Vector M12 Is One of the Most Powerful but Almost Forgotten Cars of the '90s

Designed by McLaren F1 stylist Peter Stevens, this lesser-known American supercar was built by Vector Aeromotive, a now defunct car manufacturer many wish had actually succeeded. The company only produced a handful of models during its lifetime, but most of them managed to garner the attention of the public for their exquisite styling and impressive performance.

Founded in 1971 by Gerald Wiegert, a visionary engineer and entrepreneur, Vector operated under various different names and owners until 2021, and the Vector M12 is one of the company's most accomplished designs. The jaw-droppingly beautiful machine was produced from 1995 to 1999 during an era when the company was under the ownership of Indonesian firm MegaTech, which also owned Automobili Lamborghini at the time.

This explains why the Vector M12 is based on the Lamborghini Diablo, a high-performance mid-engine sports car considered by many the coolest, most capable Italian car of the 1990s. Besides the lengthened Diablo chassis, the M12 also borrows the powerful 5.7-liter Lamborghini quad-cam V12 engine and most of the mechanical components from the Italian machine. However, the engine was centrally mounted in front of the gearbox, unlike in the Lamborghini, where it sits behind it. Loosely based on the earlier Vector AWX-3 prototype, the car boasted a body and interior design developed by Vector, and as a result, it was marketed as an American supercar.

It stands out with a distinctively low profile and spaceship-inspired aerodynamics that help enhance its performance. It boasts a rounded front end with a sloping nose that blends into a deeply raked wraparound windshield, pop-up headlights, scissor doors, horizontally bisected side windows, a huge rear spoiler, and triple intake scoops on the sides. All these elements make for an incredibly futuristic styling for the time when it was built.

In terms of performance, the car was also a beast for its time, as the Lamborghini-borrowed V12 produced 492 hp (499 ps) at 5,200 rpm and 425 lb-ft (576 Nm) of torque at 4,900 rpm, allowing the M12 to reach a top speed of 189 mph (304 kph) and do the 0 to 62 mph (100 kph) in 4.8 seconds.

Vector made only 17 examples of the M12, 14 of which were production cars. Each of them cost $184,000 at the time, an asking price not many could afford (it's the equivalent of $375,000 in today's money). Production was halted in 1999 due mainly to slow sales and the fact that MegaTech sold Lamborghini to Audi.

The Vector M12 was one of the coolest-looking supercars of the 1990s and arguably the best model the troubled auto manufacturer ever made. It's one of those cars that makes many exclaim that it's a shame more weren't produced.

How many Vector M12s are still in existence today is a mystery, but they surely come up for auction very rarely. The particular example you see here is the fourth of the 14 production cars that were made, and it was completed in March 1996. Finished in red over a tan interior, this is the same car that Jeremy Clarkson drove in a period Top Gear segment, which you can watch in the video embedded below.

It boasts a fiberglass bodywork and is powered by the original mid-mounted 5.7-liter Lamborghini V12, coupled with a ZF 5-speed manual transaxle. It rides on multipiece three-spoke alloy wheels shod in Pirelli P Zero Rosso tires, with Brembo disc brakes handling stopping power. Other noteworthy features include coilover independent suspension, rack-and-pinion power steering, a custom exhaust system, power window panels, and air conditioning.

The elegant interior includes bucket seats trimmed in tan leather with black piping. Color-matched upholstery can be observed on the lower door panels and the center console, while the dash is covered in black suede. A leather-wrapped steering wheel, a gated shifter, and a CD stereo complete the interior.

This particular unit had only two owners since new and benefitted from a cosmetic and mechanical freshening after being acquired by its current owner in 2018.

Showing just 4,400 miles (7,081 km) on the odometer, this 1996 Vector M12 has been sparingly driven and is ready to make another gearhead happy. This ultra-rare vehicle is now offered for sale out of Osprey, Florida, in very good condition with an owner's manual, service invoices, and a clean Carfax report. Its high exclusivity, combined with its exquisite styling and exceptional performance, make it an intriguing classic supercar, and if you want to join the exclusive club of Vector owners, this could be a great opportunity. The current bid stands at $225,000, with nine days still left to go.