As we spend a majority of our time locked away indoors, finding something to entertain ourselves becomes more and more challenging over time. Few new products/I.P.'s have been unveiled since the COVID-19 lockdowns began, so (as consumers) we're in a bit of a dry-spell.
A good way to remedy this boredom is to look to the past; thinking through, and reminiscing on, some of the coolest things to come out of our lifetime. Where American muscle cars are concerned, one of our favorite instances is that of Saleen: a U.S.-based vehicle modification, tuning, and manufacturing powerhouse.
Saleen had quite the presence some years ago, but now they seem to have fallen off the proverbial radar. So, that leads us to wonder: "what the heck happened to Saleen?" Well, to answer that, we must first understand the company's history and how they got to where they are (or were) today.
So, with that in mind, here is the full story of Saleen automotive: where they came from and where they are now...
From Enthusiast To Specialist
The story of Saleen's start is one that most of us can empathize with, since he was just a normal car-lover; finding his passion early on. Upon graduation from high school, Steve Saleen's father gifted him his very own Porsche 356.
Not long after, the addiction began; the 'need for speed,' so to speak. He modded his 356 and wanted something more, preferably a brand new 911. However, that all changed when the Ford Mustang caught his eye. With a big V8, a cheaper M.S.R.P., and potential for mods, it was a match made in heaven!
The rest is history. Saleen used his personally tuned Mustangs to dominate the lower-tier S.C.C.A. classes, eventually progressing to professional racing. This grabbed Ford's attention, which led to a partnership with Saleen Autosports.
Redefining American Muscle Cars
Just like Shelby and Roush, Saleen got their start in racing and performance parts/upgrades. As you'd expect, they have tons of iterations throughout the years, including but not limited to: the Saleen Mustang, SA-5, SA-10, R Model Sporttruck, and so on.
Unlike the rest, though, Saleen fully committed to making their own car. And (unlike the failed Shelby GR-1) they actually succeeded in producing their own car, the Saleen S7. The S7 is, in our view, the Holy Grail of U.S. supercars. Yes, we said "supercars," because the S7 was more than capable of fighting Ferrari, Lamborghini, and Maserati.
The Saleen S7 had a 0-to-60 speed of just 3.3 seconds! Beyond that, the updated twin-turbocharged S7 added more power, whilst adding little extra weight. They tried to replicate this in 2008 with the Saleen S5S Raptor concept. Needless to say, that one didn't hit the mark...
Giving It "1" More Try
As we speak, Saleen is still alive and well, although less in the spotlight. They still have the Saleen Mustang (302), the Sporttruck models, a Saleen Tesla (designated the 'GTX Sedan'), and the Saleen 1.
Even better, though, is that Steve Saleen intends to help young racers by starting his own Cup series using his Saleen 1. Since its starting price is around $100,000, it's relatively entry-level for young drivers to throw their hat into the ring.
Sounds pretty good, right? Well, not so much in practice, as it turns out. As was mentioned in a previous HotCars article, the anticipated Saleen Cup series bottomed-out after just one race (due in part to regulations, costs, and the virus/lockdowns).
So, that leaves us in a slightly awkward position. On one hand, we'd like to say that everything has been smooth sailing as of late, but that's not true. Hopefully, Saleen (and their GT4 Cup series) can recover what's been lost.