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SALEEN REVEALS 2007 HERITAGE SERIES
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THE GREAT AMERICAN RUN TESTING BEGINS
The very first limited edition Ultimate Saleen Bad Boy Mustang to roll off the production line has made its public debut with the initial test session for July’s Cannonball World Events Great American Run.
Participant Nick Fluge and event organiser Tim ‘Maverick’ Porter put the liveried machine through its paces at Willow Springs Raceway. The duo spent the day getting a general feel for the car and its performance capabilities.
“Testing was great,” enthused Fluge. “It was great to see the Saleen that Tim helped design to finally break cover in its full race colours. The day itself was very productive from a performance perspective, it handles extremely well and more than surpassed my expectations.
“The car is almost 100% ready but will receive a little TLC and more testing ahead of the July 29 start. In particular I am planning a few tricks with regard to advanced radar detection and GPS systems.”
Speaking trackside, Tim Porter commented that, “The first session on track was absolutely superb. Running alongside a circuit full of other Mustangs was fantastic. The ‘Bad Boy’ Mustang outperformed all comers and drove without a hitch all day. I think this car will surprise many; it certainly exceeded my expectations and handled extremely well.”
Set to be the largest car event in North America, The Great American Run is a week long epic race across America. Strictly limited to 400 drivers, the participants will set off from four different destinations and ultimately meet in Los Angeles. Based on the European Cannonball Run, each route will span approximately the same distance, converging in Las Vegas before taking in a high-octane track day at Willow Springs Raceway and travelling together to LA for the event finale.
A target time has been set for each stage of the event (achievable without breaking the speed limits), and the winner of the event will be the drivers of the car that get the closest overall time. The victorious team will be announced at the Final Night Gala Dinner in Los Angeles, CA and will take the World Title, the trophy and free entry in to the next event to defend their crown.
To reserve your place for the adventure of a lifetime, visit www.thegreatamericanrun.com
Editors Note: Please direct all press queries to Rebecca Appleton. Tel +44 208 123 5178 or email Rebecca@topposition.co.uk. High resolution images, editorial comment, archived press information and interviews are available on request.
SALEEN SIGNS ON AS TITLE SPONSOR OF AMERICA’S LARGEST ROAD RALLY
“THE GREAT AMERICAN RUN”
~ Winner Takes Home a New Saleen S281 “Extreme” ~
IRVINE, CALIF. – Saleen Inc., manufacturer of the world’s fastest production car – the Saleen S7 – today announced it will be sponsoring the world’s largest road rally: “The Great AmericanRun.” This event marks the state-side arrival of Europe’s most famous road rally taking place July 29 – August 4, 2007. To celebrate the inaugural U.S. rally, Saleen Inc. has been commissioned by Cannonball Run World Events, Inc. (CRWE) to uniquely modify 25 stock Saleen S281 “Extreme” Mustangs with an additional 50 horsepower (aftermarket upgrade*), and identical black-on-black paint and graphics packages. CRWE has reserved one of the modified 600 horsepower “Extremes” for the winner of the event.
On July 29, 2007, 400 cars will start from four originating cities: Washington D.C., New York, Atlanta and Miami, to embark on a 3000 mile coast-to-coast free-for-all. Each night, entrants will enjoy luxury hotel accommodations at four star hotels and extravagant parties. Each of the cars will ultimately regroup in Las Vegas, where the remaining drivers will gather for the final leg of the rally to Los Angeles for the event’s award ceremony and track day at the historic Willow Springs Raceway.
“Saleen is proud to support an event of this magnitude that brings together all types of enthusiasts and all types of performance cars – foreign and domestic – in a fun and safe environment,” said Steve Saleen, founder of Saleen Inc. “Our mission is not just about building the highest performance cars in the world, but also about building opportunities for car enthusiasts to share great experiences with each other. The Great American Run will be an experience enthusiasts will talk about for years to come.”
CRWE is well known for developing safe and fun events with a track record of seven successful rallies. In fact, the object of the rally is not who can reach the final destination first, but rather who can most closely attain an average speed of 61 mph over the 3000 mile route.
“Safety is paramount to this event, and in the previous five years and seven events held in Europe, we have never had a serious accident,” said Tim Porter, chief executive officer of Cannonball Run World Events. “We believe that this is due to the way we police our events with very strict rules. The object is to complete the course with an average speed at or below the national speed limit, rather than racing to be the first car to arrive.”
25 “EXTREME” CARS FOR RALLY ENTRANTS
The 2007 Saleen S281 “Extreme” is quickly becoming known as the world’s fastest production Mustang. With 550 horsepower, 525 lb-ft of torque, Saleen’s patented Racecraft suspension, close-ratio six-speed transmission, 4:10 rear gearing with a Maxgrip differential, high-flow cooling system, 15” slotted and vented disc brake system, and numerous additional internal and external performance enhancements; the “Extreme” rivals all competitors in the high-performance sports car world, including the Chevrolet Corvette Z06, Ferrari 430, Porsche 911 Carrera and the Dodge Viper SRT-10.
For the “Great American Run,” CRWE will be commissioning Saleen, Inc. to modify 25 stock Saleen S281 “Extremes” and having them converted to 600 horsepower, with aftermarket options available soon through the Saleen SpeedLab®. CRWE has named this exclusive collection of cars “The Ultimate Bad Boy Edition” and will only make them available to race entrants.
The 550 horsepower Saleen S281 “Extreme” is currently available for purchase at “The Saleen Store” and Saleen Certified Dealers for those not participating in the event. Visit www.saleen.com for further product and dealer information.
Saleen S281 Extreme “Ultimate Bad Boy Edition” vehicles are all equipped the same:
2007 Black Saleen S281 Extreme
Aftermarket options include:
- Forged 5-spoke, one-piece wheels (painted black)
- 50 Horsepower upgrade* – VOIDS WARRANTY (Aftermarket option available mid-year 2007 as a Saleen SpeedLab product)
- Numbered gold plaque (provided by CRWE) (Buyers may add upgrades – i.e. scenic roof, tires, stereo system, etc.)
- Official “Great American Run decals (provided by CRWE)
For more information regarding “The Great American Run” or Cannonball Run World Events, please contact 1-800-619-8593 or visit cannonballworld.com.
ABOUT SALEEN
Since the company’s inception in 1984, Saleen has produced over 12,000 complete and EPAcertified vehicles, more than any other specialty automobile manufacturer. In addition, Saleen has equipped more than 600,000 vehicles worldwide, further emphasizing their commitment to excellence.
A nine-time Manufacturers’ Champion in GT sports car racing, Saleen manufactures the American super car — the Saleen S7, as well as the S281 Mustang, S331 Sport Truck and the Saleen/Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang. Saleen’s manufacturing facilities are located in Irvine, California and Troy, Michigan. The Michigan facility has just completed all paint and assembly of the Ford GT as a special project for Ford Motor Company.
* Horsepower upgrades are only available on an aftermarket basis and void the manufacturer’s warranty on the vehicle. Customer is responsible for all emission compliance on any aftermarket powertrain modifications. The 550 horsepower Saleen Extreme is fully emissions compliant. Saleen makes no representation as to the emissions compliance of any vehicles modified by CRWE.
RACER AND CAR BUILDER STEVE SALEEN RESIGNS
Racer and Car Builder Steve Saleen Resigns from the Company that Bears His Name
May 15, 2007
More than 23 years ago, Steve Saleen founded a modest company that would produce specialty Mustangs much like those of Carroll Shelby before him — improving on the popular platform that Ford provided and creating a unique brand based on racing heritage and an exclusive image offering handling and performance and style. The slogan would be appropo — Power in the Hands of a Few.
Cheers to you, Steve — and to the vision you’ve had for the Pony Cars and Super Cars that you’ve brought to us over the years — and for those rolling works of art that hopefully you will continue to inspire in the future!
STEVE SALEEN RETIRES FROM SALEEN INC.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
STEVE SALEEN RETIRES FROM SALEEN INC.
~Saleen Continues Legacy as the “Go-To” Brand for OEM Performance Projects~
IRVINE, CALIF., MAY 14, 2007 – Steve Saleen, founder and vice chairman of the board at Saleen Inc., today announced his official retirement from the company’s executive team. After years of planning, Mr. Saleen will take a greater step back from the company’s day-to-day operations to act as corporate spokesperson and ambassador for the brand.
“I have a vested interest in the company’s future and intend to remain involved,” said Steve Saleen. “I take great pride in knowing I have assembled a team of the most talented and innovative professionals in the industry. Each person at Saleen has helped me achieve my dream and will help to continue my legacy into the next generation of Saleen products and
services.”
As founder and a major shareholder in the company, Mr. Saleen will continue to influence product design and development activities, as well as its branding strategies and promotional efforts.
OEM PROJECTS
Saleen Inc. has experienced tremendous growth in the past few years, producing nearly 5,000 vehicles in 2006 alone. Future manufacturing plans include multiple vehicle lines of Ford-derived vehicles (Saleen S281, Heritage and S331 Sport Trucks), as well as the S7 Twin Turbo, the world’s fastest production car. After tremendous successes in the design and production of the Ford GT for Ford Motor Company, Saleen Inc. will soon announce new original equipment manufacturer (OEM) programs with both Ford Motor Company and DaimlerChrysler to begin in spring 2007.
“Saleen has become a name synonymous with performance,” said Dan Reiner, chairman of Saleen Inc. “It makes a lot of sense to let Steve take on an auxiliary role to maintain his vision and continue building the world’s greatest performance products. Steve’s many years of hard work have provided a great foundation for the company in the automotive industry, propelling the company beyond Saleen-branded products to become an industry leader in the performance category.”
ABOUT SALEEN
Since the company’s inception in 1984, Saleen has produced over 12,000 complete and EPA-certified vehicles, more than any other specialty automobile manufacturer. In addition, Saleen has equipped more than 600,000 vehicles worldwide, further emphasizing their capabilities and commitment to excellence.
A nine-time Manufacturers’ Champion in GT sports car racing, Saleen manufactures the American super car — the Saleen S7, as well as the S281 Mustang, S331 Sport Truck and the Saleen/Parnelli Jones Limited Edition Mustang. Saleen’s manufacturing facilities are located in Irvine, California and Troy, Michigan. The Michigan facility has just completed all paint and assembly of the Ford GT as a special project for Ford Motor Company.
Saleen Media Bureau
(949) 597-4900
pr@saleen.com
THE GREAT AMERICAN RUN ANNOUNCES $1 MILLION BOUNTY!
The Cannonball World Series has today announced that entrants signing up for July’s Great American Run will have the chance to walk away with the largest prize in road racing – a cool $1 million.
Already set to be one of the greatest car events of the decade, the stateside spectacular will see this year’s winner take home a brand new limited edition Saleen ‘Bad Boy’ Mustang and automatic entrance into next year’s rally. The one million dollar fund will be paid out to the winner of the 2008 epic.
“We still have a few spaces remaining for drivers and teams wishing to take part in this summer’s road rally,” confirms Tim Porter, event organiser. “The victorious pairing will be granted admission to defend their crown next year and earn their shot at our mammoth prize fund.”
The largest ever cash reward offered for non-professional drivers, the Great American Run million dollar bounty is destined for the competitor successfully navigating more than three thousand miles of the American road network in the time closest to the benchmark set by the Cannonball World Series Events crew.
Based on the legendary Hollywood movie, the Great American Run follows the same format as the ultra-successful European Cannonball Run. With four starting cities, four hundred muscle cars and a six day drive, entrants slug it out on a coast to coast cavalcade which takes them through some of the finest scenery in the United States.
“The Great American Run is set to follow in the wheel tracks of some of the most epic car rallies seen on European tarmac,” says Tim Porter. “Larger than life with muscle cars and show cars, entrepreneurs and life-long friends, it’s not the taking part that counts in the Great American Run, it’s the spirit with which you compete!”
The 2007 Great American Run begins on July 29 in Miami, FL; Atlanta, GA; Washington D.C. and New York City, NY. One hundred drivers will set off from each destination before converging in Las Vegas. Following an all-comers high-octane track day at Willow Springs Raceway, the cavalcade of cars will then travel together to Los Angeles for the event finale.
To reserve your place for The Great American Run, visit www.thegreatamericanrun.com
For sales information, to reserve your place or for sponsorship details, contact Jo Groome.
Tel: +44 1403 276191 or email: info@cannonballworld.com. Alternatively, call toll free in the USA: 800-619-8593
Editors Note:
Please direct all press queries to Rebecca Appleton. Tel +44 208 123 5178 or email Rebecca@topposition.co.uk. High resolution images, editorial comment, archived press information and interviews are available on request.
ASC FILES CHAPTER 11, AWAITS SALEEN
By: High Gear Media Staff on May 4, 2007
Original Article: HIGHGEARMEDIA.COM
The company that invented the modern sunroof has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but company officials argue that the roof is half open, rather than half closed, what with ASC Inc. ready to be sold to the same private investment company that owns the high-performance specialty car manufacturer, Saleen.
ASC, based in the Detroit suburb of Southgate , has petitioned the courts to let it shed sizable assets and restructure debt incurred during its own, abortive push into the production of specialty vehicles. That included the Chevrolet SSR, a high-performance pickup truck ASC produced for several years on behalf of the General Motors division.
Barring a last-minute hitch, ASC expects to emerge from bankruptcy by mid-summer, with its remaining assets being sold to Hancock Park Associates, a private equity investment firm founded in 1986, which now owns Saleen, Inc., of Irvine, Calif.
“It’s terribly frustrating,” ASC President Paul Wilbur said of the bankruptcy, but referring to the impending sale, he told TheCarConnection.com that, “I think there’s a rosier future for this company.”
There’s little doubt that times have been rough for the Detroit supplier, formerly known as American Sunroof Corp. since the death of its founder, Heinz Prechter, in 2001. His widow, Waltraud, sold the firm to Questor Management Co., which shifted focus from sunroofs to low-volume vehicles, like SSR, a decision that also prompted the name change, which is short for American Specialty Cars.
Initially, things looked solid. The move away from sunroofs was no surprise, as they’d become little more than a commodity product, not the premium business Prechter envisioned when the German immigrant started out in Los Angeles , working from a two-car garage.
Detroit makers, as well as their import competitors, had been seeking ways to connect with consumers, and with the U.S. new car market increasingly fragmented, there seemed a tremendous opportunity to produce low-volume, high-margin specialty vehicles, such as the SSR and the Dodge Viper, a sports car for which ASC provided key pieces.
But the specialty niche hasn’t taken off as well as expected, and after an initial surge in sales off the SSR – which Wilbur says “took off hotter than anyone could have expected” – demand cooled quickly, Chevy pulling the plug on production. Compounding the crisis, the Viper’s big V-10 failed to meet government certification, forcing what has so far been a nine-month delay of the sports car.
With lots of ideas but no other immediate projects to replace the SSR and Viper, ASC lost roughly three-quarters of its business. Seeking a way out of the crisis, Wilbur and his senior management team, which includes former Ford Motor Co. product development chief Chris Theodore, began exploring a sale with a number of potential partners.
That included Hancock Park which, said Wilbur, pressed for a bankruptcy before completing a deal. That’s not entirely unusual, these days, added the Michigan executive. “Bankruptcy is becoming a financial strategy when you buy companies. You’re looking at the assets that create customer value and get rid of the assets that don’t make sense.”
In the case of ASC, that means cleaning up a balance sheet showing $31.2 million of total assets and $50.8 million of total liabilities.
ASC has already closed four manufacturing plants, in Livonia, Lansing and Gibraltar, Michigan, as well as in Bowling Green, Ky. , and three more engineering centers, eliminating 1000 jobs in the process. A technical center in Lansing will now be closed, as well.
According to Wilbur, “about 90 percent” of the remaining ASC workforce, approximately 250 employees, will remain on the job if the deal with Hancock Park wins final approval of the bankruptcy judge. Notably, that includes current ASC executives such as Wilbur and Theodore.
Under the law, ASC must still go through a formal auction process, likely to happen in the next 60 days or so. A new bidder could still enter the process, but in legal parlance, it would need to come up with a “better and higher bid.” Not only would it have to come up with more money, but also with a deal that would prove better, in the long run, for ASC, its debtors and employees.
Exactly what will come of the proposed partnership between ASC and Hancock’s Saleen division isn’t clear. The California-based firm produces the S7 supercar, as well as a high-performance version of such mainstream products as the Ford GT. Wilbur suggested there are plans in development which could result in several projects, possibly including both future niche vehicles and aftermarket performance products.
Asked for specifics, he demurred, insisting, “it’s too early to disclose them.”
What’s significant, Wilbur insisted, is that ASC will survive – at least in a slimmed-down form, anyway, once it works its way through the Chapter 11 process.
[Source: High Gear Media]
HANCOCK PARK ASSOCIATES TO BUY ASC’S CONVERTIBLE & DESIGN UNITS
DETROIT, May 4 /PRNewswire/ — ASC Incorporated announced that Hancock Park Associates, a private-equity firm based in Los Angeles, has signed a definitive purchase agreement for the automotive “open air” roof-systems unit and the automotive design-services unit of ASC from its owner, American Specialty Cars Holdings LLC. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
As a condition of the asset-purchase agreement, the sale of the two ASC units is to be conducted under the provisions of Chapter 11, Section 363, of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Accordingly, ASC has filed a voluntary petition for reorganization under Chapter 11 with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Eastern District of Michigan.
American Specialty Cars Holdings believes that a sale in this fashion will ensure an orderly, strategic sale of ASC’s viable open-air and design units and the liquidation and dissolution of ASC’s other, non-productive assets.
As part of the filing, ASC has arranged for debtor-in-possession (DIP) financing from Comerica Bank, which will be used by ASC to fund normal business operations. The company said the steps it is taking will help ensure continuity of supply to its customers, and that it has planned appropriately for these actions and is operating as normal.
About ASC
ASC Incorporated is a supplier of highly engineered roof systems and of design services for the world’s automakers. The company was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in Southgate, Mich. More information can be obtained at http://www.ascglobal.com.
About Hancock Park Associates
Hancock Park Associates is a private equity investment firm founded in 1986 which focuses on small to mid-size businesses in the retail and manufacturing industries and is the principal shareholder in Irvine, California-based Saleen Inc. More information can be obtained at http://www.hpcap.com.
SOURCE: ASC Incorporated
WILD HORSES: YOUR MUSTANG SHORT OF GIDDYAP? ANDERSON FORD-MERCURY WILL PUT SOME SPRING IN ITS STEP
By: TONY REID on April 26, 2007
Original Article: HERALD & REVIEW (DECATUR, IL)
Apr. 26–CLINTON — On the face of it, the Anderson Ford-Mercury dealership in Clinton looks just like your typical car place.
Families come there to shop for their next kid-mover, whether it be a car or van. Working guys buy trucks they need for the job. Would-be owners peer at the window labels, carefully reading the EPA city/highway mileage figures, looking for whatever will give them the most motivation for their buck.
And then there is the sub-section of Anderson customers who couldn’t care less about any of that nonsense. They want potent Mustangs, and they have often ridden many miles — from places like Colorado and Nebraska — to corral their craving at this little dealership with a growing reputation for stabling potent ponies.
We’re talking of a breed of modified Mustang that sells itself with a direct appeal to the driver’s central nervous system. The cars have been reworked by specialist companies such as Saleen of California, for example, which offers Mustangs with tweaked engines, suspensions, interiors and bodywork and has promotional literature that reads like this:
“? Because this is one 335 horsepower beast you can’t break. It was bred to run. Born to be wild. And you have no choice but to set it free. Once you do, you’ll realize that no matter what the title and registration say, you don’t own this car. It owns you, the road, and everyone on it.”
Not exactly your typical Ford family sedan happy speak. And special edition Mustangs can cost up to twice what typical production line versions sell for and are aimed squarely at those motivated by passion and the means to indulge it.
“Most of these customers are not 18- or 25-year-old kids,” said Randy Anderson, the dealership general manager and owner. “They are doctors, lawyers; they are bankers. They are people who years ago wanted a fast car and couldn’t afford it. But now they can.”
So, while fleeting youth may have fled long ago, it’s never too late to gallop after it. Anderson Ford-Mercury has all the means necessary for hot pursuit with a Mustang lineup that includes those cars tricked out by Saleen and a Michigan firm called Roush. And then there are the muscle Mustangs produced by Ford itself, which include the Shelby Cobra version — a factory rocket packing 500 horsepower.
“We’ve sold seven of them this year,” said Randy. “The average dealer might only get one, but because of what we do in Mustangs, even though we’re a small Ford dealer, we’re a top Mustang dealer and we get a bigger cut of the pie. We’ve sold cars to customers in New York, New Jersey, Colorado, all over the place — 50 percent of the cars we sell are to customers outside of Illinois who are drawn by our reputation.”
Still feel a need for more speed? Randy’s brother Rick has a wagonload of goodies waiting over in the Anderson Ford Motorsport division, which he runs. A life-long racing enthusiast, he has developed his own line of go-faster Mustang products ranging from radically modified air and supercharger intake systems to camshafts and even a hand-held computer that lets drivers custom-tune their cars.
The dealership sponsors some very successful Mustang race cars, which earn lots of specialist racing press coverage and win the dealership’s products more fans throughout the nation and all over the world. “Kuwait is one of our biggest foreign customers,” said Rick. “We do a lot with them.”
They sell to both race enthusiasts burning up the quarter mile and regular owners who like to occasionally unwind their potent street cars at the track. The performance cars and parts business is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, and the motorsports division fields maybe 1,000 customer enquiries a month. It also ships out a constant stream of mail order parts, while its own service bays are kept busy fitting performance equipment for owners who show up in person, often having driven hundreds of miles for the privilege.
As Rick and Randy speak, a Shelby Cobra convertible is hooked up to a Dyno machine (a kind of rolling road for the wheels while engine performance is monitored by computer.) This limited edition street-legal Mustang costs about $70,000, and the owner immediately wheeled it over to the motorsport section for Rick to modify. By the time the maestro has performed his laying on of hands, the stock 500 horsepower will have been stepped up to about 600.
During a demonstration, the supercharged engine fires into life, roars for a while and then gets punched into what sounds like the equivalent of automotive warp speed with a jet-like whine that seems to come from inside your head before it’s shut off and the computer numbers checked. Rick says the car probably just did the equivalent of 140 mph while standing still and won’t let you down at the local race track.
“Oh, it’s got enough horsepower to go 190 mph,” he says, matter-of-factly.
VIDEO: 2007 S302 SALEEN / PARNELLI JONES EDITION MUSTANG
Filmed during the Saleen / Parnelli Jones signature event on March 21, 2007 at Galpin Ford.
[Source: Web Rides TV]