You don’t see a Vector W8 Twin Turbo on offer every day, so when a bright purple example shows up in RM Sotheby’s Arizona Auction you don’t have any other choice but to pay attention.
The Vector W8 Twin Turbo is arguably the most absurd supercar ever to come out of the 1980s, all the way from the design to its engineering choices. In addition, only 17 production examples were ever made between 1989 and 1993 , further boosting its reputation as that insane-looking machine that made a Countach look normal by comparison.
Watch: 30 Years Later, The Vector W8 Remains America’s Most Outrageous Supercar Effort
The car you see in the images is serial number 009, and was originally ordered new in 1989. Vector delivered this particular W8 Twin Turbo in late 1991 to its owner, who kept it in his collection until now.
It has covered just 2,268 miles (3,650 km) since it rolled off the factory line and is presented in a like-new condition, even retaining the original Plexiglas license plate cover, original tool case, all the relevant paperwork and a presentation of the vehicle on a VHS tape.
Power comes from a twin-turbo Corvette-sourced 6.0-liter V8 engine that produced 625 HP and 649 lb-ft of torque and was mounted transversely in the chassis. The transmission choice is a heavily upgraded three-speed automatic transmission, also sourced from GM.
Vector claimed back in the day that the W8 Twin Turbo is capable of a 0-60 mph in 3.9 seconds and of a projected top speed of 242 mph (389 km/h).
The interior does its best impression of a fighter jet, with a very impressive for its era screen used as an instrument cluster, along with a compass, an hour counter and plenty of switchgear to match the vibe. It also features Recaro seats, digital climate control and a 10-disc CD changer mounted directly on the dash.
This Vector W8 Twin Turbo will cross the auction block on January 17, with RM Sotheby’s estimating its value between $300,000 and $450,000.