“Igitekerezo ni ukubaka izina, ntabwo ari ukugendera ku ifarashi,” Gerald Wigert yavuze mu ijwi ryoroheje kandi rikarishye. Perezida wa Vector Aeromotive Corporation ntabwo afite amahirwe nk’aya ya nyuma, nubwo kuva mu 1971 yatangiye gushushanya no kubaka Vector twin-turbo, supercar ikomeye ifite imbaraga 625, ifite imyanya ibiri, ikoresha moteri hagati ikoresheje ibikoresho bigezweho n’ikoranabuhanga rya sisitemu zo mu kirere. Kuva ku bishushanyo kugeza ku byuma by’ifuro kugeza ku byuma byuzuye, Vector yerekanwe bwa mbere mu imurikagurisha ry’imodoka rya Los Angeles ryo mu 1976. Nyuma y’imyaka ibiri, harangiye igishushanyo mbonera cy’imodoka, giteranywa mu bice byakusanyijwe mu myanda bigasukurwa ibice, kugira ngo gitange ibikoresho byo mu nzu. Yavuze ko ubukungu buke n’imvugo mbi mu itangazamakuru ry’imodoka byatesheje agaciro imbaraga zo kubona inkunga, mu gihe inzozi ze zo kubaka indege irwanira ku butaka mu mihanda zisa n’aho zigomba kuba impamo.
Wigt akwiye umudari wo kwihangana, ubwoko bw'ibihembo byo kwihangana gusa. Irinde iki gikorwa wirengagije imyuka ivuza induru y'ingendo za Tucker, DeLorean na Bricklin zananiwe. Vector Aeromotive Corporation i Wilmington, muri Kaliforuniya yiteguye gukora imodoka imwe mu cyumweru. Abahanganye bagomba gusura gusa ahantu ha nyuma ho guteranyirizwa, aho ebyiri mu modoka twafotoye zari zirimo gutegurwa kugira ngo zoherezwe ba nyirazo bashya mu Busuwisi (Vector W8 ya mbere yakozwe mu buryo bwa twin-turbo yagurishijwe igikomangoma cyo muri Arabiya Sawudite, aho imodoka 25 zari zirimo na Porsche 959 na Bentley Turbo R). Izindi Vector zigera ku munani ziri kubakwa mu byiciro bitandukanye byo kurangiza, kuva kuri chassis igendanwa kugeza ku modoka ziri hafi kurangiza.
Abatarabyemera bagomba kumenya ko ikigo cyavuye ku nyubako imwe n'abakozi bane mu 1988 kigera ku nyubako enye zifite ubuso burenga metero kare 35.000 n'abakozi hafi 80 mu gihe cy'iyi nyandiko. Kandi Vector yatsinze ibizamini byiza cyane bya DOT (ibizamini by'impanuka za DOT ku buryo bwa 30 mph imbere n'inyuma, inzugi n'igisenge bifite chassis imwe gusa); ibizamini by'ibyuka bihumanya ikirere birakomeje. Yakusanyije imari irenga miliyoni 13 z'amadolari y'Amerika binyuze mu bicuruzwa bibiri bya OTC bya leta.
Ariko munsi y'izuba ryinshi rya saa sita ku kibuga cy'imurikagurisha cya Pomona, muri Kaliforuniya, igikorwa cya nyuma cy'ukwizera kwa Wigt cyaragaragaye. Ikamyo ifite moteri ebyiri za Vector W8 TwinTurbo yambukiranya umuhanda munini wa kaburimbo igana ku muhanda ukururwa. Imodoka ebyiri zakorewe igerageza zari zapakuruwe maze umwanditsi w'igerageza ry'umuhanda Kim Reynolds ashyira imwe kuri mudasobwa yacu y'amapine ya gatanu na mudasobwa y'igerageza ry'umuhanda mu rwego rwo kwitegura ikizamini cya mbere cy'umusaruro cya Auto Magazine.
Kuva mu 1981, David Kostka, Visi Perezida wa Vector ushinzwe Ubuhanga, yatanze inama ku buryo bwo kubona ibihe byiza byo gukoresha. Nyuma yo gupima ibintu bisanzwe, Kim asunika Vector ku murongo wo hagati hanyuma asubiza mudasobwa y'igerageza ku murongo.
Kostya yagaragaye afite isura ihangayikishije. Bigomba kuba ari byo. Imyaka icumi akora amasaha 12 ku munsi, iminsi irindwi mu cyumweru, hafi kimwe cya gatatu cy'ubuzima bwe bwo kuba maso, tutibagiwe n'igice kinini cy'ubugingo bwe, yagenewe imashini.
Nta cyo afite cyo guhangayika. Kim akandagira kuri pedali ya feri, ahitamo verisiyo ya mbere, hanyuma akandagira kuri pedali ya gazi kugira ngo ashyiremo transmission. Urusaku rwa moteri ya V-8 ya litiro 6.0 ikora aluminiyumu yose rurakomeye cyane, kandi ijwi rya Garrett turbocharger rihuye n'ijwi ry'umukandara wo mu bwoko bwa Gilmer. Feri y'inyuma irwana intambara ikomeye irimo torque ya V-8 n'imodoka ifite uruziga rw'imbere, ikanashyira insinga y'imbere ifunze mu muhanda. Ibi ni nk'imbwa y'umukara ikurura imodoka yayo.
Feri zararekuwe maze Vector irahaguruka igenda buhoro, ipfuka umwotsi uturutse kuri Michelin nini ndetse ikagira uruhande ruto. Mu kanya gato k'ijisho - amasegonda 4.2 - yihuta cyane igera kuri 60 mph, mbere gato y'uko ihinduka 1-2. Vector iranyura nk'imodoka nini yitwa Can-Am, ikomeza kwiruka mu nzira irushaho gushyuha. Umucanga n'ibisigazwa by'amazi biri mu kirere mu buryo bw'umwuka mu gihe imiterere yayo isa n'iy'agace gato ishotora umwobo mu kirere. Nubwo yari hafi metero 150, urusaku rwa moteri rwari rucyumvikana ubwo imodoka yanyuraga mu mutego. Umuvuduko wa 124.0 mph mu masegonda 12.0 gusa.
Saa kumi n'ebyiri. Dukurikije iyi mibare, Vector iri imbere cyane ku zindi modoka zikomeye nka Acura NSX (amasegonda 14.0), Ferrari Testarossa (amasegonda 14.2) na Corvette ZR-1 (amasegonda 13.4). Kwihuta kwayo n'umuvuduko byayo byinjiye mu ikipe yihariye, aho Ferrari F40 na Lamborghini Diablo itarageragezwa ari abanyamuryango. Ubunyamuryango bufite inyungu zabwo, ariko bufite n'ibiciro byabwo: Vector W8 TwinTurbo igurishwa $283.750, ihenze kurusha Lamborghini ($211.000) ariko iri munsi ya Ferrari (verisiyo ya F40 yo muri Amerika igura hafi $400.000).
None se ni iki gituma Vector W8 ikora? Kugira ngo nsubize buri kibazo cyanjye no kunsura mu kigo cya Vector, Mark Bailey, Visi Perezida w’Uruganda, wahoze ari umukozi wa Northrop akaba n’uwahoze ari umunyamuryango wa Can-Am, yansabye kunsura.
Yerekeje ku ruhande rw'ikigega cya moteri cya Vector kiri kubakwa, yagize ati: “Iyi si moteri ntoya yazimye. Ni moteri nini idakora cyane.”
Imashini ya litiro esheshatu ya aluminiyumu ifite dogere 90 V-8, Rodeck yakoze, umutwe wa silinda ifite valve ebyiri. Imashini ndende zateranijwe kandi zageragejwe na Shaver Specialties i Torrance, muri California. Kubera ko ari ngombwa, urutonde rw'ibice bya moteri rusa n'urutonde rwa Noheli rw'abasiganwa ku magare: Piston za TRW zikozwe mu byuma bitagira umugese, inkoni zihuza ibyuma bitagira umugese bya Carrillo, valves z'ibyuma bitagira umugese, amaboko ya roller rocker, inkoni zihuza ibyuma bitagira umugese, amavuta yumye afite filters eshatu zitandukanye. Ipaki y'icyuma ifite ibikoresho bitukura n'ubururu bya anodized kugira ngo bitware amazi ahantu hose.
Intsinzi ikomeye y'iyi moteri ni icyuma gikonjesha gifunguye gikozwe muri aluminiyumu kandi gikozwe mu buryo bwa porishi kikarabagirana cyane. Gishobora gukurwa mu modoka mu minota mike binyuze mu gupfundura udukingirizo tune tw'ikirere dusohora vuba. Gifatanye na turbocharger ebyiri za Garrett zikonjeshejwe n'amazi kandi kigizwe n'igice cyo hagati cy'imodoka, impeller n'agasanduku by'indege byihariye.
Gutwika bicungwa n'imiyoboro itandukanye kuri buri cylinder, kandi lisansi itangwa binyuze mu nzira nyinshi zikoresha injectors zikozwe mu itsinda rya Bosch. Gutanga lisansi n'ibikomoka kuri lisansi bihuzwa na sisitemu yihariye yo gucunga moteri ya Vector.
Amasahani yo gushyiramo ni meza cyane nka moteri ubwayo, ayishyira ku ruhande rw'aho iherereye. Ifite icyuma cya aluminiyumu cy'ubururu gikozwe mu buryo bwa anodized kandi gikozwe mu buryo bwa embossed, kimwe gishyirwa ku ruhande rwo hasi rw'aho ikoreshwa naho ikindi gikoreshwa nk'icyuma gikoresha moteri/adaptateri. Itumanaho ni GM Turbo Hydra-matic, yakoreshejwe mu modoka za Olds Toronado na Cadillac Eldorado V-8s mu myaka ya za 70. Ariko hafi ya buri gice cy'itumanaho rya 3-speed cyakozwe n'abashinzwe Vector hamwe n'ibikoresho bishobora gutwara 630 lb-ft. Torque yakozwe na moteri kuri 4900 rpm na 7.0 psi boost.
Mark Bailey yantembereje mu buryo bushyushye mu igorofa ryakorerwagamo, anyereka icyuma kinini cya chrome-molybdenum, hasi hakozwe muri aluminiyumu, na epoxy kole ku gitereko kugira ngo habeho urupapuro rwa aluminiyumu mu gice cy’igikonoshwa gikomeye cyakuwemo. Yasobanuye ati: “Niba [igishushanyo] cyose ari monocoque, ubona ibintu byinshi bihinduka kandi biragoye kucyubaka neza. Niba ari icyuma cyuzuye, ukubita agace kamwe hanyuma ukagira ingaruka ku bindi byose, kuko buri muyoboro wose ufata byose” Umubiri ugizwe n’ingano zitandukanye za fibre ya karuboni, kevlar, fiberglass mats, na fiberglass imwe, kandi nta voltage ihari.
Chassis ikomeye ishobora guhangana neza n'imizigo iva mu bice binini byo guhagarara. Vector ikoresha amaboko abiri ya A imbere n'umuyoboro munini wa De Dion inyuma, ishyizwe ku maboko ane akurikira agera hasi ku muriro w'umuriro. Ibikoresho bigabanya umuvuduko bya Koni bifite amasoko yo hagati bikoreshwa cyane. Feri nini ifite santimetero 13. Disiki zifite umwuka zikoresha Alcon aluminum 4-piston calipers. Amapine y'ibiziga asa n'ayakoreshwa ku biro 3800. Imodoka isanzwe ya NASCAR, igisenge cy'ibiziga bya aluminiyumu gisa n'umurambararo w'agacupa ka kawa. Nta gice cya chassis kidakwiye cyangwa ngo gihagije.
Urugendo rw'uruganda rwamaze umunsi wose. Hari byinshi byo kureba kandi Bailey yakoze cyane kugira ngo anyereke buri kimwe mu bikorwa. Ngomba gusubirayo ngasubirayo.
Hari ku wa Gatandatu, maze imashini y'igerageza y'umukara yaduhamagara ikoresheje urugi rwayo rufunguye. Kwinjira mu kazu ni ikibazo ku batabizi, gifite imigozi iringaniye n'umwanya muto hagati y'intebe n'imbere y'urugi. David Kostka akoresha ubwenge bwe bwo kwibuka imitsi kugira ngo azamuke hejuru y'urugi rw'idirishya afite ubwiza bwa siporo mu ntebe y'umugenzi, maze njye nzamuka mu ntebe y'umushoferi nk'impongo ivutse.
Umwuka uhumura nk'uruhu, kuko hafi ya hose imbere hatwikiriwe n'uruhu, usibye agakoresho kanini gakozwe mu gikoresho, gakozwe mu gitambaro gito cya suede. Tapi ya Wilton y'ubwoya irarambuye rwose, ituma Recaros zishobora guhindurwamo amashanyarazi zishyirwa hagati ya santimetero. Aho intebe zo hagati zihagarara neza bituma ibirenge by'umushoferi bihagarara neza ku mapedali, nubwo umurambararo w'uruziga ugaragara cyane.
Moteri nini iratangira gukora neza iyo urufunguzo ruzungurutse bwa mbere, rukora ku muvuduko wa 900 rpm. Imikorere y'ingenzi ya moteri n'uburyo bwo kohereza amakuru bigaragara ku cyo Vector yise "ikimenyetso cy'amashanyarazi gisubirwamo mu buryo bw'indege," bivuze ko hari ecran enye zitandukanye z'amakuru. Uko ecran yaba iri kose, hari ikimenyetso cyo guhitamo ibikoresho ibumoso. Ibikoresho bitandukanye kuva kuri tachometers kugeza kuri pyrometers ebyiri z'ubushyuhe bw'ibyuka bifite ecran "igenda" inyura hejuru y'ikimenyetso gihamye, ndetse n'ikimenyetso cy'ikoranabuhanga mu idirishya ry'ikimenyetso. Kostka asobanura uburyo igice cyimuka cya kaseti gitanga amakuru y'igipimo cy'impinduka amasegiteri ya digitale adashobora gutanga. Nakandagiye accelerator kugira ngo ndebe icyo yashakaga kuvuga maze mbona kaseti izamuka ikagera kuri 3000 rpm hanyuma isubira inyuma ikora ubusa.
Nafashe agakoresho ko gusimbuza kari gafite ipamba, gashyizwe mu idirishya ry'ibumoso bwanjye, maze nsubira inyuma nitonze. Twahisemo umuhanda, twerekeza mu mihanda ya Wilmington tujya ku muhanda munini wa San Diego no mu misozi iri hejuru ya Malibu.
Nkuko bimeze ku modoka nyinshi zidasanzwe, kureba inyuma ntabwo bihari, kandi Vector ifite ahantu hatagaragara Ford Crown Victoria ishobora kwakira byoroshye. Rambura ijosi ryawe. Unyuze mu madirishya magufi y'inyuma, icyo nabonaga gusa ni ikirahuri cy'imodoka n'antene y'imodoka inyuma yanjye. Indorerwamo zo hanze ni nto ariko zishyizwe ahantu heza, ariko birakwiye ko duteganya gahunda yo kubonana n'imodoka zikikije. Imbere, ahari ikirahuri kinini cyane ku isi cyagutse kandi gihuzwa na dashboard, gitanga ishusho yimbitse ya kaburimbo iri muri metero nke uvuye ku modoka.
Iyobora ni icyuma gikoresha imbaraga nyinshi, gifite uburemere buringaniye kandi gitanga ubuziranenge buhebuje. Ku rundi ruhande, nta kwishyira hejuru cyane kuri hano, bituma bigora abantu batamenyereye kumvikana. Ugereranije, feri zidakoresha imbaraga nyinshi zisaba imbaraga nyinshi—ibiro 50 kuri garama 0.5 kuri metero—kugira ngo zigabanuke ibiro 3.320. Vector kuva ku muvuduko. Intera iri hagati ya 80 mph na 250 mph na 60 mph na 145 feet ni zo ntera nziza kuri Ferrari Testarossa, nubwo Redhead ikoresha hafi kimwe cya kabiri cy'umuvuduko kuri pedal kugira ngo igabanye umuvuduko. Nubwo idafite ABS (uburyo bugomba gutangwa amaherezo), ibirenge biragororotse kandi biragororotse, hamwe n'aho bifungirana amapine y'imbere imbere y'inyuma.
Kostka yerekeje aho imodoka zisohokera mu muhanda munini, ndabyemera, maze bidatinze twisanga mu modoka ituje yerekeza mu majyaruguru. Icyuho cyatangiye kugaragara hagati y'imodoka, kigaragaza inzira ifunguye ifunguye. Ku nama ya David, nashyize impushya mu kaga. Nakandagiye agashumi k'imodoka mu mwobo hafi santimetero imwe hanyuma nsubira inyuma, kuva kuri Drive kugera kuri 2. Moteri yari hafi gukandwa, maze nkandagira pedale nini ya lisansi ya aluminiyumu mu gice cy'imbere cy'imodoka.
Ibi bikurikirwa n'umuvuduko ukabije kandi w'akanya gato utuma amaraso yo mu bwonko atemba ajya inyuma y'umutwe; ibyo bigatuma wibanda ku nzira iri imbere kuko uzahagera iyo witsamuye. Imodoka y'imyanda igenzurwa n'ikoranabuhanga irasa kuri psi 7, irekura imbaraga n'umuvuduko udasanzwe. Ongera ufunge feri, ndizera ko ntatunguye umuntu uri muri Datsun B210 imbere yanjye. Ikibabaje ni uko tudashobora gusubiramo iki gikorwa twihuta cyane ku muhanda utagira imipaka tudatinya ko polisi ishobora kudufasha.
Ukurikije uburyo imodoka ya W8 yihuta cyane ndetse n’imiterere yayo, biroroshye kwizera ko izagera kuri 200 km/h. Ariko, Kostka avuga ko umurongo wa gatatu utukura ushobora kugerwaho - 218 km/h (harimo no gukura kw’amapine). Ikibabaje ni uko tugomba gutegereza undi munsi kugira ngo tumenye, kuko ikirere cy’imodoka ku muvuduko wo hejuru kiracyari gukorwa.
Nyuma, ubwo twatwaraga imodoka mu muhanda wa Pacific Coast Highway, Vector yagaragaye neza cyane. Isa n'aho ari nto kandi ikora neza kurusha ubugari bwayo bunini kandi ifite imiterere itangaje. Ifite suspension ifata utubuto duto byoroshye, tunini mu buryo bukonje (kandi ikiruta byose nta gucika intege) kandi ifite urugendo rukomeye, runini runyibutsa Nissan 300ZX Turbo yacu imaze igihe kinini ikoze muri Tour Shock. Reba neza ko ubushyuhe n'umuvuduko ari ibisanzwe.
Ariko ubushyuhe buri imbere muri Vector Black buri hejuru gato. – Ese iyi modoka ifite icyuma gikonjesha? Nabajije cyane kurusha uko bisanzwe. David yafashe icyemezo maze akanda buto kuri paneli igenzura icyuma gikonjesha. Igikonjesha cyiza cyane ni gake mu modoka zidasanzwe, ariko umwuka ukonje uhita uturuka mu myenge mike y’amaso y’umukara ifite anodized.
Twahise twerekeza mu majyaruguru tujya mu misozi miremire no mu mihanda igoye yo mu kibaya. Mu igeragezwa ry'umunsi ushize, Vector yabonye garama 0.97 kuri skateboard ya Pomona, iri hejuru cyane twigeze dufata ku kindi kintu kitari imodoka yo gusiganwa. Muri iyi mihanda, inzira nini y'amapine ya Michelin XGT Plus (imbere 255/45ZR-16, inyuma 315/40ZR-16) idutera icyizere. Gufata amaguru ni vuba kandi bikarishye, kandi guhagarara neza mu mpande ni byiza cyane. Inkingi nini z'ibirahuri by'imbere zikunda kubuza kureba hejuru y'impande zikomeye twahuye nazo, aho Vector ya santimetero 82.0 y'ubugari isa n'iy'inzovu mu iduka ry'abashinwa. Imodoka yifuza guhindukira gukomeye aho ushobora gufata pedali ya lisansi kandi imbaraga zayo nini n'uburyo ifata bishobora gukoreshwa neza kandi neza. Ntibigoye kwiyumvisha ko turi ku modoka ya Porsche enduro mu gihe twiruka muri izi mpande ndende.
Peter Schutz, Perezida akaba n'Umuyobozi Mukuru wa Porsche kuva mu 1981 kugeza mu 1988 akaba n'umwe mu bagize akanama ngishwanama ka Vector kuva mu 1989, ntiyakwirengagiza uku kugereranya. Yagize ati: “Mu by'ukuri ni nko kubaka 962 cyangwa 956 kuruta kubaka imodoka iyo ari yo yose ikora.” “Kandi ndatekereza ko iyi modoka irenze ibyo nari mfite mu gusiganwa mu ntangiriro za mirongo inani.” Ndashimira Gerald Wiegert n'itsinda rye ry'abahanga mu by'ubuhanga, ndetse n'abandi bose bagize ubutwari n'umurava wo gushyira inzozi zabo mu bikorwa.