Of all the upstart supercar companies that emerged in the 1980s and early 1990s, none was more compelling than Wilmington, California’s Vector.

Vector was established by Gerald Wiegert, an automotive industry veteran with experience at each of the Big Three in Detroit.

Wiegert initially built a prototype dubbed the W2, which was eventually refined into a full production model, the W8 Twin Turbo.

No corners were cut in the W8’s design, as it would be a supercar constructed using the most advanced technologies and cutting-edge materials.

Aerospace-grade components were used to build the 6.0-liter V-8, and the body incorporated carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass for structural rigidity.

A Vector W8 could run the quarter mile in 12 seconds at 124 mph, which was over two seconds faster than the Ferrari Testarossa, and could sprint to 60 mph from a standstill in 4.2 seconds.

Financial problems ultimately led Vector to close its doors after constructing just 17 production W8s.

Nevert...