#avtechwx3

[gruntydiecast]

Casting Call: Vector WX-3

Well, it’s been a long time since I’ve written one of these, and now, here comes the second installment of probably my favorite saga to date: the Vector Saga. Thanks to the current situation, the delivery of my car was delayed, but it’s here now, and here we are.

Remember the W8? That wedge-shaped car which I felt was more extreme than the already extreme Lamborghini Countach? It’ll need a worthy successor... and this’ll be it. This... is the Vector WX-3.

First, as usual, a bit of background. The Vector WX-3 was a prototype American sports car manufactured by a company known as Vector Motors, then known as Vector Aeromotive. The car was designed by Gerald “Jerry” Wiegert, founder of Vector Aeromotive. The car was officially known as the AWX-3, standing for Avtech Wiegert Experimental Model 3; the “3” signified that the WX-3 was the third model Vector had made, after the W2 and W8.

The WX-3 was intended to be the successor to the W8, conceived by Wiegert in 1992. The WX-3 was more extreme than the W8 was, featuring three engine configurations, allowing for some ludicrous power that would be even on par with modern hypercar standards.

The beating heart of the WX-3 was intended to be a 7.0L V8 with variable boost for the twin-turbochargers. Yes, this thing had variable boost, just like the W8. This allowed for settings between 600 BHP to a staggering 1,200 BHP, on par with many modern hypercars. The prototypes used the same highly-modified 6.0L Rodeck twin-turbo V8 as seen on the W8.

The car’s interior was also very similar to that of the W8’s, featuring a screen as opposed to analog gauges. The car also featured the same Sony CDX-A2001 ten-disc CD changer gracing the right side of the cockpit as the W8, as well as the same 3-speed Turbo-HydraMatic 425 automatic transmission mated to that beast of an engine; the transmission also had the same fighter aircraft throttle-like device. Vector employees had stated that while the prototypes used the three-across seating arrangement found on certain W8s, it would be more likely that the production WX-3 would use two bucket seats.

The car also featured the same scissor door setup as the W8.

Rear visibility on the WX-3 still wasn’t too great, although it was a marked improvement over the practically non-existent rear visibility of the W8. The rear of the car looks a lot more subdued compared to the front. As usual, it appears the location of the license plate holder was likely an afterthought.

The WX-3 also incorporates what I guess could be considered a very early version of active aero systems, featuring two movable flaps which lifted up when the car was braking, acting as an airbrake.

The WX-3 was first shown off at the 1992 Geneva Motor Show, although at first, strictly a design study, sans engine. The car was originally painted silver. After the car returned from Geneva, a related car joined it: the WX-3R.

The WX-3R was essentially the roadster version of the WX-3, with both sharing mechanical components and similar styling. However, the WX-3R featured dual bucket seats as opposed to the three-abreast seating of the WX-3 and was painted purple.

The WX-3 and WX-3R were then both displayed at the 1993 Geneva Motor Show, with the WX-3 having been repainted into aquamarine; this was done to promote another of Wiegert’s companies, Aquajet, a manufacturer of personal watercrafts, as the Aquajet logo featured aquamarine and purple as its primary colors. In fact, both the WX-3 and WX-3R appeared on the Aquajet website; however it appears the website is currently broken and will require an archival tool such as the Wayback Machine to access.

The WX-3 was intended to be put into production in 1993; however, problems began to surface. 

In 1993, as Wiegert was preparing for production of the WX-3, a rather shady Indonesian company with Bermudan ties named MegaTech forced a hostile takeover of Vector Aeromotive; this ultimately led to the firing of Wiegert from his own company. MegaTech then attempted to produce the WX-3, but Wiegert sued the company and copyrighted his own design, so MegaTech could not produce the WX-3. Ironically, this would also spell the end of the WX-3; only two were produced.

Wiegert eventually regained control of the company and has been working on a new car known as the WX-8 for numerous years now; in fact, it’s been so long we may as well call it developmental hell. The WX-3 and WX-3R also came back under Wiegert’s ownership. However, in order to fund development of the WX-8, Wiegert decided to auction off both the WX-3 and WX-3R at a Sotheby’s auction in 2019; both cars were ultimately auctioned off in mid-January 2019, with the WX-3 fetching $617,500 and the WX-3R fetching $500,000. Both are now in the hands of private collectors.

Prior to the auction, the WX-3 appeared in an episode of the Burke’s Law reboot and was also spotted at various car shows.

Okay, now that we’ve gotten all that out of the way, let’s get to the reason why you’re here.

This… is the Hot Wheels version of the Vector WX-3. Named the Vector “Avtech” WX-3 in the Hot Wheels lineup, this casting was first introduced in 1993 as a Vector employee exclusive, as shown above; the car was painted in the silver color that was originally on the actual car. Only 500 of this version was produced. This casting, like many other castings designed throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s, was designed by Larry Wood.

A more common version, painted in the purple as seen on the real WX-3R, was released the same year. A version exists of the purple version with normal 5SP wheels.

The WX-3 has a plastic roof which is riveted onto the rear. No back window is present. This casting features notably very few tampos, apart from the Vector logo on the wing and the black semicircle on the door intended to represent the lower window. The side vents are noticeable open and one can peer through them.

For the record, there isn’t very much going on in the rear of this casting either. Just the rear mesh grill, taillamps and triangular exhaust pipes.

The WX-3 has one of the least releases of any supercar or hypercar concept made by Hot Wheels around this period, with only five known releases. The casting was retooled slightly in 1997, with the prominent side vents closed off. This would ironically be the casting’s last release to date, in the Super Show Cars 5-Pack in 1997 (a version exists with open side vents, shown below), alongside the Dodge Viper RT/10, Jaguar XJ220, Avus quattro and Zender Fact 4. A few other combinations of the 5-Pack exist but this is the only one containing the Vector.

As mentioned above, this casting has not been seen since 1997; it has not been featured in any edition of the Final Run Series, but is assumed to have been retired since the casting has not appeared in the mainline for over 20 years and is unlikely to return.

I hope this long writeup has given you a better idea on this turbocharged thrasher, and what is quite possibly my new favorite supercar from the ‘90s; step aside, Ferrari F50. As usual, I’d do something like this any day.

This article is the second in a three-part series I will call The Vector Saga. The series will document the W8, the WX-3, and the history of Vector Motors as a whole.