All posts by Jim Dvorak

Managing Director of SOEC since 2005. Veteran of the Southern California automotive scene. Involvement with Saleen dates back to the mid 1990s.
Press Release

STEVE SALEEN PRESENTS FIRST IMAGES OF 2010 SMS 620 CAMARO

Corona, CA/Detroit, MI – (January 11, 2010) At the 2010 North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Steve Saleen is launching the first official images of the 2010 SMS 620 Camaro, the third and latest of the ultra-high performance automobiles produced by Steve Saleen’s company, SMS Supercars of Corona, CA.

Steve Saleen, President and CEO of SMS Supercars, explains “The SMS 620 Camaro will be the only Camaro authorized to benefit from my heritage and to incorporate innovations derived from my thirty plus years of racing and manufacturing experience. We are excited to add the SMS 620 Camaro to our line of SMS Signature Series cars, which includes the SMS 570 Challenger and SMS 460 Mustang.”

The SMS 620 Camaro has a striking design that makes it stand out in the market. Chief Creative Officer of SMS, Phil Frank notes, “We have incorporated our well-known functional SMS Red Butterfly™ Dual Side Induction Hood as well as our race-proven aerodynamics in this third vehicle in our SMS Signature Series. The SMS 620 Camaro is a dramatic and iconic visual statement that very clearly bears the SMS design DNA.”

The bespoke interior includes high performance gauges and all-new Alcantara and leather SMS performance seats that feature the patented Signature Series chevron stripes. SMS offers its Tailor Made™ options for the exterior, interior and engine compartment; highlighted by a dozen show car quality custom SMS exterior colors. This newest creation by Steve Saleen’s company is scheduled for a market launch in the second quarter of 2010.

These vehicles’ power, performance and engineering befit their design. The SMS 620 Camaro will utilize a 6.2 liter V8 engine featuring 575 hp and 600 ft-lb of torque, while the even more powerful 6.2 liter V8 of the SMS 620X Camaro, with all new internals and CNC headwork, delivers a stunning 715 hp and 700 ft-lb. Both use the (patent pending) SMS 296™ Supercharger for their incredible horsepower and torque gains. Transmission options include a 6-speed automatic or 6-speed manual on both models.

The SMS 620 Camaro accelerates from 0 to 60 in under 4.3 seconds, while the SMS 620X Camaro manages the same in closer to 4.0. In addition to engine output, handling, road holding and braking improvements, the 620X will feature options such as Magneto-Rheological Semi-Active Dampers and Torvec Isotorque Differential and 21” rear wheels. Both will offer new SMS 16” 8-piston front and 14” 6-piston rear brakes deliver impressive stopping power to match rail like cornering and jaw-dropping acceleration.

SMS Supercars will be exhibiting its current model line of SMS 570 and 570X Challengers at the Detroit Auto Show. Steve Saleen will be present on both press days to answer questions and conduct interviews, please contact Axel Catton for appointments.

The official SMS Supercars Reception will be on Monday, January 11 between the hours of 4pm and 5pm at the SMS Supercars booth in the Main Hall.

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[Source: SMS Supercars]

Press Release

2010 SALEEN S281: DYNAMIC IN FORM AND FUNCTION

LAS VEGAS, Nev., Nov. 4, 2009 – Saleen Performance Vehicles today unveiled the first in its 2010 premiere line of high-performance cars, the 2010 Saleen S281. The introduction took place at the annual SEMA (Specialty Equipment Market Association) Show at the Las Vegas Convention Center. This is the second Saleen vehicle launched this year, following the 2010 435S introduced in August.

The S281, based on the 2010 Ford Mustang, displays a premium level of design consideration, both exterior and interior, with performance to match. It builds on the Saleen tradition of offering limited-edition, high-performance vehicles for enthusiasts who are looking for an exhilarating driving experience, with refined driveability for real-world road conditions.

“For more than 25 years the Saleen name has stood for excellence in design, engineering, and driving dynamics,” said Mike Shields, CEO of Saleen Performance Vehicles. “The new S281 is an excellent example of what those words mean when we craft concepts into real cars. Our team has done a terrific job; I’m proud of them and proud to be offering this car to our customers.”

The S281′s exterior design features carefully crafted sculptural detailing, with lines and forms that flow naturally and suggest suppleness, power and agility. It features an understated yet imposing grille and front fascia, and a refined treatment of the familiar Saleen extended rear fascia and trunk lid with a simple, elegant, integrated wing.

“Our goal was to create the most visually enticing American sports car ever,” said David Byron, design director at Saleen Performance Vehicles. “Ford provided the perfect launching pad with the 2010 Mustang, which allowed our team to create a car that’s world class and authentically Saleen. We painstakingly toiled over every bend and break in the body and every stitch and fold in the interior.”

The S281′s 4.6-liter V8 engine is equipped with a Saleen Series VI.5 twin-screw supercharger and dual-stage intercooler. It produces 485 hp and 460 lb.-ft. of torque, sent to the rear wheels through a short-throw, five-speed manual transmission and a limited-slip differential with 3.73:1 final drive ratio.

The Saleen Racecraft suspension system is new, and includes specially tuned, single-rate front and rear springs; nitrogen-pressurized front struts and rear shocks with a wide range of damping adjustments; and a specially tuned front sway bar with performance pivot bushings.

The interior features new, leather sport seats with Ultra-Suede inserts, highlighted by chevron-like Ultra-Suede red tabs in the seatback bolsters, and unique treatments of the gauges, steering wheel, center console and shifter. There also are contrasting Saleen logos in the door panels, and Saleen logos in the door sill plates that illuminate when the door is opened.

Additional exterior highlights include unique, 20-inch, 7-spoke alloy wheels with Pirelli P-Zero Rosso high-performance tires, and Saleen S281 Supercharged fender badging.

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Press Release

SMS 296 SUPERCHARGER WITH DUO-PATH INDUCTION FOR 2010 4.6L MUSTANG UNVEILED AT SEMA

Las Vegas, NV – November 3 – SOEC/Saleen Forums News — At the opening day of the 2009 SEMA Show, Steve M. Saleen and his SMS Supercars unveils the production version of the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System for the 2010 Mustang featuring the efficient SMS Duo-Path™ Induction (patent pending).

With over 30 years of racing and supercharger experience, Steve M. Saleen and the SMS design team have partnered with the leaders in the industry to create the ultimate solution for performance enthusiasts with their innovative SMS 296 Supercharger™ System. The new supercharger is able to boost under-hood horsepower by up to 45% in a variety of engine configurations. The SMS 296 Supercharger™ System is standard on the 475- and 650-horsepower 2010 SMS 460 Mustang, the 500- and 700-hp 2010 SMS 570 Challenger and the 550- to 750-hp 2010 SMS 620 Camaro. The system can also be ordered separately and installed into existing vehicles through SMS Superparts, Steve Saleen’s Performance Parts Division.

The SMS 296 Supercharger™ System is the eighth generation supercharger system to grace the engine bay of a Steve Saleen vehicle. This modular system is designed to fit a wide variety of modern vehicles and engines including Dodge Challenger R/T and SRT8, Chrysler 300, Charger R/T and SRT8, Camaro LS and two generations of Mustang GT.

SMS 296 Supercharger™ System features the LYS32M3 compressor module by Lysholm® for SMS, which puts out an astounding 32 cubic meters of air per minute. This patented screw compressor technology increases horsepower while reducing fuel consumption compared to similarly powered normally-aspirated engines.

SMS Six-Pack™ Intercooler System

The patented SMS Six-Pack™ Intercooler System features six cylindrical 0.2mm micro-fin Laminova® intercoolers which provide more than 60% additional cooling, flow efficiency, reduced pressure drop and air charge temperature cooling compared to traditional box-type intercoolers. This optimized system features 2.5 gallons of coolant, single-pass coolant flow, a 90 l/min water pump, dual-line coolant hoses and a high-volume dual pass heat exchanger to handle the most extreme horsepower configurations.

SMS Duo-Path™ Induction

The SMS 296 Supercharger™ System for the 2010 Mustang features the innovative, efficient and beautiful SMS Duo-Path™ Induction, which divides the cold air induction behind the throttle body and air box into two symmetric paths to the rear intake of the compressor. This dual-path system maximizes the flow cross section in the tight engine compartment of the Mustang, while also functioning as an aesthetic enhancement by obscuring the clutter associated with the top of the engine.

SMS Power Boost Efficiency

The innovation and internal efficiencies of the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System enable the system to deliver major horsepower gains within a 5-7 PSI boost range in most engine applications, with the benefit of reduced component fatigue for longer engine life.

SMS Tailor Made™ Options

The SMS 296 Supercharger™ System innovation continues on the outside as well with SMS Tailor Made™ custom finishes and powder coat color options for those horsepower enthusiasts who wish to match the impact under the hood to their rear wheel output! SMS offers custom-built systems to most specifications from its extensive list of options, including polishing, painting and anodizing of the castings and components.

SMS Superparts

At the 2009 SEMA Show, Steve Saleen also announced the formation of SMS Superparts. A subsidiary of SMS Supercars, the new venture will be a source for all Mustang, Mopar and Camaro enthusiasts to locally locally the new SMS296 Supercharger and have it installed.

Please visit www.smssupercars.com for more information. For a broad understanding of the workings of superchargers please visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Supercharger. SMS Supercars and SMS Superparts will be at SEMA, in the Main Hall at booth 24965.

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[Source: SMS Supercars]

Press Release

STEVE M. SALEEN ANNOUNCES LAUNCH OF SMS SUPERPARTS BUSINESS AT SEMA SHOW 2009

Las Vegas, NV – SOEC/Saleen Forums News – November 3, 2009 — Today, at the 2009 SEMA Show in Las Vegas, Steve M. Saleen, President and CEO of SMS Supercars, announces the formation of his nationwide sales, distribution and installation network SMS Superparts. On its own display area, SMS Superparts shows a virtually unmodified 2010 Ford Mustang with the new SMS 296 Supercharger under the hood, as well as a production version of the 2010 SMS 570X Challenger in Sour Grape Green. Centerpiece at the impressive display was the SMS 296 Supercharger. Says Saleen: “We are excited to launch our newest addition to the SMS Supercars family right here at SEMA, where it all happens.”

To have a strictly SMS Superparts display was a conscious choice on my part. I wanted to underline the importance of the aftermarket business, the passion of the enthusiasts and the true Steve Saleen fans. Right now, SMS Superparts is actively looking for installers around the country, who will be selling Mopar, Mustang and Camaro enthusiasts the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System and all other performance parts from SMS”. While the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System is standard on all SMS Signature Series Cars – the SMS 570 and 570X Challengers and SMS 460 and 460X Mustangs have been launched so far – it can also be ordered as an aftermarket performance solution through SMS Superparts.

Says the Head of SMS Superparts, Jon Clark: “SMS Superparts is your one-stop-shop for all your performance needs, starting with the awesome, patented SMS 296 Supercharger™ System, through the SMS S4 Suspension, wheel and tire packages, to aerodynamic body parts and our famous SMS Red Butterfly™ Induction hood. This way, every enthusiast out there with a 2008 or newer Dodge Challenger, a 2005 or newer Ford Mustang and – coming soon – a 2010 Chevrolet Camaro can personalize their car with genuine Steve Saleen designed and produced parts. Only SMS Superparts can rely on Steve’s 30 year experience in racing, development and retail.” SMS Superparts plans that its nationwide network of retailers and qualified installers in the major markets will become the point of contact for customers purchasing performance components from SMS Superparts and having them installed. SMS 296 Supercharger™ Systems installed by Steve Saleen-qualified retailers will come with the full factory warranty from SMS Supercars.

While Mr. Saleen expects the SMS Superparts top seller to be the SMS 296 Supercharger™ System, he envisages that most of his fans will not stop there; “I see people fitting our SMS 296 Supercharger™ System to an existing Mustang or Challenger and coming to us for more. We offer high-performance suspension and brake systems, aerodynamically efficient body parts and our patented butterfly hood – which looks and performs great, – as well as smaller components that make each car unique. And for those of you whose partner has one of those cars – Christmas is just around the corner, and you can find everything on our website http://www.smssuperparts.com/,” says Steve Saleen with a smile. Christmas is in 51 days….

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[Source: SMS Supercars]

Enthusiast News

AN OPEN LETTER TO THE AUTOMOTIVE ENTHUSIAST COMMUNITY

November 2, 2009

Since acquiring Saleen Performance Vehicles earlier this year, we have been working tirelessly to usher this iconic brand into a pulse-quickening new chapter. During this time, there has been a lot of speculation and innuendo – some of it quite astounding – about our commitment, and about our capabilities.

The purpose of this letter is to provide some facts about the new Saleen.

To begin, we are committed to our customers. This past summer, we announced a comprehensive warranty policy to support dealers as well as owners of recent model-year Saleen cars. In addition, we have extended support to the Saleen Club of America, the premier organization for enthusiasts of the marque.

We are also committed to the brand’s future, and are actively developing the next generation of Saleen products. In July, we presented the 2010 Saleen 435S in Myrtle Beach. Deliveries of this potent V8 coupe began in September.

This Wednesday, at SEMA (Booth #21658), we will unveil a dramatic new addition to the Saleen legend: the 2010 Saleen S281. We expect the enthusiast community will like what they see when we pull the cover off at 9:30 a.m. PST in Las Vegas.

In terms of capabilities, I am immensely proud of the technical prowess of the Saleen core team and our affiliate companies. Power-Tec, our advanced power components arm, has created a remarkable new supercharger system for the 2011 Saleen Mustang. Control-Tec, our engine controls group, has been pivotal in advancing the sophistication of our new cars’ calibrations through the application of the same innovative processes and tools used by their OEM customers.

Simply put, the technological expertise of our corporate family is unmatched in the specialty vehicle world. And make no mistake, these are men and women who live and breathe high performance all day, every day.

Looking ahead, our cycle plan will take Saleen to new levels of achievement in terms of performance, refinement, quality, and value. We will deliver exclusive American exotics designed to reward the most demanding drivers in the world – automobiles that fulfill and extend our promise: “Power in the Hands of the Few.”

We are dedicated, passionate, and thrilled about our mission. Keep your seatbelt fastened; there’s a lot of excitement just up the road.

Sincerely,

Mike Shields
CEO

p.s. Please visit us at Saleen.com, Power-Tec.com, and Control-Tec.com.

Enthusiast News

MEET STEVE SALEEN AT SEMA SHOW 2009 – SMS SUPERCARS BOOTH

Automotive icon Steve Saleen will be autographing for fans attending the world’s largest aftermarket industry trade show known as the SEMA Show in Las Vegas.

Tuesday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 n
Tuesday, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 n
Wednesday, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Thursday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 n
Thursday, 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Friday, 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 n

Location: SMS Supercars booth#24965, Central Hall

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Enthusiast News, Press Release

STEVE SALEEN VISITS WITH ADAM CAROLLA ON CARCAST

CarCast with Adam Carolla: Guest Steve Saleen
Adam Carolla with Steve Saleen

Adam Carolla and Steve Saleen talk about Steve’s background, the S7 Supercar and the new SMS 570X Challenger and his daughters Mollypop Pink Mustang. Then a quick lane change into Investments cars. Adam and Sandy come up with some interesting choices as usual. A quick pit stop with Skype calls. Ace and the Professor talk one end of of the road to the other with Replica cars to box stock Mustangs. And yes, you guessed it, we feature one of Adam’s Italian cars, his Dino Ferrari 308GT4 and then a wrap with John Salley’s First Car. Enjoy the ride!

Click on this link to visit adamcarolla.com and listen to the CarCast

Mollypop Mustang

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[Source: Adam Carolla]

Enthusiast News

FIRST SPV DEALER SALE: 2010 435S

From our friends at Saleen Performance Vehicles:

The first sale of 2010 Saleen 435S by Palmetto Ford in Charleston, SC.

Palmetto Ford sales first 435S
Palmetto Ford sales first 435S

Congratulations to the new owners!

[Source: Saleen Performance Vehicles]