Sixth-generation Ford Mustang muscle cars are plentiful out there. With the seventh-gen S650 Mustang already available on the market, the sixth-gen Stangs are going to be foreshadowed. But not this one. The Saleen SA-40 Special Edition Mustang Speedster, based on the sixth-gen pony, is no regular Mustang. Only 10 of these cars are being made, making this model very rare. On completing 40 years in the business, despite the cutthroat market, Saleen will make this 800-hp speedster available to a handful of lucky customers.
The bodywork will don the Speedlab Yellow shade seen in the images, along with black and white accents inside the 40th-anniversary interior. It will also feature a new Saleen-designed tonneau cover with carbon-fiber hoops. This special Speedster also shares a lot in common with the Saleen 303 Black Label convertible that makes the same amount of horsepower. However, there are bits on SA-40 that make it stand out further.
Saleen SA-40 Is A Very Rare Ford Mustang
With the SA-40, customers will get wheels that are exclusive to this model, along with Racecraft suspension and Saleen brakes. The first Saleen SA-40 will not be auctioned because Saleen will be using it to help cancer research through the Cruise for a Cause sweepstake. In this way, an enthusiast can only win the car through a donation.
Or you'll have to pay $142,000 for a new one. There's nothing quite like a limited-edition approach toward the world's best-selling sports car. While the base White Label model makes 475 hp and the Yellow Label produces 740 hp, the Black Label is the most brutally powerful offering of the lot. The Saleen SA-40, however, makes 630 lb-ft of torque.
The Saleen SA-40 looks so much cleaner than the factory Ford Mustang convertible. Without losing out on its muscular appearance, the Saleen has something refreshingly new for the eyes to behold. The front end of the SA-40 is not as busy as the factory Mustang's, and surprisingly, the added side skirts, scoops, and rear wing do no harm to the overall silhouette of the car.
All of these elements are there to ensure air is managed for maximum performance. All the blacked-out bits are made of carbon fiber, and that means Saleen definitely intends to save weight with its cars. Everything is functional and isn't just there for show.
Saleen SA-40 Speedster Packs A Supercharged Coyote V8
Saleen has incorporated its own 2.6-liter screw-type supercharger and intercooler system with a 103 mm throttle body that makes 12 psi of boost. The unit also features 47-lb fuel injectors for better airflow, a retuned ECU, a Saleen-tuned exhaust with a high-performance muffler, and a cold air induction system.
The 5.0-liter Coyote V8 is stock, but the upgrades take the power up by 340 hp and 267 lb-ft of torque. This sort of power puts in the territory of the Dodge Challenger Hellcat Redeye. But does that mean its wide rear tires will squeal, sending you off the road? Not at all.
It is reported that the 302 Black Label is easier to handle when you put your foot down. Once you leave the Saleen's clutch with insufficient revs, the Coyote V8 will take its time to build up the revs and boost. So we're certain it is similar to the SA-40 Speedster as well. The Saleen SA-40 uses the same MT-82 6-speed factory clutch and limited-slip differential from the Mustang GT.
With that being said, the SA-40 is certainly a quick car and will happily shred its tires if you want it to. It's just that Saleen's modifications to the Mustang's V8 haven't changed anything about its unexciting bottom-end torque.
The engine sounds great as the rumble is heard along with a whine from the blower, but the supercharger keeps it rather less vocal. The Hellcat's supercharger, however, makes its presence felt. Letting your foot off the gas pedal will result in pops, crackles, and bangs from the carbon fiber exhaust tips. It probably sounds as loud as a Roush Mustang, or maybe even louder.
Saleen Even Made A Supercar Called The S7
Steve Saleen is the man behind this high-performance tuning company that's largely focused on Mustangs since the 1980s, including Fox Body models. Thanks to Ford, Saleen has been instrumental in the development of Ford F-150 hot rods, Explorers, and Focus hatchbacks.
This was also the same company that built its very own mid-engined supercar, the S7. This high-performance car locked horns with the likes of the Lamborghini Diablo, McLaren F1, Ferrari F50, and other supercars from the early 2000s. It even became one of the most powerful cars money could buy at the time.
The car was built from the ground up in America. The chassis was made of lightweight steel and aluminum honeycomb composite, which made it strong but lightweight. The entire body of the Saleen S7 was made of carbon fiber, which helped it weigh in at just 2,950 lbs.
Sources, Saleen, Ford