All posts by Betsy Beyer

Currently the longest running editor of Saleen Alley. The official publication of SOEC. Have owned five generations of Saleen Mustangs through 20 years of active SOEC participation.

COMPANY WEEK: SALEEN AUTOMOTIVE INC.

2019 Saleen 1 with Steve Saleen
2019 Saleen 1 with Steve Saleen

By: DAN SANCHEZ on March 27, 2018 at 10:02 am MDT
Original Article: COMPANYWEEK.COM

Saleen Automotive Inc.
www.saleenautomotive.com
Corona, CA
Founded 1984
Employees: 50
Privately Owned
Industry: Industrial/Equipment
Products: Automobile Original Equipment Manufacturer

Amy Boylan continues to build on Steve Saleen’s performance automobile brand using social media and lean manufacturing practices.

Amy Boylan’s path to a leadership role at California’s iconic Saleen Automotive is a road well traveled — mostly by men. But after a stint as president and COO at Shelby American and COO at West Coast Customs, Boylan’s less focused on glass ceilings than she is on stewarding an enduring brand that’s broken the rules of American automotive OEMs by transforming iconic automotive platforms into custom, high-performance machines.

Amy Boylan COO Saleen Automotive
Amy Boylan COO Saleen Automotive

“Steve Saleen has built a legacy and a brand that has lasted more than 34 years,” says Boylan, president and COO at Saleen Automotive since June 2017. “That’s what attracted me to the company. He’s weathered both good and bad times, but the automobiles he’s created remain collectible and beautiful, making the brand timeless.”

Enduring some ups and downs over the years, the car manufacturer has never stopped producing vehicles and aftermarket accessories. “Steve developed a car every single year for 34 years,” says Boylan. The company is most commonly known for its Saleen 302 on the Mustang platform, a high performance version of the Ford Mustang with a redesigned body, drivetrain and interior that delivers higher performance.

“Steve also built the S7, the first American supercar which has its own extensive history winning races,” says Boylan. “The new S1 is his latest design, an affordable supercar that can reach 180 mph. We like to call it – a sports car with a supercar pedigree.” Because of these achievements and capabilities, the company is recognized as an original equipment manufacturer, not a tuner. “We are an OEM,” says Boylan. “We’re like a smaller high-end company like Porsche or Ferrari. We get pre-titled vehicles from dealers but we go through all the required testing that all OEMs do.”

Saleen S7 LM Edition
Saleen S7 LM Edition

The market has been good lately, and the company continues to grow with its manufacturing roots in California. “Everything is done here in Southern California,” says Boylan. “From the design, engineering, and even getting additional parts from local suppliers.” To improve efficiency, Boylan adopted station building, a technique first developed by Toyota. “When you station-build, you can figure out who is doing things correctly, and who needs more training,” says Boylan. “Teams sign off on a vehicle when it leaves their station and they own that build. Then everything goes under post inspection. If there’s something that goes wrong, and we see it being repeated, we can retrain or re-educate the team. This is important when you’re expanding the lines and taking the company to the next level.”

Boylan points out that Saleen’s way of building vehicles isn’t the same as having a bunch of workers bolting on parts. “Most mechanics and car builders have their own way of doing things. That may not work well here so we retrain,” says Boylan. “Steve is adamant about keeping records and keeping manufacturing consistent. Everything has to be exact.”

Saleen interior design - Saleen Automotive
Saleen interior design – Saleen Automotive

The company also works with many vendors who must maintain that same high level of quality on their end. “We tell our vendors what we expect and show them the quality that it has to be,” says Boylan. “Everything must be done well and consistent. We look at every part that comes in and can send parts back to our vendors, so they can make it right. Steve believes, and I agree, that we have to touch everything so that the vehicle looks and sounds like a Saleen.”

Boylan realizes that keeping the brand growing involves embracing social media on many levels. The company has Facebook and Instagram pages, and she personally engages online to speak with vehicle owners. “We have customers who have a 1984 Saleen and we still make parts for those cars,” says Boylan. “We still support and talk to them. It’s important to talk to customers who have kept loyal to the brand.”

Ford GT, Saleen 1, Saleen S7 Competition
Ford GT, Saleen 1, Saleen S7 Competition

Needs: “You can never have enough equipment and people,” says Boylan. “In this area of California, it’s hard to find workers. Where we are now, in Corona, California, it’s a great place for a middle-class lifestyle, but not the best place to find executive level employment. Most people at that level are transplants and that’s sometimes difficult.

Challenges: “Trying to grow at the speed we need,” says Boylan. “We have turned a corner and are trying to keep up with a growing demand. We have created licensing deals with China to build vehicles over there, but all cars for North America will be designed, engineered, and built in the U.S. There are people here building to design stuff overseas. It’s the same for anyone building a car from scratch.”

Opportunities: “Steve has never been pigeonholed into one thing,” says Boylan. “He helped build the Ford GT for Ford, He also helped with the Dodge Viper. He’s brilliant in finding new opportunities. The new Saleen 1 (S1) for example breaks the mold for a $100K carbon fiber sports car that can reach 180 mph.”

Saleen Automotive, Corona CA
Saleen Automotive, Corona CA

[Source: CompanyWeek]

SALEEN 1 LAUNCH SUCCESSFUL

Additional Technical Specifications Released

CORONA, CA — December 7, 2017, Following the successful launch of Saleen 1 at the LA Auto Show last week, Saleen Automotive, Inc., has released more information on Steve Saleen’s newest creation. This modern, all-new, two-seater, mid-engine sports car is equipped with Supercar credentials.

The Saleen 1 features a 2.5L, I4, high output, turbocharged, Saleen-designed engine generating 450 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque with a top speed of 180mph. Standard is a 6-speed manual transmission with an optional paddle-shifter automatic to be offered at a later date.

The aluminum tub and carbon fiber body of the Saleen 1 weighs in at 2,685 pounds. The combination of horsepower and weight creates a power-to-weight ratio that places Saleen 1 within the ranks of the high-performance elite.

Equipped with independent wishbone suspension, Saleen 1 will ride on wide wheels shod in 255/30/ZR20 front and 335/25/ZR20 rear Continental Tires achieving 1.2Gs on the skid pad. The 15-inch calipers and rotors, front and rear, provide ultimate stopping power. The front to rear weight bias is perfectly balanced at 42F/58R.

The innovative design of Saleen 1, with its seductive contours, results in greater downforce while reducing high speed lift and generating a greater air flow to give the car better speed and agility. It is a car built for the road or the track, utilizing Steve Saleen’s 35-plus years of success in design, manufacturing, and racing.

As an original concept by one of the world’s most innovative car designers, the Saleen 1 interior is constructed to deliver optimum control, safety, and comfort. With bold racing-inspired instrumentation, the luxury of high-end leathers and suede, and use of Alcantera throughout the interior cabin, the car holds true to its Supercar heritage. Amenities such as the latest electronic connectivity, Sirius radio, and Apple Play wrapped in a six-speaker sound system enhance the riding experience. The subtle—yet plentiful—storage such as cup holders, door panel pockets, compartments in the console and behind the seats, alcove in the center stack, and up front suitcase storage assist in making Saleen 1 extremely suitable for every day driving and longer trips.

Production of Saleen 1 will begin soon at Saleen’s Corona, California, location. With a planned production run of 1,500 Saleen 1s yearly, the car will be available in Saleen’s 12 special colors, including Tire Smoke Pearl White, Lizstick Red (Candy Apple Red), and Beryllium (Copper).

Amazingly, all this power and unequaled design, accompanied with a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty, is available for only $100,000. A deposit of $1,000 will secure your order today.

Media contact: cbenty@saleen.com

Saleen Automotive, Inc.
2735 Wardlow Road
Corona, CA 92882
714.400.2121

Click here to participate in the discussion.

[Source: Saleen Automotive]

USA TODAY: STEVE SALEEN IS BACK

STEVE SALEEN IS BACK WITH A NEW $100K SUPERCAR

By: CHRIS WOODYARD on November 30, 2017
Original Article: USATODAY.COM

LOS ANGELES – Among performance-car enthusiasts, Steve Saleen is a legend.

He has been associated a variety of cars but is probably best known for the Saleen Mustangs — Ford muscle cars modified to tear up the track and make a statement on the street — in the 1980s. His company also built the S7, a supercar.

Now Saleen Automotive is back with a new supercar, the Saleen 1 or S1, that he’s showing off Thursday at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Steve Saleen is back with a new supercar, the Saleen 1, that he says will cost about $100,000 while producing impressive performance - Saleen Automotive
Steve Saleen is back with a new supercar, the Saleen 1, that he says will cost about $100,000 while producing impressive performance – Saleen Automotive

It’s another swoopy design with impressive performance numbers. Saleen says the two-seat car will have a turbocharged 450-horsepower four-cylinder engine that will be combined with low weight to give it rocket-like acceleration. It is expected to go from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds. Top speed will be about 180 mph.

But what will really set the Saleen 1 apart is price: About $100,000, Saleen said. That’s a far cry from many supercars that can cost double that or more.

Steve Saleen shows off his latest creation, the S1 supercar - Saleen Automotive
Steve Saleen shows off his latest creation, the S1 supercar – Saleen Automotive

Saleen says he hopes to start production at his Southern California plant by late next year. He wants to build about 1,500 cars, then Saleen Automotive’s Chinese affiliate, Jiangsu Saleen Automotive Technologies Group, will start production for worldwide distribution.

Saleen says he’s as excited about this one as he has been about any of his projects.

“It’s like a race car,” he said. “You’re only as good as your last race.”

[Source: USA Today]