By: RICHARD TRUETT on November 10, 2008
Original Article: AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, VOL. 83 ISSUE 6333

Dateline: DETROIT —

Specialty car builder Saleen Automotive, which built the mighty GT for Ford Motor Co. and created dozens of high-performance classic Mustangs, is for sate. In a statement Friday, Saleen said it has hired an investment bank to explore selling the suburban Detroit company by early next year.

But a sale could be tough. Tight credit markets and the slump in auto sales have hurt specialty companies such as Saleen and ASC Inc. Further complicating matters is that one of Saleen’s biggest sources of revenue, the Dodge Viper sports car, has been put up for sale by its owner, Chrysler LLC. Company founder Steve Saleen quit in May 2007.