“Ingcinga kukwakha udumo, kungekhona ukukhwela ihashe,” utshilo uGerald Wiegert ngelizwi elithambileyo nelirhabaxa. Umongameli weVector Aeromotive akanalo olu khetho lokugqibela, nangona ebesebenza ukususela ngo-1971 ukuyila nokuvelisa iVector ye-twin-turbo, i-supercar enkulu ye-625-horsepower enezihlalo ezimbini ephakathi esebenzisa izixhobo eziphambili kunye nokwakhiwa kwetekhnoloji ye-aeronautics Aerospace systems. Ukusuka kwimizobo ukuya kwiimodeli ze-foam ukuya kwiimodeli ezipheleleyo, iVector yaboniswa okokuqala kwiLos Angeles Auto Expo ngo-1976. Iprototype esebenzayo yagqitywa kwiminyaka emibini kamva, yahlanganiswa kwizinto eziqokelelwe kwiindawo zokugcina inkunkuma yaza yahlanjwa kwiindawo ezithile - ukuze kubonelelwe ngendlu. Uthe uqoqosho olubuthathaka kunye nokugxekwa okonakalisayo okuvela kwimidiya yeemoto kwayonakalisa imizamo yokufumana inkxaso-mali, kwaye iphupha lakhe lokuvelisa umlo osemhlabeni ezitalatweni lalibonakala limiselwe ukuba liphupha nje.
UWigt ufanelwe yimbasa ethile ngokunyamezela, uhlobo oluthile lomvuzo ngenxa yokuqina. Yilahle le ndlela, ungayinaki imimoya ekhalayo ye-Tucker, iDeLorean kunye ne-Bricklin adventures ezisileleyo. I-Vector Aeromotive Corp. eWilmington, eCalifornia, ekugqibeleni ikulungele ukuvelisa imoto enye ngeveki. Abachasi kufuneka batyelele indawo yokugqibela yokuhlanganisa, apho iimoto ezimbini esizifake kwiifilimu zilungiselela ukuthunyelwa kubanini bazo abatsha eSwitzerland (imveliso yokuqala yeVector W8 twin-turbo yathengiswa kwinkosana yaseSaudi, eneqoqo leemoto ezingama-25, ekwaquka iPorsche 959 kunye neBentley Turbo R). Malunga nesibhozo ezinye iiVectors zisakhiwa kumanqanaba ahlukeneyo okugqitywa, ukusuka kwi-rolling chassis ukuya kwiimoto ezisele zigqityiwe.
Abo bangekaqiniseki kufuneka bazi ukuba inkampani ikhule ukusuka kwisakhiwo esinye nabasebenzi abane ngo-1988 ukuya kwizakhiwo ezine ezifikelela ku-35,000 square feet kunye nabasebenzi abaphantse babe ngama-80 ngelo xesha lokubhala. Kwaye iVector iphumelele uvavanyo oluhle kakhulu lwe-DOT crash (uvavanyo lwe-30 mph ngaphambili nangasemva, ucango kunye nophahla nge-chassis enye kuphela); uvavanyo lokukhupha umbane luyaqhubeka. Iqokelele imali engaphezulu kwe-13 yezigidi zeerandi kwimali yokusebenza ngokusebenzisa izibonelelo ezimbini zikawonke-wonke ezithengiswa ngaphandle kwekhawuntara.
Kodwa elangeni elitshisayo emini emaqanda kwindawo yemiboniso yasePomona, eCalif., isenzo sokholo sikaWigt sabonakala. Ilori ethe tyaba ethwele iiVector W8 TwinTurbos ezimbini iwela indlela ebanzi ye-asphalt ukuya kwindawo yokurhuqa. Iimoto ezimbini zophuhliso zakhutshwa, kwaye umhleli wovavanyo lwendlela uKim Reynolds wafaka enye yazo ikhompyutha yethu yesihlanu yevili kunye novavanyo lwendlela ukulungiselela uvavanyo lokuqala lokusebenza lwe-Auto Magazine.
Ukususela ngo-1981, iSekela-Mongameli wezoBunjineli kwiVector, uDavid Kostka, unike iingcebiso malunga nendlela yokufikelela kwixesha elifanelekileyo lokukhawulezisa. Emva kovavanyo oluqhelekileyo, uKim utyhala iVector kumgca wokulinganisa aze aphinde ayibuyisele kwakhona ikhompyutha yovavanyo.
UKostka wabonakala ekhathazekile ebusweni. Bekufanele ukuba kunjalo. Iminyaka elishumi yokusebenza iiyure ezili-12 ngosuku, iintsuku ezisixhenxe ngeveki, phantse isithathu sobomi bakhe bokuvuka—singasathethi ke ngenxalenye enkulu yomphefumlo wakhe—uzinikele emotweni.
Akufuneki akhathazeke. UKim ubeka unyawo lwakhe kwiibhuleki, ukhetha igiya lokuqala aze asebenzise i-throttle ukufaka i-drivetrain. Ingxolo yenjini ye-6.0-litre all-aluminium V-8 inamandla ngakumbi, kwaye ikhwelo le-turbocharger likaGarrett lihambelana nengxolo ye-Gilmer-type accessory belt drive. I-brake yangasemva ilwa idabi elilahlekileyo nge-torque ye-V-8 kunye nee-intshi zangaphambili zemoto, itshixiza i-tether yangaphambili evaliweyo kwindlela yokuhamba. Yinto efana ne-bulldog enomsindo etsala imoto yayo.
Iibhuleki zakhululwa kwaye iVector yaphuma ngevili elijikelezayo kancinci, umsi ovela kwiMichelin etyebileyo kunye nohlangothi oluncinci. Ngokuphanyaza kweliso - imizuzwana emi-4.2 - ifikelela kwi-60 mph, imizuzu embalwa ngaphambi kokutshintsha kwe-1-2. IVector idlula ngesantya esiphezulu njengeCan-Am enkulu, iqhubeka nokubaleka phantsi komzila ngomsindo okhulayo. Isandi sesanti kunye nenkunkuma ye-orbital ijikeleza kwi-vacuum njengoko imo yayo efana ne-wedge iqhekeza umngxuma emoyeni. Nangona phantse ikota yemayile, isandi senjini sasisabonakala njengoko imoto idlula ngesantya esiphezulu. Isantya se-124.0 mph kwimizuzwana eli-12.0 kuphela.
Intsimbi yeshumi elinesibini. Elo nani libeka iVector phambili kakhulu kuneemoto eziphethe iflegi ezifana neAcura NSX (imizuzwana eli-14.0), iFerrari Testarossa (imizuzwana eli-14.2) kunye neCorvette ZR-1 (imizuzwana eli-13.4). Ukukhawulezisa kwayo kunye nesantya sayo kungene kwiklabhu ekhethekileyo, apho amalungu ayo aqeshwe yiFerrari F40 kunye neLamborghini Diablo engavavanywanga. Ubulungu buneenzuzo zabo, kodwa bukwaneendleko zabo; iVector W8 TwinTurbo ithengiswa nge-$283,750, ibiza kakhulu kuneLamborghini ($211,000) kodwa ingaphantsi kuneFerrari (i-F40 yase-US ibiza malunga ne-$400,000).
Ngoko ke yintoni eyenza iVector W8 ibe yinto ephawulekayo? Ukuphendula yonke imibuzo yam nokubonelela ngotyelelo olukhokelwayo kwiziko leVector, uMark Bailey nguSekela Mongameli weMveliso, owayesakuba ngumsebenzi waseNorthrop kunye nomncintisani wangaphambili weCan-Am.
Ekhomba kwindawo yenjini yeVector esakhiwayo, wathi, “Asiyomoto encinci ejijekileyo yafa. Yimoto enkulu engasebenzi nzima kangako.”
I-pushrod V-8 yeelitha ezintandathu ene-aluminiyam yonke engama-90 degrees, eyenziwe yiRodeck, intloko yesilinda ye-valve ezimbini eyenziwe yi-Air Flow Research. Iibhloko ezinde zahlanganiswa kwaye i-dynamometer yavavanywa yiShaver Specialties eTorrance, CA. Nokuba yintoni na; uluhlu lwezixhobo zenjini lufundeka njengoluhlu lweKrisimesi lomdyarho weringi: Iipiston ezenziwe nge-TRW, iintonga zokudibanisa zentsimbi engagqwaliyo yaseCarrillo, iivalvu zentsimbi engagqwaliyo, iingalo ze-roller rocker, ii-cranks ezenziwe nge-forged, ezomileyo ngezihluzo ezintathu ezahlukeneyo Inkqubo yokugcwalisa i-oyile sump. Iphakheji yepayipi yentsimbi engagqwaliyo eboyiweyo enezixhobo ezibomvu neziluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka ezifakwe i-anodized ukuze zithwale ulwelo kuyo yonke indawo.
Ubuhle obugqwesileyo bale njini bukwindibano yayo evulekileyo ye-intercooler, eyakhiwe nge-aluminium kwaye ipholishwe ibe nokukhanya okukhazimlayo. Ingasuswa emotweni ngemizuzu embalwa ngokukhulula ii-aero clamps ezine ezikhutshwa ngokukhawuleza. Iqhagamshelwe kwi-turbocharger yeGarrett epholiswe ngamanzi kabini kwaye inecandelo lemoto kunye ne-impeller kunye nendlu yenqwelo-moya.
Ukutshisa kulawulwa ziikhoyili ezahlukeneyo kwisilinda nganye, kwaye ukuhanjiswa kwepetroli kwenziwa nge-injection yezibuko ezininzi ezilandelelanayo, kusetyenziswa ii-injectors ezenziwe ngokwezifiso ezivela kwiqela le-Bosch R&D. I-Spark kunye nepetroli zilawulwa yinkqubo yolawulo lweenjini ezicwangcisiweyo zeVector.
Iipleyiti zokuxhoma ezintle njengenjini ngokwayo ziyibeka ecaleni kwindawo yokulala. I-billet ye-aluminium eyosiweyo eluhlaza okwesibhakabhaka neyongeziweyo, enye ibolts kwicala le-accessory yebhloko kwaye enye iphinda ibe yipleyiti ye-adapter ye-injini/yokudlulisa. I-transmission yi-GM Turbo Hydra-matic, esetyenziswa yi-V-8 powered front-drive Olds Toronado kunye neCadillac Eldorado ngeminyaka yoo-70. Kodwa phantse yonke into kwi-transmission ye-3-speed yakhiwe ngenjongo yiVector subcontractors esebenzisa izixhobo ezinokumelana ne-630 lb-ft. I-Torque iveliswa yinjini kwi-4900 rpm kunye ne-7.0 psi boost.
UMark Bailey wayenomdla njengoko wayendihambisa kwivenkile yokwenza izinto, ekhomba isakhelo esikhulu sentsimbi ye-chrome-molybdenum, imigangatho ye-aluminium honeycomb, kunye ne-epoxy-bonded kwaye ibotshelelwe kwisakhelo ukwenza isakhelo esiqinileyo. Iphepha le-aluminium kwindawo yokukhupha igobolondo. Wachaza: "Ukuba [isakhiwo] besiyi-monocoque yonke, ubuya kufumana ukujija okuninzi kwaye bekuya kuba nzima ukuyakha ngokuchanekileyo. Ukuba besiyifreyimu yendawo yonke, ubuya kubetha indawo enye kwaye uchaphazele yonke enye into kuba yonke ityhubhu I-subs ithatha yonke into." Umzimba wakhiwe ngamanani ahlukeneyo e-carbon fiber, i-Kevlar, ii-fiberglass mats, kunye ne-unidirectional fiberglass, kwaye ayinaxinzelelo ngokwesakhiwo.
Itshasi eqinileyo ingayiphatha ngcono imithwalo yezinto ezinkulu ezixhonyiweyo. IVector isebenzisa iingalo ezimbini ze-A ngaphambili kunye netyhubhu enkulu yeDe Dion ngasemva, ebekwe ziingalo ezine ezilandelanayo ezifikelela kwi-firewall. Ii-Koni adjustable shock absorbers ezinee-concentric springs zisetyenziswa kakhulu. Iibhuleki zinkulu nge-13 intshi. Iidiski eziphefumlayo ezine-Alcon aluminium 4-piston calipers. Iibheringi zamavili zifana ngendlela yoyilo nezo zisetyenziswa kwi-3800 lbs. Imoto yeNASCAR, iqokobhe le-aluminium elenziwe ngomatshini levili lijongeka malunga nobubanzi bekofu. Akukho nanye iqhekeza letshasi engaphantsi komgangatho, okanye elaneleyo.
Uhambo lwasefektri luthathe imini yonke. Bekuninzi kakhulu ekufuneka kubonwe kwaye uBailey wasebenza nzima ukundibonisa yonke into yotyando. Kufuneka ndibuye ndiqhube.
UMgqibelo ufikile, kwaye imoto yophuhliso engwevu esiyivavanyileyo yabiza ucango olujijekileyo. Ukungena ngumsebenzi onzima kwabo bangaziyo, kunye nemida ephakathi nendawo kunye nendawo encinci phakathi kwesihlalo kunye nomphambili wesakhelo socango. UDavid Kostka usebenzisa ithuba lokukhumbula izihlunu ukutyibilika ngaphesheya kwe-ledge aze angene kwisihlalo somkhweli ngobubele bomjimnast; Nditshona esihlalweni somqhubi njengenyamakazi esandul' ukuzalwa.
Umoya unuka njengesikhumba, njengoko phantse yonke indawo yangaphakathi igqunywe lufele, ngaphandle kwedeshibhodi enkulu, egqitywe ngendwangu encinci yesuede. Umgangatho ogqunywe ngekhaphethi yoboya beWilton uthe tyaba ngokupheleleyo, uvumela iiRecaros ezilungiselelwa ngombane ukuba zibekwe ngaphakathi kwe-intshi ezimbalwa ukusuka kwenye. Indawo yokuhlala ephakathi ivumela imilenze yomqhubi ukuba ibethe iipedali ngokuthe nkqo, nangona ukungena kwe-wheel arch kukhulu.
Injini enkulu iphila xa ijika isitshixo siqala, sizinza ukuya kwi-900 rpm idling. Imisebenzi ebalulekileyo yenjini kunye nokudluliselwa iboniswa kwinto iVector eyibiza ngokuba "sisiboniso se-electroluminescent esihlengahlengiswayo sendlela yenqwelo-moya" - oko kuthetha ukuba kukho izikrini ezine ezahlukeneyo zolwazi ezikhoyo. Nokuba isikrini sinjani, kukho isalathisi sokukhetha iigiya kwicala lasekhohlo laso. Izixhobo - ukusuka kwii-tachometers ukuya kwii-pyrometers zobushushu bomphunga ezimbini - zinesiboniso "seteyiphu ehambayo" esihamba ngokuthe nkqo kwisikhombisi esimiselweyo, kunye nesiboniso sedijithali kwifestile yesikhombisi. UKostka uchaza indlela icandelo leteyiphu ehambayo elibonelela ngayo ulwazi lwesantya sotshintsho olungenakukwazi ukuboniswa ngedijithali zodwa. Ndayicinezela i-accelerator ukuze ndibone ukuba uthetha ukuthini, ndaza ndabukela iteyiphu itsiba ijikeleza inaliti ukuya kwi-3000 rpm, ndaza ndabuyela kwi-idle.
Ndithathe isiphatho se-shifter esinophahla, ndatshona nzulu kwifestile ngasekhohlo kwam, ndajika ndaza ndabuyela esitalatweni ngokungakhathali. Emva kokukhetha indlela yokuqhuba, sahamba ngezitalato zaseWilmington sisiya kwiSan Diego Freeway ukuya kwiinduli ezingaphezulu kweMalibu.
Njengakwii-Exotics ezininzi, ukubonakala ngasemva phantse akukho, kwaye iVector inendawo engabonakaliyo enokuthi iFord Crown Victoria ikwazi ukuyithwala ngokulula. Yandisa intamo yakho. Ngezivalo ezincinci zehood, bendikwazi ukubona kuphela i-windscreen kunye ne-antenna yemoto emva kwam. Izipili zangaphandle zincinci kodwa zibekwe kakuhle, kodwa kuyanceda ukugcina idinga kunye nemephu yengqondo yezithuthi ezingqongileyo. Ngaphambili, mhlawumbi i-windscreen enkulu emhlabeni iyanwebeka kwaye idibana ne-dash ezantsi, inika umbono osondeleyo we-asphalt kwiimitha ezimbalwa phambi kwemoto.
Ukuqhuba yindlela yokulungisa i-rack-and-pinion encediswa ngamandla, elula kancinci kwaye ichanekileyo kakhulu. Kwelinye icala, akukho ukuzicingela kakhulu, nto leyo eyenza kube nzima kubantu abangaqhelanga ukuhambisana. Ngokuthelekisa, iibhuleki ezingancediswanga zifuna amandla amaninzi—iikhilogram ezingama-50 kwi-0.5g meter stop yethu—ukutsala iikhilogram ezingama-3320. Ivektha ukusuka kwisantya. Imigama ukusuka kwi-80 mph ukuya kwi-250 feet kunye ukusuka kwi-60 mph ukuya kwi-145 feet yeyona migama ilungileyo kwiFerrari Testarossa—nangona iRedhead isebenzisa malunga nesiqingatha soxinzelelo lwepedal ukususa isantya. Nokuba ingenayo i-ABS (inkqubo eza kufumaneka ekugqibeleni), ukuma kuthe tye kwaye kuyinyani, kunye nokukhethwa okumiselwe ukutshixa amatayara angaphambili phambi kwamatayara angasemva.
UKostka waya kwindlela enkulu, ndiyavuma, kwaye kungekudala sasikwindawo ethe tyaba eya emantla. Izithuba ziqala ukubonakala phakathi kweemoto, zityhila indlela evulekileyo ekhawulezayo. Ngengcebiso kaDavid, ndibeka iilayisensi kunye nemilenze emngciphekweni. Ndatyhala iqhosha le-gear lever phantsi malunga ne-intshi nzulu emngxunyeni, ndaza ndarhoxa, ukusuka kwiDrive ukuya kwi-2. Njengoko injini yayisele iza kunyuka, ndayityumza i-pedal enkulu yegesi ye-aluminium ndayisa kwi-bulkhead yangaphambili.
Emva koko kuza ukukhawulezisa okukhawulezileyo, okunyanzela igazi kwizicubu zobuchopho ukuya ngasemva kwentloko; uhlobo olukugcina ugxile kwindlela engaphambili, kuba uza kufika apho xa uthimla. I-wastegate elawulwa nge-elektroniki ingenelela malunga ne-7 psi, ikhupha amandla nge-swish engenanto eyahlukileyo. Cinezela iibhuleki kwakhona; ndiyathemba ukuba andizange ndoyikise indoda ekwiDatsun B210 ephambi kwam. Okubuhlungu kukuba, asinakuphinda le nkqubo ngesantya esiphezulu kwindlela enkulu engenamida ngaphandle koloyiko lokungenelela kwamapolisa.
Xa sijonga ukukhawulezisa okumangalisayo kwe-W8 kunye nokuma kwayo kwe-wedge, kulula ukukholelwa ukuba iza kufikelela kwi-200 mph. Nangona kunjalo, uKostka uxela ukuba umgca obomvu wesithathu unokufezekiswa — ufikelela kwi-218 mph (kuquka nokukhula kwetayara). Ngelishwa, kuya kufuneka silinde olunye usuku ukuqinisekisa oku, njengoko i-aerodynamics yesantya esiphezulu semoto isalungiswa.
Kamva, njengoko sasiqhuba ngemoto kwiPacific Coast Highway, isimilo seVector esiphucukileyo sabonakala. Ivakala incinci kwaye ikhawuleza kunobubanzi bayo obukhulu kunye nesitayile esinomtsalane. Ukumiswa kwayo kubamba amaqhuma amancinci ngokulula, amakhulu ngokuzola (kwaye okubaluleke ngakumbi, akukho mqolo), kwaye inomgangatho oqinileyo, onamaqhuma kancinci ondikhumbuza iNissan 300ZX Turbo yethu yexesha elide, efakwe kwivalvu yeTour damper. Jonga isibonisi ukuba onke amaqondo obushushu kunye noxinzelelo aqhelekile.
Ubushushu ngaphakathi kwiVector Black bushushu kancinci, nangona kunjalo. “Ingaba le moto ine-air conditioner?” ndibuze ngelizwi eliphakamileyo kunesiqhelo. UDavid wanqwala waza wacinezela iqhosha kwiphaneli yokulawula i-air conditioner. I-air conditioner esebenzayo ngokwenene ayiqhelekanga kwimoto engaqhelekanga, kodwa umoya obandayo uphuma ngokukhawuleza kwiingcingo ezimbalwa ze-eyeball ezimnyama ezifakwe i-anodized.
Kungekudala sajika saya emantla saya kwiintaba kunye neendlela ezithile ze-canyon ezinzima. Kuvavanyo lwangaphambili, iVector ivelise iigram eziyi-0.97 kwi-skateboard yePomona, inani eliphezulu esakha salirekhoda kuyo nayiphi na enye into ngaphandle kwemoto yomdyarho. Kwezi ndlela, unyawo olukhulu lwamatayara eMichelin XGT Plus (ngaphambili angama-255/45ZR-16s, ngasemva angama-315/40ZR-16s) lusenza sibe nokuzithemba okukhulu. Ukujikeleza ekhoneni kuyakhawuleza kwaye kubukhali, kwaye ukuma kwekona kuthe tyaba kakhulu. Ii-struts ezinkulu ze-windshield zivame ukuvala umbono wethu wencopho yeekona ezincinci esizifumeneyo, apho iVector engama-82.0-intshi ububanzi ivakala ngathi yinkunzi kwivenkile yaseTshayina. Imoto inqwenela ukujika okukhulu, apho i-throttle inokubanjwa khona kwaye amandla ayo amakhulu kunye nokubamba kungasetyenziswa ngokuchanekileyo nangokuqiniseka. Akunzima ukucinga ukuba siqhuba iPorsche yokugijima engapheliyo njengoko sibaleka kwezi kona zinkulu.
UPeter Schutz, usihlalo kunye ne-CEO yePorsche ukususela ngo-1981 ukuya ku-1988 kwaye wayelilungu lebhodi yeengcebiso yeVector ukusukela ngo-1989, wayengenakuyikhanyela le nto yokuthelekiswa. “Kufana kakhulu nokwenza i-962 okanye i-956 kunokwenza naluphi na uhlobo lwemoto yokuvelisa,” utshilo. “Kwaye ndicinga ukuba le moto ingaphaya kobuchwepheshe endandinabo xa ndandiqhuba ukhuphiswano ekuqaleni kweminyaka yoo-1980.” Ndibulela uGerald Wiegert kunye neqela lakhe leenjineli ezizinikeleyo, kunye nabo bonke abanye ababenonyamezelo nokuzimisela ukuzalisekisa amaphupha abo.