The Saleen S7, made until 2009 in twin-turbo form, was a real beast of a supercar in its final days pushing 1,000 hp with the optional Competition Package specified. However, while it may have been very fast (the fastest production car made in the US at the time, in fact), it was also hugely expensive – the carbon fiber bodywork alone cost Saleen $100,000 per car…
Now, the Corona, California-based company is back and they have ambitions to build another, but this time more accessible supercar. The information comes from MotorTrend, which had a chance to speak with Steve Saleen, who occupies the position of vice chairman and is still in charge of the operation.
He explained that the new model would borrow elements from the 2008 S5S Raptor concept car, the car originally intended to be this cheaper follow-up model. A lot has changed in 5 years, though, and now the new model needs to be reassessed and benchmarked against the McLaren MP4-12C or Ferrari 458. These are the very talented models the $200,000 price bracket will place this new Saleen next to, and it needs to be comparable to have a shot.
Mr. Saleen says the car is still two years away though, but once it arrives, it will have to fill big shoes, and US will have a direct mid-engined rival to the comparable European exotics.
By Andrei Nedelea
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