The Vector M12 was a sports car built by Vector Aeromotive between 1995 and 1999, after the Indonesian company Megatech took over Vector from its founder Jerry Wiegert. It borrowed its engine and much of its mechanical layout from the Lamborghini Diablo, and only 17 cars were completed.
Vector M12 at a glance
| Maker | Vector Aeromotive, under Megatech |
|---|---|
| Production | 1995–1999 |
| Total built | 17, including prototypes |
| Layout | mid-engined, rear-wheel drive |
| Engine | 5,707 cc Lamborghini V12 |
| Power | 499 PS (367 kW; 492 hp) at 7,000 rpm |
| Torque | 425 lb·ft (576 N·m) at 5,200 rpm |
| 0–60 mph | 4.8 seconds |
| Top speed | 304 km/h (189 mph) |
| Designer | Peter Stevens |
| Base car | Lamborghini Diablo |
based on one source: the English Wikipedia article on the M12.
History of the Vector M12
The M12 was the first Vector produced after Megatech’s hostile takeover of the company from founder Jerry Wiegert. Megatech also owned Lamborghini at the time, and it chose to base the new car on the Diablo so that it could be built in larger numbers at lower cost. The result used most of the Diablo’s mechanical components, including its V12 engine.
The engine was mounted centrally in front of the gearbox rather than behind it as in the Lamborghini, and it sat longitudinally instead of transversely like the twin-turbo V8s of the W8 and the AWX-3 project. Those engines were judged too expensive for series production of the new model, so the naturally aspirated Lamborghini V12 took their place. The changes moved the cockpit slightly forward compared with the AWX-3, with a shorter nose and a longer tail.
The styling was a loose copy of the AWX-3, a project begun while Vector was still independent but abandoned once Megatech bought the company. Because Wiegert’s later patents and legal actions prevented the AWX-3 design from being copied directly, Megatech hired designer Peter Stevens to create a more civilised and modern interpretation of it.
Production ran from 1995 to 1999, when it was halted because sales were slow. The total of 17 cars included three or four pre-production models and 14 production cars. One pre-production car was converted to racing specification by the factory, but it suffered mechanical problems and was later rebuilt as the SRV8, intended as the M12’s successor.
Design and features
- Lamborghini V12: a 5,707 cc unit rated at 492 hp and 425 lb·ft, mounted longitudinally.
- Diablo underpinnings: most of the mechanical components came from the Lamborghini Diablo.
- Peter Stevens styling: a modernised, road-friendly reinterpretation of the AWX-3 shape.
- Performance: 0–60 mph in 4.8 seconds and a quoted 189 mph top speed.
Vector M12 versions
- Pre-production cars: three or four built before the 14 production examples.
- Production M12: the standard road car, sold from 1995 to 1999.
- Racing conversion: one pre-production car converted by the factory, unsuccessful and later rebuilt as the SRV8.
The M12 followed the original Vector W8, and the WX-3 prototype showed where Vector had hoped to go next. More cars are in the Vector collection.
Video: Vector M12: You’ve Never Seen One Driven Like This | One of 14 Made
Video on YouTube.
Sources
- Vector M12, English Wikipedia: history, engine, performance, production, media
