On display at the Mustang 50th Birthday Celebration in Charlotte, NC

WORTHINGTON, OH – April 17 – Ford Motor Company’s iconic pony car, the Mustang, turns 50 this year and is being celebrated in style this week in Charlotte, NC. Visitors to the Mustang 50th Birthday Celebration will be delighted by roaring exhaust notes, high octane fumes, immaculate paint jobs, classic pony cars and modern renditions of a venerable classic.

One of the best executed modern versions on display at the Mustang celebration is the creation of another icon, Steve Saleen and the team at Saleen Automotive. The Saleen Mustang offers performance, suspension, trim and styling cues that stand out in a crowd and provides an excellent platform for additional personalization and customization. Saleen’s new Mustang also offers an option never seen before on a Mustang: a panoramic, switchable, glass roof.

The breathtaking roof utilizes Guardian Reveal switchable glass technology, which enables glass to go from clear to opaque with the flip of a switch. This option – dubbed Saleen Frost-Touch Glass – gives Saleen Mustang owners the best of both worlds: a 360-degree birds-eye view from the cockpit as well as protection from the heat and glare, as desired.

“We are always looking for game-changing technologies that will help set our vehicles apart from the pack,” says Steve Saleen, CEO, Saleen Automotive. “In working with the Custom Glass Solutions team at Guardian, we are getting to see firsthand the value and impact glass can have on a vehicle. We know our customers will agree; our panoramic, switchable, glass roof is a thing of beauty and a true differentiator.”

The Reveal Glass equipped Saleen Mustang made its way from California to take part in the anniversary activities in Charlotte. In true Mustang fashion, it was accompanied by a pack of more than 300 other Mustangs making the eastward trek.

“We are proud to introduce our Reveal switchable glass technology to the automotive world with a respected and reputable brand like Saleen,” says Todd Baum, sales director for Custom Glass Solutions. “The Saleen name stands for quality to automotive enthusiasts, much the way Guardian is synonymous with high-quality glass. As both professionals and enthusiasts, we are proud to produce advanced technology like this in the U.S. for a vehicle that is an American Icon.”

The Mustang 50th Birthday Celebration takes place April 16 – 20 at the Charlotte Motor Speedway and visitors can see the new Saleen Mustang with the dynamic, switchable glass roof at the Saleen stand in the center of the paddock.

About Custom Glass Solutions:
Custom Glass Solutions, a Guardian company, is North America’s leading producer of large format, laminated glass systems. In addition to laminated glass, the company also manufactures flat, bent, and tempered glass systems, offering a broad range of capabilities and the most diverse selection of products for many different transportation segments. Visit www.customglasssolutions.com.

About Saleen Automotive Inc.:
Saleen Automotive Inc. has created high performance vehicles for street and track, including the S7 supercar, S281, the race/road SR and the N20 Focus. The company also produces and markets a broad line of performance parts, as well as offers customizable design, engineering and certification services to diverse end markets. Visit www.saleenautomotive.com.

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[Source: Saleen Automotive]

Enhancing the current model lineup with the specially built 351 Cubic Inch offering.

Los Angeles, CA – (November 29, 2012) Hot on the heels of Steve Saleen regaining his namesake brand comes the first model announcement since the news was released. Making his announcement at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the well known man of Mustangs announced the Saleen 351 Mustang.

“Since regaining the Saleen brand, I really want to bring it all together with the heritage that Saleen is known for”, said Steve Saleen. “With the current Saleen [302] Mustang model it provides all the right features to bring back and update the S351 model.”

After nearly 13 years since a Saleen production vehicle has been powered by a 351 c.i.d. powerplant, this new model debut has an exciting list of technological and design offerings under the Saleen 351 model name.

Power

The most notable component in the 351 is the Saleen engineered 351 cubic inch V8 engine which will produce 700 hp and 655 ft-lb of torque when paired with theSaleen 296 supercharger system.

“Everything about this project has been mindful of the goal to create the most potent Mustang on the market”, said Al Wagner, V.P. of Engineering. “I think we have certainly pushed the bar in the production Mustang segment with our 351 offering. Once the project came together I couldn’t help but thinking; if the 302 mustang is using a coyote engine, the 351 is definitely the gray wolf of the class.”

Transferring all of that power requires the use of some specialized equipment as well. The Saleen 351 will utilize a 6-speed transmission equipped with a high performance Saleen clutch system, and a 3.73:1 final drive ratio to ensure that the power will be where its most required, on the ground.

Brakes, Wheels and Tires

Working in conjunction to the wheel, tire, and Saleen S4 suspension are the Saleen 15″ brake package which are a well-placed component of this 700 hp Saleen vehicle. “A multi-piston brake caliper setup is critical to a high performance vehicle of this caliber”, added Wagner. “The amount of power that this vehicle can deliver is astounding and needed to have a well composed counterpart allowing it comparable stopping power.”

Rounding out the performance system on the 351 are the Saleen 5-spoke alloy wheels wrapped with high performance tires. Setup in a staggered formation of 20×9 front and 20×10 rear, the slalom performance times and corning capabilities are set to be on-par with levels approaching those of pure bred racecars.

Design

Building on the design elements from the Saleen 302 Mustang, the 351 will feature the Red Butterfly Center Ram Air Induction system which has become a signature of the Saleen brand. A truly functional system, the Red Butterfly hood allows cold air to intake through the butterfly scoop design as they open-up under throttle. Once the air passes through the butterfly openings it is directed through the engine compartment to the 351’s powerplant where it becomes a tributary to the air intake system. Additional design components include full carbon fiber front and side splitters, as well as a carbon fiber rear diffuser which houses the F-1 style tail lamp. A complete treatment of Saleen 351 badging and graphics will also be included to complement any one of the standard or custom Saleen paint schemes available on all Saleen vehicles.

Saleen – Born of Racing

Steve Saleen’s high-performance history delves beyond the first Saleen Mustangs that went on sale in 1984. As a race car driver, Steve launched his racing career in 1969, where he competed in his first time trial. He then proceeded to win the first race he entered in 1970, and then moved to a professional racing career from the 1970’s through the 1980’s and 1990’s ranging from the Formula Super Vee, to the Formula Atlantic, and later to sports cars, truck and Indy car series. Based on his racing and manufacturing successes, Steve catapulted the company to new heights by entering the luxury supercar niche in 2000 with the Saleen S7, at the famous Pebble Beach Concours de Elegance in Monterey, California. By the following year in 2001, the race version was introduced – the S7R, and was quick to dominate racetracks around the world, including a Win at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2010.

Saleen – The Specialty Vehicle Manufacturer

As a Specialty Vehicle Manufacturer since 1984, Saleen offers a range of White, Yellow, and Black Label high-performance vehicles: The Saleen 302 & 351 Mustang,Saleen 570 & 570X Challenger, and Saleen 620 and 620X Camaro. Everything at Saleen is literally built from the ground-up, by skillful hands. The Saleen staff consists of a wide range of designers, R & D engineers and production team members that works together pushing the envelope of development, manufacturing, and certification of high-performance specialty vehicles.

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[Source: Saleen Automotive]