Back in the 1990s, small supercar manufacturers looking to steal a pie slice from the likes of Lamborghini and Ferrari had to come up with audacious designs just to enjoy some attention. Case in point: the outrageous W8, developed by California-based Vector.

Courtesy of a 6.0-liter, aluminum-block-and-head V-8 engine hidden under a Batmobile-esque body made of carbon fiber, Kevlar, and fiberglass, the W8 (W comes from Wiegert, 8 from the number of cylinders) could sprint to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds.

Vector also claimed a top speed of 242 mph. The engine was bolted to a three-speed automatic gearbox while stopping power came from hydraulically ventilated disc brakes on all four corners. With an output of 625 horsepower courtesy of the said engine and two Garrett turbos, the W8 could also clear the quarter mile in 12 seconds at 124 mph.

Vector W8 specifications

Even if the company went bankrupt, the W8 remains an audacious example of what a small carmaker can accomplish with enough drive and passion even when it’s taking on industry giants like Ferrari and Lamborghini.

As for the W8’s quirks and features, well, we’ll let specialist Doug DeMuro do the talking.