery

American muscle. Italian design. Cadillac Allanté notwithstanding, that right there is a recipe for success. And few were ever as capable of straddling that divide with one foot in each of the best of both worlds as De Tomaso. Like modern-day Pagani, De Tomaso was founded by an Argentinean based in Modena, and the small automaker created some of the most exotic machinery of its day. Chief among them was the Mangusta - its Italian name means 'mongoose,' which might not seem as ferocious an animal to name a sportscar after as, say, a jaguar, viper or stingray, until you realize that the little rodents are known for eating cobras. Then the Mangusta's mission statement becomes a little clearer.

Like the later revival (which was subsequently sold under Qvale and then MG badges), to say nothing of its prey, the original Mangusta packed Ford V8 power: From 1967 through 1971, 400 Mangustas rolled out of the De Tomaso factory with 289s or 302s installed, out of which fewer than 200 are believed to still be around.

So it's not every day that one goes up for sale. And what you see here is no ordinary Mangusta, either. Its Boss 302 engine was retrofitted with race-spec cylinder heads and intake manifold sourced from Dan Gurney's legendary Eagle racer. The body, which comes on an original chassis separate from the engine in this eBay auction lot, has a touch of rust despite a restoration by celebrity garage Pino's Auto Body and it's painted Ferrari red. The stunning rosso exterior is complimented by a tan leather interior that even has a sterling-silver nameplate. This particular Mangusta once belonged to cosmetics heir and noted car collector Jack Nethercutt before passing into the hands of Vector founder Gerard Wiegert, giving this exceptional exotic an even more interesting pedigree. Check out the enormous gallery of images below and the auction listing after the link for more.


Gallery: 1969 DeTomaso Mangusta w/Gurney Eagle engine

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[Source: eBay Motors]

eBay Find of the Day: Rare '69 DeTomaso Mangusta packs pedigree, Gurney engine originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>1969 de tomaso mangusta1969DeTomasoMangustaalejandro de tomasoAlejandroDeTomasoboss 302Boss302dan gurneydan gurney eagleDanGurneyDanGurneyEaglede tomasode tomaso mangustade tomaso mangusta gurney eagleDeTomasoDeTomasoMangustaDeTomasoMangustaGurneyEagleebayebay find of the dayEbayFindOfTheDayfind of the dayFindOfTheDaygerard wiegertGerardWiegertgurneygurney eagleGurneyEaglejack nethercuttJackNethercuttmangustanethercuttvectorwiegertMon, 31 Aug 2009 13:00:00 EST<![CDATA[LA 2007: Vector Avtech WX-8 even worse in person, but there's hope]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/14/la-2007-vector-even-worse-in-person-but-theres-hope/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/14/la-2007-vector-even-worse-in-person-but-theres-hope/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/14/la-2007-vector-even-worse-in-person-but-theres-hope/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click image above for more pics of the Vector Avtech WX-8

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.

Gallery: Vector Avtech WX-8

LA 2007: Vector Avtech WX-8 even worse in person, but there's hope originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Avtech WX8AvtechWx8LA Auto ShowLA ShowLaAutoShowLaShowVectorVector Avtech WX8VectorAvtechWx8WX8Wed, 14 Nov 2007 20:34:00 EST<![CDATA[New Vector WX8 revives iconic American supercar name]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/13/new-vector-wx8-revives-iconic-american-supercar-name/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/13/new-vector-wx8-revives-iconic-american-supercar-name/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/13/new-vector-wx8-revives-iconic-american-supercar-name/#commentsFiled under: , , ,



If the name Gerald Weigert sounds familiar, you're probably a car nut of a certain age that remembers his travails trying to launch his pet supercar project, the Vector, back in the '70s, and the ensuing limited production run and financial difficulties during the '80s and early '90s. Originally powered by a turbocharged GM V8 in W8 guise, they eventually were fitted with a Lamborghini-sourced V12 in the M12 model. Fast forward to 2007, and the man that created quite a stir a generation ago with his All-American supercar is at it again. Vector Motors sent out a press release announcing their newest offering, the Vector Avtech WX8.

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.

We'll see the car at the LA Auto Show this week, but Jalopnik ran these photos which make it look a bit like a mid-engined previous gen Camaro. We're not sure if this is the final look or not, so we'll reserve judgment.

[Source: Vector Motors via Jalopnik]

Continue reading New Vector WX8 revives iconic American supercar name

New Vector WX8 revives iconic American supercar name originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:04:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Gerald WeigertGeraldWeigertVectorVector Avtech WX8Vector WX8VectorAvtechWx8VectorWx8WX8Tue, 13 Nov 2007 20:04:00 EST<![CDATA[Saab 9-5 Nordic Edition added to Euro range]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/08/saab-9-5-nordic-edition-added-to-euro-range/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/08/saab-9-5-nordic-edition-added-to-euro-range/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/08/saab-9-5-nordic-edition-added-to-euro-range/#commentsFiled under: , ,



Saab's offering up a Nordic Edition 9-5 for 2008, and no that doesn't mean an integrated sauna in the SportCombi and a complimentary copy of ABBA's Greatest Hits, alltför dålig. The package is available as an upgrade for mid-level Vector versions of the sedan and wagon, and consists of cosmetic, equipment, and comfort enhancements. Leather swathes the entire interior, which gets a better audio system, special metallic trim and an electrochromic rearview mirror. New 17-inch alloys fill out the wheel openings, and the roof rails get a nice matte finish, while the rest of the exterior gets a monochromatic treatment. Theres even two new exterior colors; Pepper Green sounds good enough to eat, while Snow Silver won out over Straw Goat Brown.

Press release after the jump.

[Source: SAAB]

Continue reading Saab 9-5 Nordic Edition added to Euro range

Saab 9-5 Nordic Edition added to Euro range originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 08 Sep 2007 09:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2008 saab2008Saab9-5aeroarcgmnordic editionNordicEditionsaabsaab 9-5Saab9-5sportkombivectorSat, 08 Sep 2007 09:25:00 EST<![CDATA[Return of the Vector Supercar? Could happen...]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/12/return-of-the-vector-supercar-could-happen/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/12/return-of-the-vector-supercar-could-happen/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/12/return-of-the-vector-supercar-could-happen/#commentsFiled under: ,


click above image to view additional high-res photos of the Vector V8 Biturbo concept

Who doesn't remember Vector Supercars and the original aerospace-inspired Vector domestic supercar? What about the W2, the W8, WX-3 and the swan song of the M12? Besides the Corvette, the Vector at most times during the '80s and early '90s was the only exotic car on the world market that was born and bred in the good old U.S. of A. Hardly any were ever sold and they remain rare pieces of our domestic auto history, but rumor that original Vector founder Gerald Wiegert is working on a new supercar have been hanging around the past few years. Whether or not that's true, we found these concept renderings of a Vector V8 Biturbo concept on a Romanian auto site and just had to share. They show off the angularity of the original Vectors in a thoroughly modern form, complete with scissor doors that feature the Vector's trademark below-the-beltline ancillary side windows. Who knows how much power this twin-turbo V8 makes or any other details about the rendered concept, but the fact these frames were even produced should tell Wiegert that there's definitely pent up interest for a Vector revival. If any one knows the artist who produced these renderings, drop us a line in the comments as we'd love to give credit where credit's due.

[Source: Automarket.ro]

Gallery: Vector V8 Biturbo Concept (renderings)

Return of the Vector Supercar? Could happen... originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 12 Mar 2007 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>VectorWiegertMon, 12 Mar 2007 18:33:00 EST