Saleen announces plans to stop building vehicles by end of 2011

Revstone Industries, the parent company of Saleen Performance Vehicles, announced today that it will no longer produce vehicles under the Saleen name, although it will continue to produce aftermarket parts through the Saleen Speedlab brand and honor warranties for all existing vehicles. The company cited the confusion and controversy with Steve Saleen’s company, SMS Supercars, as the main reason for stopping production of Saleen-branded vehicles.

In a letter to their customers and dealers, SPV said the following:

Over the past several years, we have witnessed a lot of confusion around the Saleen brand, due to a number of financial ups and downs and accompanying changes in ownership. The name itself has become the center of countless conversations and debates, detracting from the cars themselves, and from the culture of performance that they both embody and serve.

The statement continues…

Through our conversations with Ford Motor Company and one another, we have come to feel that those things have become overshadowed by questions surrounding the name. So we want to wipe the slate clean, and usher in a new era of American Muscle. We are confident that, in time, you will agree this was the right decision.

A representative for Saleen said that Revstone will continue to build performance Mustangs in the future, but the brand under which those vehicles will be produced is yet to be determined and will be announced at a later date.

[Source: Saleen Performance Vehicles]

Saleen announced new 2011 Saleen S302 unveiled at this week end

Saleen the US Sports car manufacturer Saleen Performance cars 2011 Saleen S302 unveiled at the Carlisle Ford Nationals in Carlisle this week end. The Saleen S302 is launched after 435S and S281 previous year.
The car is based on the 2011 Ford Mustang 5.0-L, thrust is provided by the same V8 engine system and it pushes out 317 kW or 425 bhp or 431 PS while torque is 536 Nm or 395 lb-ft. Drive is through the rear wheels through a 6-speed manual transmission and a limited slip differential.

The interior of the car looks sport style, manufactured with leather sports seats, similar to chevron Ultrasuede red tabs in seatback bolsters, Saleen logos on door panels, as well as exclusive gauges, steering wheel and gear shifter.

The exterior of the car features include 20-inches, 7-spoke alloy wheels with Pirelli P Zero high-performance tyres, a strong but stylish front grille and a simple integrated rear wing.

We have taken high performance vehicles to the next level with this S302 Saleen. The S302 is being built now and will be in dealerships in the coming weeks said in a statement by Michael Timarac who is the Brand Manager of Saleen Performance Vehicles.

Saleen pictures

The Saleen S7 - The Airplane of Cars pics

The Saleen S7 is one of the most amazing cars now days. This car not only looks nice, but is also one of the highest performing cars on the road. The S7 has 750 hp (horse powers) and this power is achieved with a engine that is only 7 liters, something American car manufacturers can only dream about. Here is a list of its full specks taken from the Saleen website www.saleen.com

GENERAL
Curb weight	2950 lb (1338 kg)
Weight distribution, F/R	40% / 60%
Fuel capacity	19.0 U.S. gal. (72 liters)
Wheelbase	106.30 in. (2700 mm)
Track, F/R	68.82 in. (1748 mm) / 67.32 in (1710 mm)
Width	78.35 in. (1990 mm)
Front overhang	40.59 in. (1031 mm)
Rear overhang	41.14 in. (1045 mm)
Length	187.95 in. (4774 mm)
Height	40.98 in. (1041 mm)
Ground clearance	4.00 in. (102 mm)
Trunk space, F/R	2.65 cu ft (75 liters) / 2.82 cu ft (80 liters)
CHASSIS
	4130 lightweight steel space frame
	with honeycomb composite panels
ENGINE
Type	All-aluminum V8, 2-valve pushrod
Displacement	7.0 liters
Bore and stroke	4.125 x 4.00 in. (104.8 x 101.6 mm)
Compression ratio	11.0:1
Pistons	Forged aluminum
Connecting rods	4340 forged billet steel
Crankshaft	4340 forged billet steel
Induction system	Air enters a roof intake, passes through a 90-mm mass air meter, feeding a carbon fiber plenum; from the plenum, air is routed to two twin-ball-bearing turbos, passes through an oval bore-throttle body into an aluminum intake manifold with eight individual runners
Cylinder heads	CNC machined, all-aluminum, Saleen high-flow
Valves	Stainless steel with titanium retainers; Intake: 2.125 in. (54.0 mm); Exhaust: 1.625 in. (41.3 mm); Beryllium exhaust seats
Valve train	Solid lifter/roller rocker
Exhaust system	Stainless steel high flow with merge collector incorporating dual catalysts per cylinder bank and EGR system; two twin-ball-bearing turbos with 44-mm wastegates
Required fuel	91 octane
Alternator	140 amps
Battery	12 volts
Front Engine Accessory Drive (FEAD)	Compact drive system with side-mounted water pump
Emission control system	OBD-II compliant; dual, heated oxygen sensors per bank; high-volume EVAP system
Fuel system	High-capacity returnless with 42 lb/hr injectors
Oil system	High-vacuum dry sump configuration; Capacity: 12.6 qt (12.0 liters); aluminum oil tank
Horsepower	750 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Torque	700 lb-ft @ 4800 RPM
Redline	6250 rpm

Whit these specks it is not surprising that the S7's top speed is 248 mph. Just to give you an idea of how fast that is I made a little comparison. The average takeoff speed for the commercial airplane Boeing 737 is 180 mph (source: http://www.aerospaceweb.org/question/performance/q0088.shtml) check it if you don't believe me. So this car is basically a airplane on the ground. Actually it is faster then a airplane on the ground, if it had wings it would be an airplane.

This is a nice car with some serious performance, but its not for anybody, as you might have figured out already. The price for a brand new Saleen S7 is about $ 555, 000., so you might want to brake a lot of piggy banks before you could afford one.

Saleen Dan Gurney Signature Edition Mustang

Dan Gurney said that he only had one request before agreeing to endorse a special-edition Saleen Mustang designed in his honor: it had to be "faster than Parnelli's." Saleen was happy to comply, and the Dan Gurney Signature Edition was born. Like the Parnelli Jones Signature limited edition, the Dan Gurney Signature Edition Mustang features graphics inspired by classic Trans Am race series cars, an extremely limited production run and of course some serious performance parts.

The Dan Gurney Signature Edition Mustang is set apart by a special body kit, duckbill rear spoiler and a "stinger"style hood scoop. Inside, a signature plate is personally signed by Gurney, and the two-tone seats have blue or red Alcantara inserts that are color-matched to the exterior. Saleen will build 100 Dan Gurney Signature Editions in each available color: Torch Red, Performance White and Vista Blue. Like the Parnelli Jones edition, the racing stripes and number stickers will be available so owners can create a road-going race replica if they desire. It's a tasteful package that will appeal to fans of vintage racers without looking too garish.

To ensure that Gurney's performance wishes were fulfilled, Saleen installed a supercharged 465-horsepower 281 cubic-inch V8 under the hood and connected it to a short-throw shifter. A 3.73 limited-slip Max Grip rear end helps to get the power to the road. Handling is improved with a Racecraft suspension, a second-generation Watts-Link rear end and Pirelli Corsa tires. The suspension setup was approved by Gurney himself.

It's a cool package; all we can hope is that someone will arrange a track-day shootout of each Saleen special edition, with its namesake at the wheel.

Saleen AF S281 Dedicated to US Army Troops

Saleen Automotive, America's automotive manufacturer will salute the American military with the production of twenty-four limited edition AF (American Flag) supercharged S281 cars. This is part of the American themed promotion, Saleen will also implement a nationwide holiday incentive program for all active military personnel.

The supercharged AF S281 celebrates our American heritage with a patriotic color pallet (8 red, 8 white, 8 blue vehicles), unique graphics package, a 465 hp supercharged engine, tuned suspension and 20 inch wheels and tires starting at $49,995.

"We wanted to take time during the holiday season to honor the men and women that serve our country at home and abroad," said Marques McCammon, General Manager of Saleen Automotive. "Our armed forces represent the best of the American spirit and we want to honor that spirit in our vehicles."

The program was developed when Saleen began receiving emails from soldiers returning from Iraq stating that they had purchased a Saleen to reward themselves. In keeping with Saleen's strong American heritage, the American Flag vehicles will be dedicated to the men and women who fight for our country everyday.

The twenty-four limited edition supercharged AF S281 vehicles will begin hitting select Saleen certified dealerships nationwide the week of December 25.

In addition to the vehicle, Saleen is offering all active military personnel a holiday incentive. The program kicked off on Dec. 1 and continues through to Jan. 31, 2008. It consists of a $500 military "bonus bucks" cash rebate to be applied to any new and unused 2006 or 2007 Saleen car or truck currently in a Saleen certified dealer's inventory. It also includes a one day voucher to the Skip Barber Performance Driving School. This program is only available to active military personnel with a valid military ID and drivers license.

"We know that our gesture is no match for the sacrifice they make on our behalf, but we want to be sure that they know we appreciate and honor them," said Paul Wilbur, President CEO of Saleen.