Saleen Automotive, commonly known as Saleen, is an American manufacturer of specialty high-performance sports cars and high-performance automotive parts. Saleen is headquartered in Corona, California, USA. On June 26, 2013 Saleen Automotive, Inc became public through a reverse merger. It is listed on the OTC Bulletin Board and is controlled and majority owned by Saleen brand founder Steve Saleen.[1]
Saleen’s flagship car was the Saleen S7, introduced in 2000. The S7 was wholly built by Saleen and features a mid-engine design in a high-performance supercar package. It is also currently the only Saleen production car not based on an existing design or chassis.
Saleen currently manufactures the S302 (Mustang-based), S620 (Camaro-based), the S570 (Challenger-based), and the GTX (Tesla Model S-based), and most recently have announced that they are in development of a new Saleen supercar, a limited run successor to the S7 supercar, the S7 LM.
History
1980s
The Saleen brand was established in 1983 originally as Saleen Autosport by Steve Saleen, a former professional Formula Atlantic race car driver. The 1st Saleen was produced in 1984 when they built 3 cars as the first production run – a white hatchback, a copper glow hatchback, and a black hatchback.
In 1985, Steve Saleen put the first certified supercharger on a production Saleen Mustang. This car was delivered to Nault Ford in Manchester, NH and was the first use of a centrifugal supercharger on the late model Mustang.[3]
In 1986, the Saleen made its entry into the Sport Car Club of America Race Series with a race prepped version of the Saleen Mustang.[4] A notable win that year at the grueling 24 Hours of Mosport was the catalyst for Saleen vehicles becoming heavily involved in motorsport throughout the rest of the 1980s.
1990s
By 1990, in response to increased aftermarket parts demand, Saleen established Saleen Performance Parts as an independent operation.
In 1994, Saleen debuted the S351 which touted a Saleen built 351ci engine.[5] Despite the Mustang GT changing to the modular V8 in 1996, Saleen continued with development of their own EPA-certified 351W engine.[6]
In 1995, Steve Saleen teamed up with comedian Tim Allen and formed the Saleen-Allen “RRR” Speedlab race team.
In 1997, Saleen introduced a Saleen Contour concept and an SUV, the Saleen XP8 Explorer.
In the late 1990s, the company was restructured and became Saleen, Inc..
2000s
In 2000, Saleen introduced their flagship vehicle, the Saleen S7 supercar. The S7 is a mid-engine, high-performance sports car that was initially priced at just under US$400,000. The S7 won four different GT championships in 2001 and has broken records at the prestigious 24-Hour Le Mans race. The S7 was Saleen’s only production car not based on an existing design or chassis.
In 2001, Saleen moved its production facilities to a new 100,000 square foot facility in Irvine, CA, USA.[7]
In 2002, Saleen was awarded the assembly and paint contract for the new Ford supercar, the Ford GT. This effectively made Saleen a Tier 1 supplier to Ford Motor Company.[8]
In 2003, Saleen set up a special manufacturing and licensing agreement for distribution of Saleen vehicles in Canada.[9]
In 2004, Saleen expanded its operations and manufacturing to an additional 203,000 square foot facility in Troy, MI, USA. The new $15M production facility included a high-tech paint facility and assembly line where Saleen produced the Ford GT under contract from Ford Motor Company.[10]
In 2005, global distribution was expanded to include Japan under a new partnership with a Tokyo based importer.[11]
In 2006, Saleen opened its first own branded retail store in an outdoor shopping center in Irvine, California. The showroom was described as a unique shopping experience for Saleen vehicles, parts, and apparel.[12]
In 2007, Saleen began working with Chrysler and supplied all the paint work for the new Dodge Viper.
2010s
In 2010, 2011 Saleen Mustang was made in Detroit by Revstone, the company that purchased and legally produced 42 Saleens those years. Steve Saleen was selling Mustangs under the SMS name tag as he did not legally own the name Saleen. At the end of 2011, there was an agreement between Ford, Revstone and Steve Saleen to let him start producing under the Saleen name again.
In 2013, Saleen entered into a merger that resulted in Saleen being a publicly traded company.[14] Later that year it was announced that the Saleen operations, manufacturing, R&D, and paint facilities would be consolidated to an expansive four acre campus in Southern California.[15]
In 2014, Saleen entered into an agreement to expand vehicle distribution to include China.[16] In August 2014, Saleen unveiled an all-electric performance model, the FOURSIXTEEN.[17]
In 2016, There has been much talk among Saleen fans about the possibility of an all electric version of Saleen’s signature car, the S7. There has been speculation that an electric version, being dubbed ‘S7E’, could possibly be under development utilizing drivetrain and electronics from the Tesla Model S platform. It has been noted that Saleen has previous experience with the Model S platform, in their modified version the Saleen GTX (Previously named the FOURSIXTEEN), which Saleen offers in their current product lineup.
Products
Legacy Models
| Decade | Production Car Series | Race Specific Cars |
|---|---|---|
| 1980 |
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| 1990 |
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| 2000 |
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| 2010 |
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SALEEN CARS
IXO-MODELS – SALEEN – S7 2001
VITESSE – SALEEN – S7
EDICOLA – SALEEN – S7R 2001
Provence Moulage Saleen S7 2001
MOTOR MAX 2000 Mustang Saleen SR
gamas43 