Tag Archives: S7

LEMAY SPOTLIGHT: SALEEN S7 03-016, ‘BRUCE ALMIGHTY’

From our friends at Saleen Automotive

During the Monterey Historics at Laguna Seca Raceway on August 19, 2000, the Saleen S7 debuts. The aerodynamic,mid-engined S7 ushers in a new era for Saleen, showcasing the company’s ability to design and engineer a complete ground-up automobile, and is the first true, production built American Supercar.

In 2001, the S7R (a racing-specific version of the S7) begins its inaugural year, campaigning on racetracks across Europe and North America, winning 4 different international championships, more than any other manufacturer. The S7 on display is the first S7 manufactured, as well as being featured in the blockbuster movie “Bruce Almighty,” as God’s car, starring Jim Carey.

[Source: Saleen Automotive]

18 REASONS TO VISIT THE SALEEN EXHIBIT AT LEMAY – AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM

18 Reasons to Visit the Saleen Exhibit at LeMay – America’s Car Museum

LeMay Museum, overhead
LeMay Museum, overhead

As you read this, many of you have seen coverage from last weekend’s grand opening of a new year-long exhibit honoring the racing and business achievements of Steve Saleen; witnessed through numerous videos and photos shared via social media from the LeMay Automotive Museum. If you were fortunate enough to attend the “Intimate Dinner with Steve Saleen” or “Saleen and Caffeine” or both, then you observed first-hand this impressive presentation of historic Saleen vehicles and vintage memorabilia collected under one roof. Steve, Liz and Molly were also in attendance and warmly greeted owners and fans throughout the two-day affair. If you did not go, don’t fret, I will convey why you should make plans to visit this “must-see” destination very soon.

Steve & Liz Saleen with March race car
Steve & Liz Saleen with March race car

As you walk towards main entrance of the LeMay Museum, you are dazzled by a 2019 Saleen S1 painted in signature Lizstick Red, glowing in its red with orange hues inside the main lobby. As you journey into the start of the main floor display area, be prepared to be instantly taken back by the Saleen Exhibit. In front of you and lined up to your left are some of the most iconic Saleen street vehicles ever built organized by their generation. Meanwhile lined up to your right are a few of the most historical and famous Saleen competition vehicles that have graced racetracks around the world. A lot is represented here, all in one place, from the very first Saleen Mustang ever made to the current Saleen 1 Cup racecar. Ornamenting the museum walls are a selection of important Saleen memorabilia that is gloriously displayed behind glass.

If you’re not impressed yet, then chew on this. Where else can you view some of the most iconic/historical Saleen vehicles and memorabilia all gathered in one accessible place? This exhibit is a cooperative effort through Steve Saleen as well as private owners and collectors across the USA to bring together this fantastic display of irreplaceable and priceless pieces of Saleen history. The kind of history that is interwoven into every Saleen’s (vehicle) DNA.

Still not convinced? Here are the 18 reasons why you should see the Saleen Exhibit:

  1.  1984 Saleen Mustang, the first Saleen vehicle ever built. On loan from Stu Akers.
  2.  1995 Saleen S-351, this Speedster was a corporate demo and famously used to promote the national Mcdonald’s Monopoly sweepstakes. On loan from the PAS collection.
  3.  2003 Saleen SA-20, to celebrate the company’s 20th Anniversary. On loan from Debbie Blaylock.
  4.  2007 Saleen S281 SC “Molly Pop” custom colored “candy pink” for Molly Saleen. On loan from Molly Saleen.
  5.  2015 Saleen S302 Black Label, custom colored “California Sunset” as a tribute to Paul Walker. On loan from David Weiner.
  6.  2007 Saleen S281 “Barricade” specially built for the “Transformers” movie. On loan from Robert Rendon.
  7.  2020 Saleen Sportruck XR, Baja capable, but daily driveable. On loan from Saleen.
  8.  2014 Saleen SA-30, to celebrate the company’s 30th Anniversary. On loan from Tim Anderson.
  9.  1996-1998 Saleen/Allen Racecar, “RRR” Speedlab racing team, with comedian/actor Tim Allen. On loan from the PAS collection.
  10.  1990 Saleen Race Truck, which competed at Des Moines, Road Atlanta, Colorado National Speedway, and Las Vegas. On loan from Mike Charles.
  11.  1988 Indy Car 88 March, in 1989, Steve Saleen enters the PPG Indy Car World Series. On loan from Saleen.
  12.  2001 Saleen S7, the first S7 manufactured and featured in the movie, “Bruce Almighty.” On loan from Bob & Linda Yallen Intermedia Racing.
  13.  2005 Ford GT, Saleen is awarded two contracts to build the new Ford GT for Ford. This vehicle’s VIN# is “1966” coinciding with Ford’s win at Le Mans. On loan from Saleen.
  14.  1976 March 76B Formula Atlantic, Steve sets 13 track records and ultimately wins the 1977 Pacific Coast Championship. On loan from Saleen.
  15.  1987 Saleen Mustang Racecar, competed in the 1987 – 1988 SCCA Escort Endurance Championship, winning the Driver’s Championship as well as the Manufacturer’s Championship. On loan from Dave Frezza.
  16.  2020 Saleen 1 Cup Racecar, 1 of 20 race cars built for tine inaugural Saleen Cup Series. On loan from Saleen.
  17.  2019 Saleen S1, Lizstick Red promotional car. On loan from Saleen.
  18.  Rarely seen collection of Saleen racing and manufacturing memorabilia.

If you close your eyes for a moment, you can picture a Mustang, a Bronco, a Model T, a Thunderbird, and yet year after year we attend car shows to see these cars with our own eyes. This Saleen Exhibit hosted by the LeMay Automotive Museum is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to feast your eyes on a selection of Saleen vehicles and memorabilia that you may never be able to see again.

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LEMAY: AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM OPENS STEVE SALEEN RETROSPECTIVE

LEMAY: AMERICA’S CAR MUSEUM OPENS STEVE SALEEN RETROSPECTIVE

Renowned Tacoma, Wash. automotive gallery unveils a year-long exhibit celebrating a legacy of racing and road cars by acclaimed racer-turned-automaker Steve Saleen

“Saleen: A Journey from the Heart of a Racer to America’s Supercar” features 17 historic vehicles, including early race cars, Saleen Mustangs, S7 supercar, S1 and more

TACOMA, Wash. (Nov. 20, 2019) — For the next 12 months, racing fans, high-performance car buffs and other automotive enthusiasts can get up-close and personal with historic vehicles and articles from a true American automotive legend – all at a world-class museum facility in the Pacific Northwest.

On Saturday, Nov. 16, LeMay: America’s Auto Museum (ACM) in Tacoma, Wash. opened the facility’s first year-long lifetime retrospective dedicated to a single automotive personality – internationally acclaimed racer-turned-vehicle manufacturer Steve Saleen, and his Corona, Calif.-based company, Saleen Automotive.

The exhibit, “Saleen: A Journey from the Heart of a Racer to America’s Supercar” offers visitors a unique display of Steve Saleen’s rich automotive history, spanning over four decades. Visitors can enjoy a variety of historic vehicles on display, including Steve Saleen’s personal racing machines, early Saleen Mustangs, the Saleen S7 (considered America’s first supercar), and examples of the company’s new Saleen 1 midengine turbocharged sports car and recently unveiled Saleen 1 GT4 concept race car. The exhibit initially features 17 Saleen vehicles, with additional cars rotating into the exhibit throughout the year-long display.

  • 1976 March B Formula Atlantic race car driven by Steve Saleen
  • 1984 Saleen Mustang
  • 1987 Saleen Mustang race car
  • 1988 March Indy Race Car driven by Steve Saleen
  • 1990 Saleen Race Truck (winner of the SCCA RaceTruck
  • Challenge)
  • 1995 Saleen S351 Mustang
  • 1996 Saleen Mustang SCCA T1 race car
  • 2003 Saleen S7 supercar featured in the film “Bruce Almighty”
  • 2003 Saleen SA-20 Mustang
  • 2005 Ford GT (engineered and manufactured by Saleen under contract to Ford)
  • 2005 Saleen Mustang featured as police Decepticon Barricade in “Transformers” (2007)
  • 2007 Saleen S281 Mustang in “Molly Pop” hot pink
  • 2014 Saleen SA-30 Mustang
  • 2015 Saleen S302 Mustang “Black Label”
  • 2020 Saleen Sportruck XR
  • 2020 Saleen 1 sports car (street version)
  • 2020 Saleen 1 GT4 concept race car

The Saleen exhibit at ACM officially opened to the public on Saturday with a ‘Saleen and Caffeine’ event that invited visitors to meet Steve Saleen and enjoy a guided tour of the display. The exhibit opened to record attendance on Saturday morning, with Saleen owners and enthusiasts across the Pacific Northwest gathering for the event.

“It’s an honor to stand here in America’s Car Museum’s beautiful facilities with vehicles representing over four decades of my life and career,” said Steve Saleen, founder and CEO of Saleen Automotive. “I’m proud of our past achievements, but I also look forward to continuing our legacy into the future with unique new Saleen vehicles and a global presence in motorsports.”

In addition to showcasing the uniquely American automotive brand, the “Saleen: A Journey from the Heart of a Racer to America’s Supercar” exhibit aims to inspire the public with Steve Saleen’s illustrious career in automotive engineering, design and manufacturing.

“This is more than a chance for the community to get up close to some of the most extraordinary cars in the world,” said ACM CEO Jennifer Maher. “This is also an opportunity for young people to see that there’s a clear career path in automotive technology and people like Steve Saleen are the role models.”

For more information on “Saleen: A Journey from the Heart of a Racer to America’s Supercar” and to purchase tickets visit: www.AmericasCarMuseum.org.

For more details on Saleen Automotive and Steve Saleen, visit www.Saleen.com, or follow Saleen on social by using on Facebook at Facebook.com/Saleen , or by using @Saleen on Twitter and @Saleen on Instagram.

About Saleen Automotive, Inc.

Saleen is dedicated to transforming the transportation experience. For over 35 years, the California-based automotive manufacturer has redefined driving through high-performing vehicles that combine championship-winning racing pedigree with innovative technology and distinctive styling.

From the first Saleen Mustang in 1984 to the legendary S7 in 2000 and the groundbreaking new Saleen 1, company founder Steve Saleen has continually set the bar for vehicle design and performance engineering on streets and racetracks worldwide. In addition to its distinctive Saleen Signature and Saleen Original vehicle lines, Saleen offers a wide variety of technical parts, lifestyle accessories and apparel for those with a passion for performance. Learn more at www.saleen.com.

About LeMay – America’s Car Museum

America’s Car Museum (ACM), a member of America’s Automotive Trust, is an international destination for families and auto enthusiasts to celebrate America’s love affair with the automobile and learn how it shaped our society. Based in Tacoma, Wash., the stunning 165,000-sq.-ft. facility has been recognized as one of MSN’s 10 Best Automotive Museums worldwide, USA Today’s 10 Best Museums in Seattle and KING5’s Best Museum in Western Washington. ACM serves as an educational center for students of all ages, features 12 rotating exhibits and hosts AAT’s annual Signature Events. For more information, visit www.americascarmusueum.org.

Contacts
Media Contact:
Saleen PR – Collin Whitley
cwhitley@Saleen.com

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[Source: Saleen Automotive]

SALEEN: A JOURNEY FROM THE HEART OF A RACER TO AMERICA’S SUPERCAR

LeMay – America’s Car Museum

Saleen: A Journey from the Heart of a Racer
to America’s Supercar

OPENS SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 16

Saleen S7

It is a rare breed of automotive trailblazers that are able to move from upper echelon race car drivers to OEM manufacturers of fine automobiles and supercars. The ranks of this rarefied group include names such as Ferrari, Shelby, Chevrolet. Steve Saleen is one of those individuals and the company he founded has a rich history of innovation, design and engineering distinction. The Saleen Exhibit at America’s Car Museum celebrates companies founded by racers while keeping the focus on Steve, his company and, most importantly, the cars.

www.americascarmuseum.org

ABOUT SALEEN: An incredible race history with the performance design of the Saleen Mustang, to one of the world’s most renowned super cars, the Saleen S7, CEO & Founder Steve Saleen has carved out a reputation that truly ranks with the most celebrated performance vehicle designers in history. Saleen’s entrepreneurial business plan laid the groundwork for an entire new industry of design, engineering, manufacturing, and sales of high-performance vehicles that were race-proven and marketed for sales through showrooms nationwide.

SALEEN & CAFFEINE: COFFEE & DONUTS WITH STEVE SALEEN

NOVEMBER 16th | 9 – 11 am
This is your opportunity to meet one of the most successful and well-known automotive legends in the country – Steve Saleen! Enjoy coffee by ANTHEM coffee and donuts by Original House of Donuts, while being the first to view a legacy of racing and road cars by Steve Saleen. TICKETS ON SALE SOON! Learn more.

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[Source: LeMay: America’s Car Museum]

VIDEO: SALEEN S7-R WARM-UP & ACCELERATION WITH SOUND!

From 19Bozzy92.

Published on Sep 27, 2019
This video is about a beautiful Saleen S7-R I saw in action at Monza Circuit last weekend. The car is chassis 029R and it’s the first one of the “Evolution” version built from 2004 in California rather than in UK by RML like the first series (S7R was totally redesigned, both on the aero and especially on the constructive side). It was raced in the 2004 ALMS under the Acemco colours and in the 2009 FIA GT championship with K plus K Motorsport team.

Now this S7R has been restored by Art & Revs and it’s used in the Endurance Racing Legends series around Europe. Listen to the mighty roar of the 7.0 N/A V8 engine!

[Source: 19Bozzy92 via YouTube]

DRIVETRIBE: THE SALEEN S7 STORY

Nearly 20 years on, the Saleen S7 is proving itself a classic

By: TOM WILSON on August, 2019
Original Article: DRIVETRIBE.COM

Nineteen years after its introduction and twelve years since it went out of series production, the Saleen S7 supercar is again attracting considerable attention. A new generation of enthusiasts is re-discovering the classically handsome, race-bred Saleen with still mind-bending performance. Plus, Saleen’s recent expansion into China has exposed the S7 to a giant new market that’s running up the S7 search engine hits on the Internet. But along with this new interest has come much speculation and mis-information about the iconic supercar and its origins.

Some of the mystery is due to the relatively thin official technical and build information available about the big Saleen. The early-aughts were hectic days at Saleen and there wasn’t the time or interest from the enthusiast magazines of the time to delve deeply into the details of the supercar’s origin. Saleen press materials had laid out the basics, the magazines had covered that and their driving impressions in new car reviews, the car sold itself on merit and there was plenty of international S7 racing to support, plus the whole business of building Saleen Mustangs. But aside from those early magazine reports, there’s been nothing of substance on the S7 story in many years; today that’s lead to a bit of unintended mystery surrounding the car, at least to those not familiar with the effort.

Now spanning 19 years, the Saleen S7 story has evolved from the completely unexpected upstart at its 2000 debut to a timelessly classic supercar as epitomized by the mega-powerful 2019 S7 Le Mans edition seen at the Corona, Calif. headquarters.
Now spanning 19 years, the Saleen S7 story has evolved from the completely unexpected upstart at its 2000 debut to a timelessly classic supercar as epitomized by the mega-powerful 2019 S7 Le Mans edition seen at the Corona, Calif. headquarters.

If there’s anything the Internet can’t support, it’s the mystery and all sorts of hokum that has surfaced regarding the S7. Eager enthusiasts can perhaps be forgiven for making assumptions about the car’s origins, but the amount of speculative, un-researched and downright wrong ‘journalism’ surrounding the S7 on the Internet is shameful and tilting toward the absurd.

The S7 truth is simple enough and follows the narrative laid out in the legitimate press during the car’s introduction. To briefly review, in 1999, Steve Saleen, realised the existing Mustang-based race car – the Saleen Mustang SR as campaigned in the U.S. and at Le Mans in 1997 – had reached the end of its development life. He ultimately decided to build his own, all-new race car, and by starting with a clean computer screen, opted for a mid-engine layout with a goal of winning the LMGT1 class at Le Mans.

While the previous Saleen Mustang SR racers had evolved from street cars into race cars, the S7 was from the beginning a dual-purpose machine, a race car simultaneously developed as a street car. Steve not only wanted a winner at the most demanding sportscar race in the world, but also a purebred sports/supercar for the street. During the car’s design, the racing and street versions were kept amazingly similar, which explains why the S7 has always been a no-excuses driver’s car, one which in street form easily preserves the directness and honesty of its racing roots. It also belies any misplaced concept that the S7 was some revision of an existing design; it’s simply too specialized for that; combining its thumping V8 and high downforce aero package are incompatible with any previous designs.

Steve Saleen was present at every step of the S7’s development. Here he and Billy Tally discuss the S7 engine with Neil Hannemann looking on.
Steve Saleen was present at every step of the S7’s development. Here he and Billy Tally discuss the S7 engine with Neil Hannemann looking on.

While Saleen as a company was well-versed in racing and speciality car manufacturing in 1999, like any car maker it needed to augment its engineering and fabrication capabilities when laying down their supercar’s chassis and suspension. After all, creating a Le Mans chassis from scratch requires specialized engineering and prototyping skills, especially when the latest, F1-level of aerodynamic knowledge is being sought. So, Saleen went looking for specialist contractors and found them, not unexpectedly, in the home of international road racing, the English Midlands. Besides its technical advantages, the Midlands also offered remoteness from the U.S. automotive scene and thus eased the security that such projects require.

While the prototype S7’s all-new, honeycomb-reinforced space frame chassis came together in England, back in Irvine, California Steve directed Saleen’s in-house race engineer and all-round secret weapon, Billy Tally, to develop an American-style cam-in-block V-8 for the new car. Leveraging extensive motorcycle, NASCAR and off-road racing experience into the S7’s namesake 7.0-litre V8, Saleen specified his own block casting, innovative clutch, starter, intake, dry-sump oiling, NASCAR-derived cylinder heads and front engine dress to package the powerplant in a mid-engine chassis. Saleen also determined all engine internals and tuning, including camming, electronic tuning and valvetrain oil spray system. Dyno development was done by Tally in Southern California and the engines built in-house at Saleen. Transaxles were RBT units on street cars and Xtrac on S7R race cars.

S7 development and production was based completely in Saleen’s Irvine, Calif., headquarters.
S7 development and production was based completely in Saleen’s Irvine, Calif., headquarters.

All S7s, both street and race, naturally-aspirated or turbocharged, have used this engine with only minor variations. The exception is the final Le Mans edition S7s. More the product of 2019 engineering, they retain the 427’s 7.0-litre displacement and bottom end, but have seen considerable changes in the cylinder heads, intake, turbos, charge cooling and a generational advancement in electronic engine management to arrive at 1,300bhp on gasoline and just shy of 1,500bhp when running E85 ethanol/gasoline fuel and 20+lbs of boost. The original engine was equally capable. In its first, naturally aspirated trim it was rated at 550bhp; adding twin turbochargers to it in the S7 Twin Turbo model bumped its rating to 750bhp via a mere 4.5lbs of boost. A pair of optional, non-street legal upgrades bumped the TT all the way to 1000bhp for track use at just 8lbs of boost.

Along with the chassis built by Ray Mallock (RML) in the English Midlands, and engine development at Saleen in Irvine, Calif., the S7’s body and interior were designed by Steve and Phil Frank, the latter having exercised his considerable talents at Saleen for five years by the time of the S7 project in 1999-2000. Aerodynamic work in England and the wind tunnel at the University of Glasgow in Scotland, plus rules requirements of the ACO organization running the Le Mans race were factors in the S7’s shape, a form that Phil and Steve worked especially closely together on.

When the S7 debuted in August 2000 at the Monterey Historic Races, it was both a complete surprise to the public and a prototype still some way from series production. Much work remained to arrive at a saleable street car, or even more immediately, a workable race car.

Before 2005 when the Twin Turbo street version of the S7 appeared, essentially every system, part and manufacturing process of the S7 was U.S. based, mainly in Saleen’s own Irvine facility or by a few remaining contractors. The chassis took form in Saleen’s in-house fabrication shop, the engines were built in the Saleen engine shop, the bodywork laid out in Saleen’s carbon shop and painted in the Saleen paint shop, the interior crafted in the Saleen upholstery shop and the whole car assembled on Saleen’s dedicated S7 assembly line.

List of S7 Contractors

No automaker designs or builds something as complex as a new car without the aid of skilled specialist contractors. Some of those individuals and companies that contributed to the S7 success are:

• Aria Group (USA)

• Brembo S.p.A. (Italy)

• Andy Coventry, Williams F1 aerodynamicist (UK)

• Frazero (UK)

• Lola Cars International (CTS carbon fiber division) (UK)

• Ray Mallock Limited (UK)

• RBT Transmissions (USA)

• University of Scotland (UK)

• Xtrac Transmission Technology (UK)

Series production of the S7 took place completely on the Irvine, Calif. S7 assembly line. Saleen Mustang production is just visible in the background.
Series production of the S7 took place completely on the Irvine, Calif. S7 assembly line. Saleen Mustang production is just visible in the background.

As a race car, the S7R was, like the street car, a major success, winning over 100 professional events and proving one of the outstanding customer racecars of the modern era. Its combination of blistering speed, durability, easy serviceability and support from the Saleen factory ensured its steady employment among teams contesting IMSA, ALMS, FIA and Le Mans series events in the United States and abroad. And yes, it did – finally – win its GT class at Le Mans in 2010.

Such racing success significantly differentiates the S7 from its supercar classmates, nearly all of which are street-centric. As a rule, such supercars are certainly capable, but tuned to protect the more exuberantly enthusiastic drivers rather then reward the skilled. By comparison, the track-bred S7 is honed right to the edge and delivers a far less-filtered, purer driving experience that’s loud and high effort because that’s the way hardcore driver cars are. It’s not for everyone, but it gives those in the know a uniquely authentic race car experience and doesn’t hurt the car’s honestly earned cache one bit.

Critics have called the S7 out precisely for its elemental approach, saying the project was too large for Saleen to complete, or hinting it was somehow not really a Saleen product and was opportunistically brought in from elsewhere. Nothing could be further from the truth. There’s more of Steve Saleen in the S7 than any other car he’s built.

When the S7 was publicly unveiled at Pebble Beach in 2000, it ushered in a new era of supercar design and performance.
When the S7 was publicly unveiled at Pebble Beach in 2000, it ushered in a new era of supercar design and performance.

He conceived the very idea of the car, directed every aspect of its engineering and design, was its chief development driver and has been hands-on for every step of the S7 story. In return, the S7 inarguably cemented Saleen’s reputation as a manufacturer, so much so that in 2002, the Ford Motor Company contracted Saleen for the engineering, painting and manufacturing of its own supercar, the first generation Ford GT, in a Saleen assembly plant.

Today, although long out of production save the final handful of Le Mans edition cars, the S7 continues as the Saleen flagship, still drawing attention both in the West and in China where its star power has visibly anchored the immense Saleen initiative there. It’s a natural job for the S7 as its direct approach to driving, prodigious performance and timeless styling have made it a modern classic among supercars.


Tom Wilson
Tom Wilson’s three decades of full-time auto journalism have included a 16-year association with Road & Track magazine, features and new car reviews for MSN Autos and editing Super Ford magazine, along with several technical books and aviation writing. Tom has driven nearly every Saleen model ever built and has chronicled the S7 story since the start. He is currently working on the definitive S7 book set for publication by next year.

[Source: DriveTribe]

DUPONT REGISTRY: SALEEN S7 20TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION, AUGUST 2020

By: ANDREW NABORS on August 20, 2019
Original Article: DUPONTREGISTRY.COM

Saleen S7 LM
Saleen S7 LM

Our friend Steve Saleen is calling on all S7 owners. He wants to see his creations gathered together in Monterey next year for the Saleen S7 20th Anniversary Celebration. The iconic American supercar debuted at the Monterey Historic Races back in 2000, and they have proven themselves on tracks around the world.

He said, “The S7 was immediately competitive in motorsports from day one, winning over 100 professional races at the world’s top racetracks including Daytona, Nürburgring, Silverstone, Imola, Spa-Francorchamps and the 24 Hours of Le Mans – and that was just in the first ten years of its existence”. The S7 LeMans Edition was recently introduced, and all 7 were sold before completion. The Ford V8 and twin turbos offered 1,500 horsepower with a price of $1 Million each. Thankfully, our dealers always have a few pristine examples for sale, so click the link below and make plans to join the festivities next year. We will have all the details at a later date, so stay with us for all your Saleen news.

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[Source: duPont Registry Daily]

S7 TWIN TURBO (05-062) TO HIT RM AUCTIONS, MONTEREY

S7 Twin Turbo 05-062
S7 Twin Turbo 05-062

Monterey California – 15 August, 2019

2005 Saleen S7
Chassis no. 1S9SB18185S000062
Serial no. S7-05-062
www.rmauctions.com

750 bhp, 427 cu. in. DOHC aluminum V-8 with twin Garrett turbochargers, six-speed manual transaxle, four-wheel fully adjustable independent suspension, and four-wheel ventilated Brembo disc brakes. Wheelbase: 106.2 in.

  • Only 19 examples finished in Lizstick Red
  • Offered with just over 900 miles from new
  • Proudly recognized as America’s Supercar

If one were to take the badges off a Saleen S7 and ask people where they thought this car was built, the answers would be predictable. Italy would be at the top of the list, followed by Germany and perhaps England or France. Surely something this extreme, aerodynamic, and fast had to come from Europe. In fact, the S7 is American through and through.

The Saleen S7 is the brainchild of Steve Saleen, the owner and founder of Saleen Inc., a performance company known for aftermarket enhancement for Ford Mustangs along with being a formidable racing team. Unlike Saleen’s previous projects, the S7 boasts a completely unique and bespoke chassis originally developed for competition. Their racing car was followed with a series of road cars built for homologation. The S7 was appropriately fitted with an all-aluminum 427-cubic-inch V-8, which was wrapped in a carbon-fiber body. The car could sprint from 0–60 mph in just 3.3 seconds and had an estimated top speed of 220 mph. On the track, the S7R variant quickly earned the respect of some of motorsport’s most seasoned professionals, achieving class wins at both the 12 Hours of Sebring and the 24 Hours of Le Mans.

However, while its impressive figures would match many of today’s premier supercars, Saleen decided that after four years of production, it was time to upgrade the already immensely powerful car. After fitting twin Garrett turbochargers, the S7 entered a league of its own. The engine now produced 750 horsepower and 750 foot-pounds of torque, thanks to 5.5 psi of boost. Its 0–60 time had been considerably shortened, dashing the sprint in just 2.8 seconds. Furthermore, its top speed increased to a mind-warping 248 mph. To ensure safe stability at those incredible speeds, the car’s front and rear diffusers were redesigned to increase the downforce by over 60%.

This Saleen S7, a Twin Turbo example built in 2005, is among the finest extant. The car was built with the optional equipment of tasteful, polished alloy wheels and a GPS navigation system. And to ensure factory condition, the car was also selected to travel in enclosed transport to its dealer. The car is just one of 19 total Saleen S7s finished in the attractive color of Lizstick Red. And to ensure the car comes with proper documentation, the owner carefully kept service records and a copy of its original window sticker. In January 2018 the car underwent a major service, including an oil and oil-filter change, flush and replenishment of the power-steering and brake fluid, replacement of spark plugs, and the replacement of ignition coils.

With a little over 900 miles from new, this Saleen is yet again ready to challenge the best of European supercars.

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[Source: RM Sotheby’s]

PETROLICIOUS: THE SALEEN S7R IS STILL A PARAGON OF A BIG DISPLACEMENT RACE CAR

Nearly Two Decades Later
The Saleen S7R Is Still A Paragon Of A Big Displacement Race Car

BY: WILL BROADHEAD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY: WILL BROADHEAD on JUNE 3, 2019
Original Article: PETROLICIOUS.COM

What constitutes historic and classic racing is likely to be an ever-evolving discussion, as the years roll on and cars that don’t seem to be that far on the fringes of history begin to turn up to classic race meetings while others slowly fade away.

New historic divisions for cars that are often less than twenty years old—love them or loath them—do turn out some fabulous racing, and grids populated by cars you might have forgotten about in the last two decades. Cars such as the seldom-seen Saleen S7, of which there were two present at the recent Spa Classic in their motorsport “S7R” trim, which some may remember competing in various top-level GT championships at the turn of the millennium.

Petrolicious, Saleen S7R
Petrolicious, Saleen S7R

The hand-built road-going version debuted in 2000 and produced roughly 550hp from its naturally-aspirated 7.0L V8, but gained most of its notoriety from the fact that it was a rare breed in general: a mid-engine production supercar made in America. The brainchild of Steve Saleen, who up until this point had been mostly involved with building hot Mustangs, the car was also developed in the skilled hands of Ray Mallock LTD, the famous Britain-based motorsport and engineering company. Indeed, it was RML that assembled the racing versions of the S7, and the first S7R finished late in 2000 was immediately shipped stateside to compete in that year’s American Le Mans event at Laguna Seca, where it finished in 26th place.

Saleen always quoted the S7R as being not very far removed from the road-going car, seeing as it was indeed built on the same space frame, steel-tubed chassis, with bolt fasten sub-assemblies, used the same suspension design, and even the same brakes—albeit without the ABS that was fitted to the production versions.

Petrolicious, Saleen S7R
Petrolicious, Saleen S7R

Of course, the Ford Windsor-derived engine is in a higher state of tune in the S7R, and the gearbox features straight cut gears that produce that familiar whine. And on the subject of noise, this is a machine that sounds just plain terrifying, as V8 racing cars ought to. Fired up inside its pit box, warmed up with short stabs of the throttle, the barks from the back end are felt in your guts; hands cover ears in quick panic around me as the unrestrained V8 is brought to operating temperature.

Petrolicious, Saleen S7R
Petrolicious, Saleen S7R

On the track and on song, it’s much the same story, as the pistons spin up to the 7000rpm redline and the six-speed ‘box finds another gear to repeat the tremendous ascension of noise all over again. Although this car isn’t really old in the grand scheme of things, I can’t help but feel a little nostalgic, there’s just something about the noise of a screaming racing car with hundreds of horsepower and three pedals. But while the car is going around quite well around Spa, was it actually any good during its contemporary competition years?

Well the answer to that is yes, actually. It may not have quite had the same impact as the Vipers and ‘Vettes, it did enjoy a successful racing career during a hotly contested period of GT competition. A class victory at the 12 Hours of Sebring in its infancy stated its intentions and proved its competency, as well as a European Le Mans class championship win and a class podium at Le Mans itself in the same year, 2001. Further successes followed, with wins around the globe and championships earned in both British and Spanish series.

Petrolicious, Saleen S7R
Petrolicious, Saleen S7R

The #163 car pictured in this article is chassis S7-03-029R, which competed in the 2004 ALMS championship under the ACEMCO banner, driven at that time by Johnny Mowlem and Terry Borcheller, although David Brabham did have one drive early in the season. The team finished 2nd in class that year, behind the better-funded Corvette factory outfits campaigning the C5-R, and this was to be an indicator of how the Saleen racing story would reach its conclusion. Financial troubles started to hit the teams running the S7R’s in various series, and as such, starting in 2005, Saleen began to downsize its racing efforts to focus on a few specific championships. The car pictured wearing the #66 was ACEMCO’s example of doing just that, as it focused solely on the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2006, where the car managed an overall finish of 11th.

By the end of 2007 the teams involved in running the S7Rs had either folded or moved on to other platforms (it was getting quite long in the tooth after seven years), and despite one last hurrah in 2010 when an S7R took the LMPGT1 class win at that the great 24-hour race. It showed what might have been had the racing efforts been better funded, but also showed just what a capable racing machine the S7R continued to be despite its age. Thankfully, this wonderfully mean machine now has a series to compete in once again in the newly-reformed Endurance Racing Legends Championship, and we can once more revel in its presence.

Petrolicious, Saleen S7R
Petrolicious, Saleen S7R

[Source: Petrolicious]

VIDEO: DOUG DEMURO REVIEW & WALK AROUND OF 2003 S7

From our friend Doug DeMuro.

Published on Mar 28, 2019
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The Saleen S7 is the craziest supercar we don’t know about. Today I’m going in depth on the Saleen S7, and I’m taking you on a tour of the S7 — and showing you all the quirks and features of the Saleen S7.

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[Source: Doug DeMuro via YouTube]