“Lingaliro ndilakuti munthu akhale ndi mbiri yabwino, osati kukwera kavalo,” anatero Gerald Wiegert ndi mawu ofewa komanso aukali. Purezidenti wa Vector Aeromotive alibe mwayi wosankha kavaloyu, ngakhale kuti wakhala akugwira ntchito kuyambira mu 1971 kupanga ndi kupanga Vector ya twin-turbo, galimoto yayikulu ya injini ziwiri yokhala ndi mahatchi 625 yokhala ndi mipando iwiri pogwiritsa ntchito zipangizo zamakono komanso ukadaulo wa aeronautics Aerospace systems. Kuyambira zojambula mpaka zitsanzo za thovu mpaka zitsanzo zonse, Vector adawonetsedwa koyamba ku Los Angeles Auto Expo mu 1976. Chitsanzo chogwira ntchito chinamalizidwa patatha zaka ziwiri, chopangidwa kuchokera kuzinthu zomwe zinasonkhanitsidwa m'mabwalo a zinyalala ndikutsukidwa kuchokera kuzinthu zina - kuti chiperekedwe m'nyumbamo. Anati chuma chofooka komanso kutsutsidwa kowononga kuchokera ku manyuzipepala a magalimoto kunachepetsa khama lopeza ndalama, ndipo maloto ake opanga ndege yomenyera pansi m'misewu amawoneka kuti ndi maloto chabe.
Wigt akuyenera kulandira mendulo yamtundu wina chifukwa cha kupirira, mtundu wina wa mphotho chifukwa cha kulimba mtima. Siyani zomwe zikuchitikazi, kunyalanyaza mizimu yolira ya maulendo olephera a Tucker, DeLorean ndi Bricklin. Vector Aeromotive Corp. ku Wilmington, Calif., potsiriza yakonzeka kupanga galimoto imodzi pa sabata. Otsutsa amangofunika kupita kumalo omaliza osonkhanitsira, komwe magalimoto awiri omwe tidawajambula akukonzekera kutumizidwa kwa eni ake atsopano ku Switzerland (Vector W8 twin-turbo yoyamba yopangidwa idagulitsidwa kwa kalonga waku Saudi, yemwe magalimoto ake 25, omwe akuphatikizaponso Porsche 959 ndi Bentley Turbo R). Ma Vector ena pafupifupi asanu ndi atatu akumangidwa m'magawo osiyanasiyana omalizidwa, kuyambira chassis yozungulira mpaka magalimoto omwe atsala pang'ono kumalizidwa.
Anthu omwe sanakhutirebe ayenera kudziwa kuti kampaniyo yakula kuchoka pa nyumba imodzi ndi antchito anayi mu 1988 kufika pa nyumba zinayi zokhala ndi malo okwana masikweya mita 35,000 komanso antchito pafupifupi 80 panthawiyo. Ndipo Vector yapambana mayeso abwino kwambiri a ngozi za DOT (mayeso a ngozi za 30 mph kutsogolo ndi kumbuyo, zitseko ndi denga ndi chassis imodzi yokha); kuyesa mpweya woipa kukuchitika. Yapeza ndalama zokwana $13 miliyoni kudzera m'magawo awiri a anthu ogulitsa kunja kwa kampani.
Koma padzuwa lotentha kwambiri masana ku malo owonetsera masewera a Pomona, Calif., chikhulupiriro chachikulu cha Wigt chinaonekera. Galimoto yonyamula magalimoto awiri a Vector W8 TwinTurbos inadutsa msewu waukulu wa phula kupita ku malo otsetsereka. Magalimoto awiri opangidwa adatsitsidwa, ndipo mkonzi wa mayeso a pamsewu Kim Reynolds adayika imodzi mwa izo ndi kompyuta yathu yoyesera mawilo asanu ndi awiri komanso ya msewu pokonzekera mayeso oyamba a Auto Magazine.
Kuyambira mu 1981, Wachiwiri kwa Purezidenti wa Uinjiniya wa Vector, David Kostka, wapereka upangiri wamomwe mungakwaniritsire nthawi yabwino kwambiri yofulumizitsa. Pambuyo poyesa kozolowereka, Kim akukankhira Vector pamzere woyambira ndikuyikanso kompyuta yoyesera.
Mawonekedwe oda nkhawa anaonekera pankhope pa Kostka. Ziyenera kukhala choncho. Zaka khumi akugwira ntchito maola 12 patsiku, masiku asanu ndi awiri pa sabata, pafupifupi gawo limodzi mwa magawo atatu a moyo wake wodzuka—osatchulanso gawo lalikulu la moyo wake—anadzipereka ku galimoto.
Sayenera kuda nkhawa. Kim akuika phazi lake pa mabuleki, amasankha giya loyamba ndipo amagwiritsa ntchito throttle kuti awonjezere mphamvu ya drivetrain. Kulira kwa injini ya 6.0-lita all-aluminium V-8 ndi kwakukulu, ndipo mluzu wa Garrett turbocharger ukugwirizana ndi kulira kwa lamba wowonjezera wa mtundu wa Gilmer. Brake yakumbuyo ikumenyana nkhondo yotayika ndi mphamvu ya V-8 ndi mainchesi akutsogolo a galimotoyo, ikusuntha tether yakutsogolo yotsekedwa panjira. Ndi fanizo la bulldog wokwiya akukoka galimoto yake.
Mabuleki anatulutsidwa ndipo Vector inachoka ndi kuzungulira pang'ono kwa gudumu, utsi wochokera ku Michelin wonenepa komanso pang'ono. M'kuphethira kwa diso - masekondi 4.2 pang'ono - imafika pa liwiro la 60 mph, mphindi zochepa zisanachitike kusintha kwa 1-2. Vector imadutsa mwachangu ngati Can-Am yayikulu, ikupitiliza kuthamanga pansi pa msewu ndi mphamvu yowonjezera. Mphepo ya mchenga ndi zinyalala zozungulira zimalowa mu vacuum pamene mawonekedwe ake ofanana ndi a wedge akuswa mpata mumlengalenga. Ngakhale pafupifupi kotala la kilomita, phokoso la injini linkamvekabe pamene galimotoyo inkadutsa mumsampha. Liwiro la 124.0 mph m'masekondi 12.0 okha.
Koloko 12 koloko. Chiwerengero chimenecho chimaika Vector patsogolo kwambiri pa magalimoto ena monga Acura NSX (masekondi 14.0), Ferrari Testarossa (masekondi 14.2) ndi Corvette ZR-1 (masekondi 13.4). Kuthamanga kwake ndi liwiro lake kunalowa mu kilabu yapadera kwambiri, ndipo mamembala ake ndi Ferrari F40 ndi Lamborghini Diablo yosayesedwa. Umembala uli ndi zabwino zake, komanso uli ndi mtengo wake; Vector W8 TwinTurbo imagulitsidwa pamtengo wa $283,750, yokwera mtengo kuposa Lamborghini ($211,000) koma yochepera Ferrari (F40 yodziwika ku US imawononga pafupifupi $400,000).
Ndiye n’chiyani chimapangitsa Vector W8 kukhala yosangalatsa? Kuti ndiyankhe funso langa lililonse ndikuyendetsa bwino malo a Vector, Mark Bailey ndi VP of Production, wakale wantchito wa Northrop komanso wakale wopikisana naye pa mzere wa Can-Am.
Akuloza malo oikira injini ya Vector yomwe ikupangidwa, iye anati, “Si mota yaying'ono yomwe yapotoka mpaka kufa. Ndi mota yayikulu yomwe sigwira ntchito molimbika.”
Pushrod V-8 ya malita asanu ndi limodzi yokhala ndi aluminiyamu yonse ya madigiri 90, yopangidwa ndi Rodeck, mutu wa silinda wa ma valve awiri wopangidwa ndi Air Flow Research. Ma block ataliatali adasonkhanitsidwa ndipo dynamometer idayesedwa ndi Shaver Specialties ku Torrance, CA. Kaya zingafunike chiyani; mndandanda wa zida za injini umawerengedwa ngati mndandanda wa Khirisimasi wa woyendetsa ring racer: Ma piston opangidwa ndi TRW, ndodo zolumikizira zachitsulo chosapanga dzimbiri za Carrillo, ma valve achitsulo chosapanga dzimbiri, manja a roller rocker, ma crank opangidwa ndi forged, ouma ndi zosefera zitatu zosiyana Makina odzaza mafuta a mafuta. Mtolo wa payipi yachitsulo chosapanga dzimbiri yolukidwa yokhala ndi zolumikizira zofiira ndi zabuluu zodzoladzola zonyamulira madzi kulikonse.
Ulemerero waukulu wa injini iyi uli mu cholumikizira chake chowonekera cha intercooler, chomwe chimapangidwa ndi aluminiyamu ndikupukutidwa kuti chikhale chowala kwambiri. Chikhoza kuchotsedwa mgalimoto mumphindi zochepa pomasula ma clamp anayi otulutsa mpweya mwachangu. Chimalumikizidwa ku Garrett turbocharger yoziziritsidwa ndi madzi awiri ndipo chimakhala ndi gawo la pakati pa galimoto ndi impeller ndi nyumba yokhazikika ya ndege.
Kuyatsa kumayendetsedwa ndi ma coil osiyana pa silinda iliyonse, ndipo kutumiza mafuta kumachitika kudzera mu jakisoni wotsatira wa ma port angapo, pogwiritsa ntchito ma injector apadera ochokera ku gulu la Bosch Research&D. Spark ndi mafuta zimayendetsedwa ndi makina oyang'anira injini a Vector.
Ma plate oikirapo okongola ngati injini yokha amaikamo mbali imodzi ya chitseko. Chikwama cha aluminiyamu chopangidwa ndi buluu chokongoletsedwa ndi anodized komanso chokongoletsedwa, chimodzi chimayikidwa mbali yowonjezera ya block ndipo china chimagwiranso ntchito ngati mbale ya adapter ya injini/transmission. Transmission iyi ndi GM Turbo Hydra-matic, yomwe imagwiritsidwa ntchito ndi V-8 powered front-drive Olds Toronado ndi Cadillac Eldorado m'zaka za m'ma 70. Koma pafupifupi gawo lililonse mu transmission ya 3-speed limapangidwa ndi Vector subcontractors pogwiritsa ntchito zipangizo zomwe zimatha kupirira 630 lb-ft. Torque yopangidwa ndi injiniyi pa 4900 rpm ndi 7.0 psi boost.
Mark Bailey anali wokondwa pamene ankandiyendetsa m'sitolo yopangira zinthu, akundionetsa chimango chachikulu cha chitsulo cha chrome-molybdenum, pansi pa aluminiyamu, ndi epoxy-bond ndikukokedwa ku chimango kuti apange chimango cholimba. Chipepala cha aluminiyamu m'dera lotulutsa chipolopolo. Anafotokoza kuti: "Ngati [kapangidwe kake] kanali ka monocoque, mukanakokedwa kwambiri ndipo zikanakhala zovuta kumanga molondola. Ngati kali konse kamango, mukanagunda dera limodzi ndikukhudza china chilichonse chifukwa chubu chilichonse. Ma subs amatenga chilichonse." Thupi lake limapangidwa ndi ulusi wa kaboni wosiyanasiyana, Kevlar, mphasa za fiberglass, ndi fiberglass yolunjika, ndipo silimapanikizika ndi kapangidwe kake.
Chassis yolimba imatha kunyamula bwino zinthu zambiri zoyimitsidwa. Vector imagwiritsa ntchito mikono iwiri ya A kutsogolo ndi chubu chachikulu cha De Dion kumbuyo, choyikidwa ndi mikono inayi yotsatizana yomwe imafika mpaka ku firewall. Ma shock absorbers osinthika a Koni okhala ndi ma spring ozungulira amagwiritsidwa ntchito kwambiri. Mabuleki ndi akuluakulu mainchesi 13. Ma disc opumira mpweya okhala ndi Alcon aluminiyamu 4-piston calipers. Ma wheel bearing ndi ofanana ndi omwe amagwiritsidwa ntchito pa 3800 lbs. Galimoto ya NASCAR, chipolopolo cha aluminiyamu chopangidwa ndi makina chimawoneka ngati mainchesi a khofi. Palibe chidutswa chilichonse cha chassis chomwe chili chosakwanira, kapena chokwanira.
Ulendo wa fakitale unatenga tsiku lonse. Panali zambiri zoti ndione ndipo Bailey anagwira ntchito molimbika kuti andionetse mbali zonse za opaleshoniyi. Ndiyenera kubwerera ndikuyendetsa galimoto.
Loweruka linafika, ndipo galimoto yopangidwa ndi imvi yomwe tinayesa inaitana ndi chitseko chotambasulidwa. Kulowa ndi ntchito yovuta kwa anthu osadziwa zambiri, yokhala ndi malire ochepa komanso malo ochepa pakati pa mpando ndi kutsogolo kwa chitseko. David Kostka amagwiritsa ntchito kukumbukira minofu kuti adutse pampando ndikulowa pampando wa okwera ndi chisomo cha gymnastic; ndinagwada pampando wa dalaivala ngati nswala yobadwa kumene.
Mpweya umanunkhiza ngati chikopa, chifukwa pafupifupi malo onse amkati ali ndi chikopa, kupatulapo dashboard yayikulu, yomwe imapangidwa ndi nsalu yopyapyala ya suede. Pansi pa kapeti ya ubweya wa Wilton ndi yathyathyathya, zomwe zimapangitsa kuti ma Recaros osinthika ndi magetsi aziyikidwa mkati mwa mainchesi angapo kuchokera kwa wina ndi mnzake. Malo okhala pakati amalola miyendo ya woyendetsa kugunda ma pedal molunjika, ngakhale kuti kulowerera kwa mawilo ndi kwakukulu.
Injini yaikulu imayamba kugwira ntchito potembenuza kiyi koyamba, ndikukhazikika mpaka 900 rpm osagwira ntchito. Ntchito zofunika kwambiri za injini ndi kutumiza zimawonetsedwa pa zomwe Vector imatcha "chowonetsera cha electroluminescent chosinthika cha ndege" - zomwe zikutanthauza kuti pali zowonetsera zinayi zosiyanasiyana. Mosasamala kanthu za chophimba, pali chizindikiro chosankha magiya kumanzere kwake. Zipangizo - kuyambira ma tachometers mpaka ma pyrometers awiri otentha - ali ndi chowonetsera cha "tepi yosuntha" chomwe chimayenda molunjika kudzera mu pointer yokhazikika, komanso chowonetsera cha digito pazenera la pointer. Kostka akufotokoza momwe gawo la tepi yosuntha limaperekera chidziwitso cha kusintha kwa liwiro komwe zowonetsera za digito zokha sizingathe. Ndinagunda accelerator kuti ndione zomwe amatanthauza, ndipo ndinawona tepi ikudumpha mozungulira singano mpaka pafupifupi 3000 rpm, kenako ndinabwerera ku idle.
Nditagwira chogwirira chosinthira, ndinalowa mkati mwa zenera kumanzere kwanga, ndinabwerera m'mbuyo ndikubwerera mumsewu modzidzimutsa. Titasankha njira yoyendera, tinapita m'misewu ya Wilmington kupita ku San Diego Freeway kupita kumapiri pamwamba pa Malibu.
Monga momwe zilili ndi zinthu zambiri za Exotics, mawonekedwe akumbuyo saoneka bwino, ndipo Vector ili ndi malo osawoneka bwino omwe Ford Crown Victoria imatha kuwayika mosavuta. Talitsani khosi lanu. Kudzera m'ma shutters opapatiza a hood, ndimatha kuwona galasi lakutsogolo ndi antenna ya galimoto kumbuyo kwanga. Magalasi akunja ndi ang'onoang'ono koma ali pamalo abwino, koma ndikofunikira kusunga nthawi yokumana ndi mapu a magalimoto ozungulira. Kutsogolo, mwina galasi lalikulu kwambiri padziko lonse lapansi limatambasuka ndikuyandikira dashboard, zomwe zimapangitsa kuti muwone bwino phula lomwe lili pamtunda wa mamita angapo patsogolo pa galimotoyo.
Chowongolera ndi njira yoyendetsera galimoto yothandizidwa ndi mphamvu yomwe ndi yopepuka pang'ono komanso yolondola kwambiri. Koma vuto ndi lakuti, palibe kudzidalira kwambiri, zomwe zimapangitsa kuti anthu osazolowera azigwirizana. Poyerekeza, mabuleki osathandizidwa amafunika mphamvu zambiri—mapaundi 50 pa kuyimitsa kwathu kwa 0.5g mita—kuti achepetse mapaundi 3320. Vekitala kuchokera pa liwiro. Mtunda wochokera pa 80 mph mpaka 250 mapazi ndi kuyambira 60 mph mpaka 145 mapazi ndi mtunda wabwino kwambiri wa Ferrari Testarossa—ngakhale kuti Redhead imagwiritsa ntchito theka la kuthamanga kwa pedal kuti ichotse liwiro. Ngakhale popanda ABS (dongosolo lomwe lidzapezeka pamapeto pake), kuyimitsa kumakhala kowongoka komanso kowona, ndipo kupendekera kumayikidwa kuti kutseke matayala akutsogolo patsogolo pa matayala akumbuyo.
Kostka analowera ku msewu waukulu wolowera panjira, ndikuvomereza, ndipo posakhalitsa tinali mumsewu wopita kumpoto pang'ono. Mipata inayamba kuonekera pakati pa magalimoto, zomwe zinavumbula msewu wotseguka wothamanga. Malinga ndi upangiri wa David, ndinaika zilolezo ndi ziwalo za galimoto pachiwopsezo. Ndinakankhira chogwirira cha gear lever pansi pafupifupi inchi imodzi mkati mwa msewu, kenako ndinachikoka, kuchokera ku Drive kupita ku 2. Popeza injini inali pafupi kukweza mphamvu, ndinaphwanya pedal yayikulu ya aluminiyamu kupita ku bulkhead yakutsogolo.
Kenako pamabwera kuthamanga kwa magazi komwe kumakakamiza magazi mu ubongo kupita kumbuyo kwa chigaza; mtundu womwe umakupangitsani kuyang'ana kwambiri pamsewu womwe uli patsogolo, chifukwa mudzafika pamene mukuyetsemula. Galimoto yoyendetsedwa ndi magetsi imalowerera pafupifupi 7 psi, ndikutulutsa mphamvu ndi swish yapadera. Gundani mabuleki kachiwiri; ndikukhulupirira kuti sindinamuwopseze munthu amene ali mu Datsun B210 yomwe ili patsogolo panga. Mwatsoka, sitingathe kubwereza izi mwachangu pamsewu wopanda malire popanda mantha apolisi.
Poona kuthamanga kwa W8 kodabwitsa komanso mawonekedwe ake okongola, n'zosavuta kukhulupirira kuti idzafika pa 200 mph. Komabe, Kostka akuti mzere wofiira wachitatu ndi wotheka - kufika pa 218 mph (kuphatikizapo kukula kwa matayala). Tsoka ilo, tidzayenera kudikira tsiku lina kuti titsimikizire izi, chifukwa kuyendetsa bwino kwa magalimoto agalimoto kukukonzedwabe.
Pambuyo pake, pamene tinkayendetsa galimoto mumsewu waukulu wa Pacific Coast, khalidwe la Vector lodziwika bwino linayamba kuonekera. Limaoneka laling'ono komanso losavuta kuyenda kuposa kukula kwake kwakukulu komanso kapangidwe kake kokongola. Kuyimitsa galimoto kumanyamula matumphu ang'onoang'ono mosavuta, akuluakulu amakhala odekha (ndipo chofunika kwambiri, alibe matumphu), ndipo limakhala lolimba, lovuta pang'ono kuyenda lomwe limandikumbutsa za Nissan 300ZX Turbo yathu ya nthawi yayitali, yokhazikika pa valavu yopopera ya Tour. Onani kuti kutentha ndi kupsinjika konse ndi kwabwinobwino.
Kutentha mkati mwa Vector Black kuli kotentha pang'ono, koma "Kodi galimoto iyi ili ndi mpweya woziziritsa?" Ndinafunsa ndi mawu amphamvu kuposa masiku onse. David anagwedeza mutu ndikudina batani pa chowongolera chowongolera mpweya. Mpweya woziziritsa wabwino kwambiri ndi wosowa m'galimoto yachilendo, koma mpweya wozizira umaphulika nthawi yomweyo kuchokera m'mabowo akuda a maso.
Posakhalitsa tinatembenukira kumpoto kupita kumapiri ndi misewu yovuta ya canyon. Pa mayeso a tsiku lapitalo, Vector inapanga magalamu 0.97 pa skateboard ya Pomona, chiwerengero chachikulu kwambiri chomwe tidalembapo pa china chilichonse kupatula galimoto yampikisano. Pamisewu iyi, malo akuluakulu a matayala a Michelin XGT Plus (kutsogolo kwa 255/45ZR-16s, kumbuyo kwa 315/40ZR-16s) amalimbikitsa chidaliro chachikulu. Kuzungulira m'makona ndi mwachangu komanso kowala, ndipo mawonekedwe ozungulira m'makona ndi abwino kwambiri. Zingwe zazikulu za galasi lakutsogolo zimatilepheretsa kuwona pamwamba pa ngodya zazing'ono zomwe tidakumana nazo, komwe Vector ya mainchesi 82.0 imamveka ngati ng'ombe m'sitolo yaku China. Galimotoyo imafuna kutembenuka kwakukulu, komwe throttle imatha kugwiridwa pansi ndipo mphamvu yake yayikulu ndi kugwira kwake zitha kugwiritsidwa ntchito molondola komanso molimba mtima. Sizovuta kuganiza kuti tikuyendetsa Porsche yothamanga kwambiri pamene tikuthamanga m'makona akuluakulu awa.
Peter Schutz, wapampando komanso CEO wa Porsche kuyambira 1981 mpaka 1988 komanso membala wa bungwe lolangiza la Vector kuyambira 1989, sangakane kufananiza kumeneku. "Zili ngati kupanga 962 kapena 956 kuposa kupanga galimoto iliyonse," adatero. "Ndipo ndikuganiza kuti galimoto iyi ndi yoposa ukadaulo womwe ndinali nawo pochita mpikisano kumayambiriro kwa zaka za m'ma 1980." Zikomo kwa Gerald Wiegert ndi gulu lake la mainjiniya odzipereka, komanso kwa ena onse omwe anali ndi khama komanso kutsimikiza mtima kuti maloto awo akhale amoyo.