Vector W8 Twin Turbo and other toys.
Discussion
This is one of the best threads on PH, absolutely fascinating car and history and I’m sure many of us car geeks are learning something new and putting straight some misconceptions.
Thanks for sharing your car and your story with us VectorW8015.
A question I have is with regard to spares/service. I know these cars aren’t really out on the road much but if you did bend or break something is there still a resource for parts. I guess you are pretty comfortable with some spannering but is there a go-to place for all things Vector?
Thanks for sharing your car and your story with us VectorW8015.
A question I have is with regard to spares/service. I know these cars aren’t really out on the road much but if you did bend or break something is there still a resource for parts. I guess you are pretty comfortable with some spannering but is there a go-to place for all things Vector?
Vectorw8015 said:
I know, it's impossible to believe a car with 627hp and 480lbft of torque could hit 242, that because McLaren only did it once while taping all the seams and gaps up and removing the BMW rev limiter on a stretch of the autobahn late at night with unknown radar. Which is totally believable. But a car with 650hp and 649 lbft of torque with adjustable boost that will put out over 1000 hp and 950 lbft of torque wouldn't possibly be capable of achieving more than 218mph. Makes perfect sense.
The truth of the matter is no production McLaren will do over 221mph.
I love this thread and admire the Vector hugely, but the above just isn’t true and undermines factual claims in the thread. I am not a McLaren fanboy and might be one of a minority to consider the F1 deeply flawed as a driver’s car - not least for its ability to crash in the hands of expert drivers and limited torsional rigidity (according to Ray Belm and Peter Stevens) in the rear of its chassis.The truth of the matter is no production McLaren will do over 221mph.
Edited by Vectorw8015 on Monday 18th February 20:58
Jonathon Palmer hit 231 mph at Nardo in an F1 prototype with 580 BHP when he hit the rev limiter, on a bowl.
The F1 top speed of 241 mph was achieved at Ehra Lessein, in broad daylight, as a two way average on You Tube film. They didn’t tape seams or remove wing mirrors, only the rev limiter and the car ran to 7800 rpm at 241 mph. Tyre growth therefore accounted for approx 7 mph. This was independently verified.
I am quite prepared to believe the Vector with 650+BHP will go faster, obviously faster still with 1200 BHP. However, AFIK it has not been filmed like Konigsegg, nor independently verified - there is no evidence of such on search. Fast Lane referred to a verified top speed of 192 mph on a circuit. Top speed is one thing torque has little to do with. Power is about work done moving air out of the way. So an F1 V10 car with 900 BHP and 250 lb/ft torque can hit 230+.
Other than that, fantastic thread and great car.
Edited by Baddie on Friday 22 February 22:30
Edited by Baddie on Friday 22 February 22:45
Fascinating car and backstory - the engineering behind the W8 has alway been impressive whatever your views on anything else. Making cars is only getting harder so examples like this should be appreciated for their place in automotive history. Better yet they should be seen and driven. Great stuff, thank you for sharing. Jealous of the weather too!
Baddie said:
Fast Lane referred to a verified top speed of 192 mph on a circuit. Top speed is one thing torque has little to do with.
...provided you have enough gears and/or enough space.Peaking at 192mph on a circuit, with a 3 speed slushbox, is mighty impressive!
Out of interest, OP, what's the lateral location for the deDion? Is it a Panhard rod?
Top speed willy waving is interesting from an engineering point of view (how in the hell do the tyres hold together !) but a good car, it doesnt make.
The W8 is, I now find, a serious bit of kit that never got acclaim in the UK, 3 speed and American biased opinion by the looks.
So how did it drive and handle at real world speed ?, does it feel big like a Lamborghini or does it seem to shrink around you like an F430 or is it as pointy as a GT3. That's what interests me.
I imagine its reliable, but getting F117A spare parts must be difficult
Keep it coming
The W8 is, I now find, a serious bit of kit that never got acclaim in the UK, 3 speed and American biased opinion by the looks.
So how did it drive and handle at real world speed ?, does it feel big like a Lamborghini or does it seem to shrink around you like an F430 or is it as pointy as a GT3. That's what interests me.
I imagine its reliable, but getting F117A spare parts must be difficult
Keep it coming
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