Vector WX-3R V8 Twin Turbo Roadster Prototype. The First American Supercar

Until the release of the Ford GT and the Saleen S7, the American auto manufacturers had a huge void. They simply lacked a production supercar to compete against Europe's best. The closest vehicle that would come to mind would be the Corvette but it lacked the performance, refinement and exclusivity, as it was priced to be more affordable. Some might bring up the classic Ford GT40 but that was a purpose built race car.

For the car enthusiast who demanded nothing the best but opted to stick with American-made products and never dare step foot into a foreign car, there weren't too many options. They can either turn to boutique tuner shops like Callaway to modify their Corvettes or Saleen for their remanufactured Ford Mustangs. Seeing this void as an opportunity , Gerald Wiegert founded Vector Motors and created the W8 sports car in 1989. Using the highest technology available, "The Vector is advanced aerospace technology for the street", Weigert proclaimed. The result was a supercar capable of exceeding 200mph and commanded a $450,000 plus price tag with celebrity clients such as Andre Agassi during the company's heyday in the early 1990s.

Some readers have pointed out that vehicle pictured here, though badged as a W-8 on the rear bumper, is in fact not a W-8 but a one-off prototype WX-3R that was built in 1993. The WX-3R was planned to be the W8's successor 1000 plus horsepower but specifications to the pictured prototype is not known.