Vector M12 a rare beast, but BoS nails it …

If you’ve never heard of a Vector M12, or Vector, or maybe remember hearing of Vector but suspected it was long gone, well, you’re sort of right. Let’s just say Vector, like many supercar manufacturers through the years, has had an interesting history.

But god love ‘em, BoS (Best of Show Models) took on the project of creating a 1/18 scale Vector M12 from the late 1990s. And honestly, it’s a stunner! Think longer Lamborghini! This is one of 300 models of this limited edition Vector in a handsome gold. A red version also is available. Both are sealed body models.

First some muddled history. Here goes.

The History

Vector has had a string of owners and name changes, trust us. Here are the highlights. Automotive engineer and designer Jerry Wiegert started the company in 1978 as Vehicle Design Force, it making a couple prototypes, and a handful of production models, between 1989 and 1993. But a hostile takeover by Megatech ended that in 1995.

Megatech, a giant conglomerate that also owned Lamborghini at the time, then made the M12 that BoS models here. It was built, occasionally, from 1995 to 1999. Only 17 were made, by what then was known as Vector Aeromotive.

Not surprisingly due to its joint ownership of Vector and Lambo, the sleek M12 was based on Lamborghini’s sexy Diablo. But the M12’s engine was mounted in front of the gearbox, instead of behind it as in the Lambo. Outwardly Peter Stevens design was a smoother, more refined shape than the AWX-3 that Wiegert had designed before it.

Powering the beauty was the beastly 5.7-liter V12 from Lamborghini, creating 492 horsepower and a 0-60 mph time of 4.8 seconds, good at the time. (Note: A 2020 Toyota Camry TRD model costing about $32,000 now does 0-60 in 5.8 seconds.) The M12’s hefty V12 was installed longitudinally as opposed to transversely as it had been in the earlier Vector W8 and AWX-3 models. Top speed was reportedly 189 mph, certainly supercar territory, especially in the late 1990s.

Much more legal wrangling occurred for years after Megatech’s ownership, but ultimately Wiegert regained control of the firm and renamed it Vector Motors Corp. It has been developing another supercar, the WX-8, since 2006. One was shown at the Los Angeles Auto Show in 2008 and said to be more powerful than a Bugatti Veyron. Best to probably leave its history right there.

If you want to know more about Wiegert and Vector, click here: https://www.hagerty.com/media/hagerty-magazine/jerry-wiegert-and-the-vector-supercar/

The Model

As with the 1:1 Vectors, there aren’t many to be found in the die-cast world. There are BoS’s two 1/18 scale M12 models in gold and red. Ricko also did a 1/18 version of the Vector W8, a predecessor to the M12 and Spark has created a 1/43 version of the Vector W8, while Neo has a 1/43 scale M12 available.

So just finding this sleek gold M12 is exciting and once out of its box and Styrofoam packaging its appearance will impress. The front is typical needle nose supercar with fold-away (sealed here) headlights, but thin running lights along the nose’s leading edge. You can see Lamborghini touches and Ferrari, even Corvette styling in spots, plus a body-colored nose spoiler.

The cockpit is all cloaked in smoked windows, including the scissor-style doors that include a window panel inset into the doors, below the main side windows. Too bad these doors don’t flip open though. Windows are elegantly trimmed in black, with one giant wiper to cover the massive windshield.

Behind the doors is black metal screening neatly fin inside the three air vents that blend into the rear quarter panel. And then there’s the long tail with giant built-in wing and louvers above the rear-mounted V12, which you can see to some degree through the louvers’ openings. There are a couple more vents behind the rear wheels, and appropriate side reflectors front and rear.

Red taillights look realistic in back, along with twin stacked rectangular exhaust pipes down low. For more detail there’s a 1997 Arizona license plate, the Vector name in black and M12 designation trimming the hatch’s edge.

Inside, the seats are a tan to match the light gold exterior and there’s a monstrously wide black dash and black steering wheel. The detailed console includes a shift lever and there’s a sharp-looking center stack, round chrome air vents and dash gauges that are best seen through the small clear rear window tucked under the cockpit’s short roof.

A photo-etched metal fuel filler door rests just behind the driver’s door in the roof pillar and the chrome three-spoke wheels look just like the Vector’s original racy custom wheels. Disc brakes and black calipers are behind the wheels and tires are unbranded low-pros with tread.

Note, to avoid damage in shipping, two gold side mirrors come in a separate plastic bag and fit neatly into slots in the doors. A little superglue will keep them in place.

Vector is a rarity to be sure, but if you’re after something different for your collection, and a show stopper at that, this gold BoS M12 is a spiffy looking value.       Note this is available through American-Excellence.com which provided the sample and which has just reopened its U.S. facilities recently after being closed by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Vital Stats: Vector M12

Maker: BoS (Best of Show)
Scale: 1/18
Stock No.: 229114
MSRP: $129.95

Link: American-Excellence.com