“Igitekerezo ni ukubaka izina, ntabwo ari ukugendera ku ifarashi,” Gerald Wiegert yavuze mu ijwi ryoroheje kandi rikarishye. Perezida wa Vector Aeromotive ntabwo afite amahirwe nk’aya, nubwo yatangiye gukora kuva mu 1971 ashushanya kandi agakora Vector ebyiri za turbo, imodoka nini ifite moteri ebyiri ikoresha ibikoresho bigezweho n’ikoranabuhanga ry’indege. Kuva ku bishushanyo kugeza ku byuma by’ifuro kugeza ku byuma byuzuye, Vector yeretswe bwa mbere muri Los Angeles Auto Expo mu 1976. Icyitegererezo cy’imikorere cyarangiye nyuma y’imyaka ibiri, gikozwe mu bice byakusanyijwe mu bicuruzwa by’imyanda bigasukurwa mu bice - kugira ngo gitange ibikoresho by’inzu. Yavuze ko ubukungu buke n’ibivugwa mu itangazamakuru ry’imodoka byangiza imbaraga zo kubona inkunga, kandi inzozi ze zo gukora indege yo ku butaka mu mihanda zisa n’izigomba kuba inzozi gusa.
Wigt akwiye umudari wo kwihangana, ibihembo by'ubutwari. Irinde iki gikorwa, wirengagije induru z'abapfumu ba Tucker, DeLorean na Bricklin bananiwe. Vector Aeromotive Corp. i Wilmington, muri Calif., yiteguye gukora imodoka imwe mu cyumweru. Abahanganye bagomba gusura gusa agace ka nyuma ko guteranya imodoka, aho imodoka ebyiri twafashe amashusho zitegura koherezwa ku ba nyirazo bashya mu Busuwisi (Vector W8 twin-turbo ya mbere yagurishijwe igikomangoma cyo muri Arabiya Sawudite, gifite imodoka 25, zirimo kandi Porsche 959 na Bentley Turbo R). Izindi Vectors 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 cyo kwandika iyi nkuru. 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 birimo gukorwa. Yakusanyije imari irenga miliyoni 13 z'amadolari y'Amerika binyuze mu migabane ibiri ya leta itangwa ku isoko.
Ariko mu zuba ryinshi rya saa sita ku kibuga cy’imurikagurisha cya Pomona, muri Calif., igikorwa cy’ukwizera cya Wigt cyaragaragaye. Ikamyo ifite Vector W8 TwinTurbos ebyiri yambukiranya umuhanda munini wa kaburimbo igana ku muhanda ukururwa. Imodoka ebyiri zakozwe zarakuwe, maze umwanditsi w’ibizamini by’umuhanda Kim Reynolds ashyira imwe muri zo mudasobwa yacu y’amapine ya gatanu n’ibizamini by’umuhanda mu rwego rwo kwitegura ikizamini cya mbere cy’umukino cya Auto Magazine.
Kuva mu 1981, Visi Perezida w’Ubwubatsi wa Vector, David Kostka, yatanze inama ku buryo bwo kugera ku bihe byiza byo kwihutisha. Nyuma yo gupima ibintu bisanzwe, Kim asunika Vector ku murongo wo gushyiramo ibintu hanyuma asubiza mudasobwa y’igerageza ku murongo.
Kostka yagaragaye afite isura ihangayikishije. Byari bikwiye kuba bimeze bityo. 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—yihariye imodoka.
Nta mpamvu yo guhangayika. Kim ashyira ikirenge cye kuri feri, ahitamo vitesi ya mbere hanyuma akoresha throttle kugira ngo ashyiremo terefone. Urusaku rwa moteri ya litiro 6.0 ya V-8 yose irakomeye cyane, kandi ifirimbi ya Garrett turbocharger ihuye n'urusaku rw'umukandara wo mu bwoko bwa Gilmer. Feri y'inyuma irimo kurwana intambara yo gutsindwa na torque ya V-8 na santimetero z'imbere z'imodoka, inyeganyeza umugozi w'imbere ufunze ku muhanda. Ni ishusho y'imbwa y'inkazi ikurura imodoka yayo.
Feri zararekuwe maze Vector irahaguruka izunguruka gato, umwotsi uturuka kuri Michelin nini ndetse no ku ruhande gato. Mu kanya gato k'ijisho - amasegonda 4.2 - igera kuri 60 mph, mbere gato y'uko ihinduka 1-2. Vector irarengana nk'imodoka nini ya Can-Am, ikomeza kwiruka mu nzira yihuta cyane. Umucanga n'ibisigazwa by'amazi byinjira mu cyuma gifunze ubwo imiterere yayo isa n'iy'agace gato icikamo umwenge mu kirere. Nubwo hafi kimwe cya kane cya kilometero, urusaku rwa moteri rwari rukiri kugaragara ubwo imodoka yanyuraga mu mutego. Umuvuduko wa 124.0 mph mu masegonda 12.0 gusa.
Saa kumi n'ebyiri. Iyo mibare ishyira Vector imbere cyane y'izindi modoka zitwara ibendera 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 abanyamuryango ba kontaro ari Ferrari F40 na Lamborghini Diablo itarageragezwa. Ubunyamuryango bufite inyungu zabwo, ariko bufite n'ibiciro byabwo; Vector W8 TwinTurbo igura $283.750, ihenze kurusha Lamborghini ($211.000) ariko iri munsi ya Ferrari (F40 yo muri Amerika igura hafi $400.000).
None se ni iki gituma Vector W8 ikora neza? Kugira ngo nsubize buri kibazo cyanjye no kunyobora mu gusura ikigo cya Vector, Mark Bailey ni Visi Perezida wa Production, wahoze ari umukozi wa Northrop akaba n'uwahoze ari umunyeshuri mu itsinda rya Can-Am.
Yerekeje ku ruhande rw'ikirenge cya moteri ya Vector irimo kubakwa, yagize ati “Si moteri ntoya yagonzwe kugeza ipfuye. Ni moteri nini idakora cyane.”
Imashini ya litiro esheshatu ya aluminiyumu ifite dogere 90 V-8, yakozwe na Rodeck, umutwe wa silinda ifite valve ebyiri wakozwe na Air Flow Research. Imashini ndende zateranyijwe kandi dynamometer yapimwe na Shaver Specialties i Torrance, CA. Icyo ari cyo cyose; urutonde rw'ibice bya moteri rumeze nk'urutonde rwa Noheli rw'umukino wa ring racer: Piston za TRW zikozwe, inkoni zihuza ibyuma bitagira umugese bya Carrillo, valves z'ibyuma bitagira umugese, amaboko ya roller rocker, cranks zikozwe, zumutse hamwe n'utuyunguruzo dutatu dutandukanye Sisitemu yo kongeramo lisansi ya oil. Ipaki y'umuyoboro w'icyuma kitagira umugese ifite ibikoresho bitukura n'ubururu bya anodized kugira ngo bitware amazi ahantu hose.
Ikuzo ry'iyi moteri riri mu gice cyayo cyo hagati cy'imodoka gikozwe muri aluminiyumu kandi gikozwe mu irangi ritangaje. Ishobora gukurwa mu modoka mu minota mike binyuze mu gukurura imikandara ine y'umwuka irekura vuba. Ihujwe na Garrett turbocharger ikonjeshwa n'amazi kandi igizwe n'igice cyo hagati cy'imodoka hamwe n'impeller n'aho ikorera indege.
Gutwika bicungwa n'imiyoboro imwe imwe kuri buri cylinder, kandi gutanga lisansi bikorwa binyuze mu gutera injection nyinshi zikurikiranye, hakoreshejwe injection zihariye ziturutse mu itsinda rya Bosch rishinzwe ubushakashatsi n'iterambere. Ispark na lisansi bihuzwa na sisitemu yihariye yo gucunga moteri ya Vector.
Amasahani yo gushyiramo meza nka moteri ubwayo ayishyira ku ruhande rw'inyuma. Ifite agakoresho k'ubururu gakozwe muri aluminiyumu gakozwe mu buryo bwa anodized kandi gakozwe mu buryo bwa embossed, imwe ifata ku ruhande rw'inyongera rw'agace naho indi ikagira icyuma gifata moteri/adaptateri. Itumanaho ni GM Turbo Hydra-matic, yakoreshejwe na Olds Toronado na Cadillac Eldorado bikoresha V-8 mu myaka ya za 70. Ariko hafi ya buri gice cyose muri transmission y'umuvuduko wa 3 cyubatswe na Vector subcontractors bakoresheje ibikoresho bishobora kwihanganira 630 lb-ft. Torque yakozwe na moteri kuri 4900 rpm na 7.0 psi boost.
Mark Bailey yari afite ibyishimo ubwo yanjyanaga mu iduka ry’ubukorikori, anyereka icyuma kinini cya chrome-molybdenum cyuma, hasi h’ibishishwa bya aluminiyumu, hamwe n’aho bifatanye na epoxy kandi bifatanye n’icyuma kugira ngo bikore icyuma gikomeye. Urupapuro rwa aluminiyumu mu gice cyo gusohora icyuma. Yasobanuye ati: “Iyo [inyubako] yose yari monocoque, wagira ibintu byinshi bihindagurika kandi byari kugorana kuyubaka neza. Iyo byose byari icyuma cy’umwanya, wageraga ku gace kamwe maze ukagira ingaruka ku kindi kintu cyose kuko buri muyoboro w’amashanyarazi ufata byose.” Umubiri wubatswe mu ngano zitandukanye za fibre ya karuboni, Kevlar, fiberglass mats, na fiberglass imwe, kandi nta stress ifite mu miterere.
Chassis ikomeye ishobora kwihanganira neza ibintu byinshi binini byo guhagarara. Vector ikoresha amaboko abiri ya A imbere n'umuyoboro munini wa De Dion inyuma, ushyizwe ku maboko ane akurikiraho agera ku muyoboro w'umuriro. Ibikoresho bigabanya umuriro bya Koni bifite amasoko yo hagati bikoreshwa cyane. Feri nini ifite santimetero 13. Disiki zifite umwuka zikoresha Alcon aluminum 4-piston calipers. Imiterere y'ibiziga isa n'iyakoreshejwe ku modoka ifite uburemere bwa 3800 lbs. NASCAR stock car, agace k'uruziga gakozwe muri aluminiyumu gasa n'umurambararo w'agacupa ka kawa. Nta gice na kimwe cya chassis kidakora neza, cyangwa ngo gikwiranye neza.
Urugendo rw'uruganda rwamaze umunsi wose. Hari byinshi byo kureba kandi Bailey yakoze cyane kugira ngo anyereke buri kimwe mu bigize igikorwa cyo kubaga. Ngomba gusubirayo no gutwara imodoka.
Ku wa Gatandatu warageze, maze imodoka twapimye ikoze mu buryo bw'ibara ry'umukara yahamagaraga umuryango urambuye. Kwinjira ni akazi katoroshye ku batabizi, ifite urwego ruringaniye n'umwanya muto hagati y'intebe n'imbere y'urugi. David Kostka akoresha ubwenge bw'imitsi kugira ngo anyure mu mwanya wo hejuru no mu ntebe y'abagenzi afite ubuhanga bwo gukora siporo; ninjira mu ntebe y'umushoferi nk'impongo ivutse.
Umuyaga unuka nk'uruhu, kuko hafi ya buri gice cy'imbere gitwikiriwe n'uruhu, uretse dashboard nini, irangijwe mu gitambaro gito cya suede. Ubuso bwa tapi ya Wilton bwoya burarambuye rwose, butuma Recaros zishobora guhindurwamo amashanyarazi zishyirwa hagati ya santimetero nke. Aho intebe zo hagati zicarira bituma amaguru y'umushoferi akubita pedali neza, nubwo kwinjira kw'umurambararo w'amapine ari byinshi.
Moteri nini itangira gukora neza mu gihe cy’impinduka, ikagera kuri 900 rpm idakora. Imikorere y’ingenzi ya moteri n’uburyo bwo kohereza amakuru bigaragara ku cyo Vector yise "ikimenyetso cy’amashanyarazi gihinduka gikoreshwa mu ndege" - bivuze ko hari ecran enye zitandukanye z’amakuru zihari. Uko ecran yaba iri kose, hari ikimenyetso cyo guhitamo ibikoresho ku ruhande rw’ibumoso bwayo. Ibikoresho - kuva kuri tachometers kugeza kuri pyrometers ebyiri z’ubushyuhe - bifite ecran "igenda" inyura mu buryo buhagaze, ndetse n’ikimenyetso cy’ikoranabuhanga mu idirishya ry’ikimenyetso. Kostka asobanura uburyo igice cy’ikimenyetso gitanga amakuru y’igipimo cy’impinduka ibyo ecran za digitale zonyine zidashobora gukora. Nahise nkubita accelerator kugira ngo ndebe icyo yashakaga kuvuga, maze ndeba kaseti isimbuka urushinge igera kuri 3000 rpm, hanyuma nsubira kuri idelaid.
Nafashe umugozi wo gusimbuza imodoka, nyinjiye mu idirishya ibumoso bwanjye, nasubiye inyuma maze nsubira mu muhanda nta bwira. Tumaze guhitamo urugendo, twerekeje mu mihanda ya Wilmington twerekeza ku muhanda munini wa San Diego tujya mu misozi iri hejuru ya Malibu.
Nkuko bimeze kuri Exotics nyinshi, kureba inyuma ntabwo bihari, kandi Vector ifite ahantu hatagaragara Ford Crown Victoria ishobora kwakira byoroshye. Rebera ijosi ryawe. Unyuze mu madirishya magufi y'inyuma, nashoboraga kubona gusa ikirahuri cy'imodoka n'antene by'imodoka inyuma yanjye. Indorerwamo zo hanze ni nto ariko zishyizwe neza, ariko birakwiye kugira gahunda yo kubonana n'imodoka zikikije. Imbere, ikirahuri kinini cyane ku isi kiramanuka kandi kigahura n'umurongo umanuka, gitanga ishusho yimbitse ya kaburimbo iri imbere y'imodoka.
Kuyobora imodoka ni uburyo bwo gukaraba no gutwikira imodoka hakoreshejwe imbaraga, kandi burimo ubuziranenge buciriritse. Ku rundi ruhande, nta kwishyira hejuru cyane, bituma bigora abatamenyereye kugendana. Ugereranije, feri zidakaraba zisaba imbaraga nyinshi—ibiro 50 kuri metero 0.5 zo guhagarara—kugira ngo zimanure ibiro 3320. Vektori y'umuvuduko. Intera iri hagati ya 80 mph na 250 na 60 mph na 145 feet ni zo ntera nziza kuri Ferrari Testarossa—nubwo Redhead ikoresha hafi kimwe cya kabiri cy'umuvuduko wa pedal kugira ngo ikureho umuvuduko. Nubwo idafite ABS (uburyo buzaboneka), guhagarara biragororotse kandi ni ukuri, aho bias ishyirwa imbere imbere y'amapine y'inyuma.
Kostka yerekeje ku muhanda munini uri ku muhanda, ndabyemera, kandi bidatinze twari mu modoka ntoya zerekeza mu majyaruguru. Icyuho cyatangiye kugaragara hagati y'imodoka, kigaragaza inzira ifunguye neza. Ku nama ya David, nashyize impushya ku ruhushya n'amaguru. Nasunikiye agapfundo k'icyuma gitwara imizigo hasi hafi santimetero imwe mu muyoboro, hanyuma nsubira inyuma, kuva kuri Drive kugera kuri 2. Kubera ko moteri yari hafi kongera imbaraga, nakandagiye pedali nini ya lisansi ya aluminiyumu ku gice cy'imbere cy'imodoka.
Hanyuma haza umuvuduko udasanzwe, uhita ushyira amaraso mu bwonko inyuma y'agahanga; ubwoko butuma ukomeza kwibanda ku nzira iri imbere, kuko uzahagera iyo witsamuye. Imodoka igenzurwa n'ikoranabuhanga irakora ku muvuduko wa psi 7, irekura imbaraga hamwe n'ingufu zidasanzwe. Ongera ufate feri; nizeye ko ntateye ubwoba umusore uri muri Datsun B210 imbere yanjye. Ikibabaje ni uko tudashobora gusubiramo inzira mu buryo bugezweho ku muhanda utagira imipaka tudatinya ko polisi ishobora kudufasha.
Ukurikije uburyo W8 ikora cyane mu kwihutisha no mu miterere yayo, biroroshye kwizera ko izagera kuri 200 km/h. Nyamara, Kostka ivuga ko umurongo wa gatatu utukura ushobora kugerwaho - kugera kuri 218 km/h (harimo no gukura kw'amapine). Ikibabaje ni uko tuzategereza undi munsi kugira ngo tubigenzure, kuko imikorere y'indege yihuta cyane ikiri gukorwa.
Nyuma, ubwo twanyuraga mu muhanda wa Pacific Coast Highway, Vector yari afite umuco mwiza cyane. Imeze nk'aho ari nto kandi irusha ubugari bwayo bunini kandi ifite imitako myiza. Ifite uburyo bworoshye bwo gufata utudomo duto, tunini dufite ituze (kandi ikiruta byose, nta gice cyo hasi), kandi ifite ubwiza bwo kugenda bukomeye, bunyibutsa Nissan 300ZX Turbo yacu y'igihe kirekire, yashyizwe kuri valve ya Tour damper. Reba neza ko ubushyuhe n'umuvuduko byose ari ibisanzwe.
Ubushyuhe buri muri Vector Black bushyushye gato, ariko nti “Ese iyi modoka ifite icyuma gikonjesha?” Nabajije mu ijwi rirenga cyane kurusha uko bisanzwe. David yemeje umutwe maze akanda buto kuri panelo igenzura icyuma gikonjesha. Igikoresho gikonjesha neza cyane ni gake mu modoka idasanzwe, ariko umwuka ukonje uhita uturuka mu myenge mike y’amaso y’umukara.
Bidatinze twerekeje mu majyaruguru yerekeza ku misozi miremire no mu mihanda igoye yo mu kibaya. Mu igerageza ry'umunsi ushize, Vector yakoze garama 0.97 kuri skateboard ya Pomona, umubare munini cyane twigeze dufata ku kindi kintu kitari imodoka yo gusiganwa. Muri iyi mihanda, ikirenge kinini cy'amapine ya Michelin XGT Plus (imbere 255/45ZR-16s, inyuma 315/40ZR-16s) gitera icyizere gikomeye. Gufata mu mpande ni vuba kandi neza, kandi imiterere y'impande ni nziza cyane. Ibyuma binini by'ibirahuri bikunda kubuza kureba hejuru y'impande nto twahuye nazo, aho Vector ya santimetero 82.0 y'ubugari isa n'iy'ikimasa mu iduka ry'abashinwa. Imodoka yifuza guhindukira gukomeye, aho umuvuduko ushobora gufatwa hasi kandi imbaraga zayo nyinshi n'uburyo ifata bishobora gukoreshwa neza kandi neza. Ntibigoye kwiyumvisha ko turi gutwara Porsche yo mu bwoko bwa Porsche yo mu bwoko bwa porsche yo mu bwoko bwa porsche mu gihe twiruka muri izi mpande nini.
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 ko igereranya rimeze ritya. Yagize ati: “Mu by’ukuri ni nko gukora imodoka ya 962 cyangwa 956 kuruta gukora imodoka iyo ari yo yose ikora.” Kandi ndatekereza ko iyi modoka irenze ikoranabuhanga 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 umurava n'ubushake bwo gushyira inzozi zabo mu bikorwa.