Tag Archives: News

SMS CHALLENGER NEARING PRODUCTION: DODGE DEALERS TAKING ORDERS

Just in from Molly Saleen of SMS…

Steve Saleen and his company SMS are well on the way to production with the first vehicle in the line of Signature Series ultra-high performance vehicles. The SMS 570 Challenger will be the first vehicle with a host of aesthetic and functional innovations including the patented SMS Red Butterfly Induction™ hood and a full compliment of SMS ultra-high performance components including: drivetrain, suspension, aerodynamics, tires, wheels and interior.

“When you combine Steve Saleen and Dodge Challenger you get the pairing of two powerhouse automotive icons.” – Edmunds/Inside Line

The fully certified and street legal SMS 570 Challenger and SMS 570X Challenger will be based off the 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T platform and will feature a SMS designed and engineered SMS 296 Supercharger atop the 5.7L Hemi, with power ratings from 500 to over 700 horsepower respectively.

“Who wants a Steve Saleen Supercharged Challenger? We Do!” – Dodgepedia.org

The MSRPs for the 2009 SMS 570 Challenger and SMS 570X Challenger are targeted to start at $60,000 to $70,000 respectively with production commencing in 2008. Both models will carry a bumper-to-bumper factory warranty.

This is an exciting opportunity for the Mopar community to finally take part in the ultra-high performance niche production vehicle market! So act now to reserve yours.

“We’re big fans of Steve Saleen. He’s created some pretty incredible Mustangs over the last 25 years, and any guy that successfully builds his own supercar gets major props in our book.” – Autoblog

Each of these limited edition vehicles will be personally signed by Steve Saleen as part of the Signature Series product line, complete with unique badges and graphics. Production numbers will be limited per year depending on the model, so the opportunity to be one of the few owners is limited to a first come first served basis. So act now, by placing your preproduction orders though any Dodge dealer in the US. Or call us directly for more details.

About SMS
We are a niche manufacturer of lifestyle ultra-high performance vehicles, technical performance parts, lifestyle accessories and apparel. We design, engineer, test, certify, manufacture and assemble all our own products and vehicles.

“I am drawing upon 25 years of rich experience in the automotive industry to address the rapidly expanding global market of automotive lifestyle vehicles, technical performance parts, accessories and apparel” explains Steve Saleen, Chairman and CEO of SMS.

Sales contact:
714-400-2121 x216
sales@smssupercars.com
www.smssupercars.com

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SALEEN CODENAME “WIDOW MAKER” UNVEILED AS 2009 “DARK HORSE”

SALEEN CODENAME “WIDOW MAKER” UNVEILED AS 2009 “DARK HORSE”

Willow Springs International Raceway, Rosamond, CA — September 24, 2008 — by SOEC/Saleen Forums News Saleen CEO Chris Theodore officially presented its latest limited edition Mustang on the grounds of the fastes track in the west. “Dark Horse is the meanest, darkest and fastest Saleen yet,” said Theodore, who only last month took over the top position at the automaker and shifting gears from the job of chief technical officer.

2009 Saleen Dark Horse
2009 Saleen Dark Horse, CEO Chris Theodore

The Dark Horse powerplant is SAE-rated at 620 horsepower with 600 foot-pounds of torque, though it gets a little boost from Speedlab’s SuperShaker supplying exclusive styling while enhancing performance. “The vehicle takes advantage of the ram effect into the SuperShaker air box,” states Dan Agnew, Powertrain Engineering Manager, “It increases pressure in the air box, which adds boost by 0.5 psi and holds air charge temperature relatively constant even with the higher boost.” The Dark Horse powertrain also features a Saleen port-matched Series VI integrated screw-type supercharger, forged aluminum pistons, forged steel connecting rods, and orged steel crankshaft. While the SAE-certified horsepower rating does not necessarily reflect the full benefits of the SuperShaker, it does exhibit itself on the track with neck-wrenching acceleration.

The new Dark Horse combines the power and handling of the Saleen Extreme with Heritage body stylings. Its black body color, flat black exterior graphics, blacked-out trim and black chrome wheels make up the exterior. A Ford navigation system, sport leather seating with Alcantara inserts, and red anodized shift gate and leather-wrapped shifter are featured in the cockpit.

“The Dark Horse provides the capability of extreme horsepower and provides the detailed look our customers expect. By merging the SuperShaker with the Extreme powertrain we have created a no compromise solution for people looking for both performance and classic Mustang looks,” states Marc Musial, Chief Powertrain Engineer.

The Dark Horse’s suspension features everything you would expect from a Saleen, including a second generation Watts-link. The package is impressive, and provides sure-footedness around the tight road course of the Streets of Willow at high speeds, tight turns and aggressive braking. It is considered the most intense Saleen ride yet.

Originally code-named “WM” or the “Widow Maker,” the Dark Horse will be a limited edition of 25 coupes and begin production in November 2008. Pricing is to be announced, but should run in the $89,000-plus range.

SOEC, founded in 1991, is the premiere organization for Saleen owners and enthusiasts, with thousands of members worldwide.

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[Source: Saleen Owners and Enthusiasts Club]

“DARK HORSE” TO BECOME LATEST SALEEN LIMITED EDITION

IRVINE, CA — September 19, 2008 — SOEC/Saleen Forums News — Saleen’s 2009 lineup is getting a new limited edition Heritage-based “Dark Horse” model, and it’s promising to gallop its way to Southern California next week.

This new moniker will feature traditionally aggressive Saleen Heritage designs, including the new SuperShaker intake. Said to produce 620-horsepower and 600 pounds-feet of torque, the stout 302 should be able to breathe effortlessly with its shaker hood.

The Dark Horse will also feature unique interior stylings, and will be produced in a limited edition of only 25. Be sure to check back late next week for photos and details.

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CHRIS THEODORE: KEEPING PERFORMANCE ALIVE

By: CHRISTOPHER A. SAWYER on September 2008
Original Article: AUTOMOTIVE DESIGN & PRODUCTION, VOL. 120 ISSUE 9, P18-19. 2P.

The CEO of ASC and Saleen sees this time of higher gas prices and tighter emissions regulations as the perfect opportunity for domestic automakers to grab the imagination of the next generation by increasing their reliance on niche manufacturers.

One of the last times that I saw Chris Theodore-the newly named CEO of American Specialty Cars (Southgate, MI; www.ascglobal.com) and Saleen, Inc. (Troy, MI; www.saleen.com)-was in 2003, before he retired from Ford. The setting was a media introduction of the 2005 Ford Five Hundred and Freestyle (now Taurus and Taurus X). Showing a fellow journalist the capacious rear compartment of Ford’s new premium sedan, Theodore exhibited remarkable restraint when said journalist blurted out: “Wow! This’ll make a great taxi cab!” But Theodore’s mind was on his next project-and, as it turned out, his last at Ford-the Ford GT, a car that never could be mistaken for a taxi cab. Though insiders say Theodore’s 2004 departure from Ford was driven by internal political intrigue, it’s a subject which he sidesteps easily. “I tried retirement for about 10 months,” he says, “did-and still do-some teaching at the University of Detroit, and played with my toys, but I’ve been a car nut since I was four. I couldn’t just sit still.” Offers from various suppliers were considered, but Theodore-an avowed “total car guy with a heavy emphasis on powertrains”-didn’t want to take a position just so he could keep his hand in. If he was to come out of retirement, it would take an opportunity that would give him a chance to express his creativity, something that working for a commodity supplier wouldn’t accomplish.

“The OEMs are going to be focused on meeting a set of fuel economy standards that probably will be relaxed when it’s too late,” he says. This is causing a major refocusing of cycle plans, and forcing automakers to redirect their performance efforts toward more mainstream concerns. “This creates a tremendous opportunity for us,” he says, especially with the next generation of car buyers. Describing car lust as “an anthropological thing that goes in cycles,” Theodore believes domestic automakers have an unequalled opportunity to connect with the Millennial generation as traditional youth-oriented brands like Honda have “aged with the people they attracted to their fold in the first place.” What will appeal to this new generation of buyers is uncertain, but developing products like the Sky Slider roof and going directly to the consumer for their reaction, he says, is both faster and less expensive than following an OEM’s normal approval process. It also is less risky as it is easier for a supplier to react to changes in demand or introduce new products based on customer feedback.

Despite the fact that the Saleen facility is a former AMT model factory-“We had all these tiny rubber tires coming down from the rafters when we remodeled the place!”-with the only low-volume paint facility in North America (the Dodge Viper’s body panels are painted there), an engine shop, a supercharger shop, and a fabrication and composites shop, the four-year-old that still lives inside the man still has dreams of building his own car-“No true car guy goes through his life without having that fantasy.”-a dream that is closer with his ascension to the CEO’s slot at both ASC and Saleen. Will it be the Saleen S5S Raptor, a mid-engined sports car in the mold of Ford’s GT, or something less predictable? “Before I left Ford,” he recounts, “I wanted to do a new version of the Mustang I concept car of the early 1960s.” His preliminary layouts showed a turbocharged version of the Escape Hybrid powertrain situated transversely behind the driver and passenger, and side-mounted radiators like the original. It was an ethical sports car, he says, and one in tune with the desires of younger buyers. “After all,” he intones, “no matter how ‘green’ anyone purports to be, they just want to have fun.”

SALEEN INC. REORGANIZES SALES & MARKETING TEAM

IRVINE, CA — August 28, 2008 — Today, the specialty manufacturer announced the recent hiring of Mark Patrzik to its sales team. After having quietly announced the departure of CEO Paul Wilbur on August 15, Chris Theodore assumed Wilbur’s role, moving from Vice Chairman and Chief Technology Officer.

With Patrzik’s hiring, Saleen sales team veteran Tom Ryan has shifted gears to Vice President of International Development. Ryan’s first task was to head north to Canada to help expand the Saleen dealer network elsewhere in North America and abroad.

Other mangement changes include the responsibilities of Julie Zona, Saleen’s head of product planning, who will assume the role of Director of Marketing and Program Planning. Zona, a veteran of Chrysler’s marketing and product development teams, has been with Saleen for just under a year. Among her first projects was the 25th Anniversary Sterling Edition, on which she worked closely with McCammon.

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SALEEN UPSCALES 2009 MODEL LINE IN PINNACLE YEAR

IRVINE, CA — August 14, 2008 — On the eve of a second Racecraft model launch and amidst a wave of rumors about the company’s viability due to recent auctions at its California and Michigan facilities, Saleen Inc. gives SOEC members a sneak peek at its 2009 Saleen lineup. This year includes fewer, but more upscale offerings than in 2008, surely in part due to the abbreviated production year for 2009, a mere 8 or 9 months, as the 2010 Mustang is due out from Ford in March.

“The campaign for the year is titled ‘the Pinnacle,’ as we intend to solidify Saleen’s position as the leader in exclusive performance vehicles,” says Marques McCammon, General manager at Saleen Automotive. “My vision is to move the brand up with more exclusivity in every model, [with] fewer, more substantive offerings.”

For 2009, Saleen introduces a new wheel, some new exterior details, and each model will have its own interior treatment; e.g., a 281 Supercharged will be visually different from a S302 Supercharged, and the S302E would be different still.

In addition to a offering a unique interior, the new S302 Supercharged will also be offering 580-horsepower in S-line dress.

A reduced number of H-line models for 2009 will be two special editions, including a continuation of the Gurney and a super Saleen that that is nicknamed the “WM” — while we don’t know yet what “WM” stands for, we’re sure to find out soon enough.

More details on the 2009 Saleen lineup will be made available as each model is officially launched.

As part of Saleen’s Woodward Dream Cruise festivities on August 15, expect to see a much-rumored RaceCraft Focus unveiled, to join the 420 S Mustang unveiled at Mustang Week in South Carolina last month. RaceCraft models, unlike their serial-numbered brethren, will be made available to all Ford dealers.

SOEC, founded in 1991, is the premiere organization for Saleen owners and enthusiasts, with thousands of members worldwide.

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WOODWARD DREAM CRUISE & SALEEN HEADQUARTERS OPEN HOUSE AUGUST 15-16, 2008

MEDIA EVENT:
2009 MY, 2nd Racecraft Product Unveiling, SpeedLab SuperShaker
Date/Time:
August 15, 9:00am-11:30pm
Location:
Saleen Headquarters, 1225 E. Maple Rd., Troy, MI

Details:
The Saleen Headquarters Open House event will serve as a kickoff for the 2009 MY vehicles as well as the introduction of another Racecraft branded product. The Saleen SpeedLab SuperShaker will be debuted at this event as well.

There will be a continental breakfast served from 9:00am-9:30am followed by a press conference and vehicle unveiling. At the conclusion of the press conference all journalists will be given media kits and an opportunity to test drive the vehicles.

The following day we are inviting members of the media to join us on Woodward Avenue to enjoy the 14th Annual Dream Cruise. The Saleen booth will be located at the Bridgestone/Firestone building on the corner of Woodward and Coolidge. We will have Saleen and Racecraft vehicles on display as well as SpeedLab products. 101 WRIF (the #1 radio station in Detroit) will be broadcasting live and giving out promotional items from our location all day. Additionally, Rockstar Games will be onsite conducting game demos of the upcoming Midnight Club Los Angeles featuring Saleen vehicles. The festivities will kickoff at 8:30am and continue throughout the day ending at 7pm. We will be offering hospitality with food and beverages from 12:00pm-2pm.

If you have any questions regarding the events listed above please contact Kim Brugger at 734.776.3928, kim.brugger@saleen.com or Lizzie Raickovich at 248.837.0851, lizzie.raickovich@saleen.com.

We are asking that those interested in attending please RSVP by August 11th.

Look forward to seeing you there!

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