Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: Chevrolet C5 Corvette-based Saleen S7 replica roadster]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/ebay-find-of-the-day-chevrolet-c5-corvette-based-saleen-s7-repl/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/ebay-find-of-the-day-chevrolet-c5-corvette-based-saleen-s7-repl/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/27/ebay-find-of-the-day-chevrolet-c5-corvette-based-saleen-s7-repl/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

C5 Corvette based Saleen S7 replica - click above image for hi-res gallery

Steve Saleen's Saleen S7 is a totally bespoke, hand built superduper hypercar that in twin-turbo, 750 horsepower, 700 pound-feet of torque form could go about 250 mph. And it was capable of generating enough downforce to (theoretically) drive upside down. In competition, the S7R has been one of the most dominant vehicles ever fielded, having been "raced in over 264 events, with 218 Top Tens, 166 Podiums, 105 Wins, 86 Poles, 78 Fastest Laps and 9 GT Championships." Price when new was about $600,000, give or take.

Which makes the above car all the more special. Sayeth the seller, "We thought long and hard as to what chassis we would use for our replica. First of all we knew the 80's [sic] Fiero was not an option. its [sic] too old, underpowered, and not a safe frame." Oh man - the replica world has really changed if a Pontiac Fiero chassis is not good enough. But the auctioneer does inadvertently raise a good point, as the S7 is in fact a mid-engined car, and you just got to have that if you're building a replica, don't you? Apparently not.

"So we went with a C5 Corvette chassis. It offers all the driving comforts, with great brakes, Power, and a super strong frame. and we could retail the car for a reasonable price." But not only is it Chevrolet Corvette based, they made it a roadster! See, all those boring old S7s were stuffy mid-engined hardtops - this is the world's first and only front-engined roadster S7. Replica. We've got to say we're a little amazed there are only two bids.

Oh wait, no - we said that wrong. What we meant is that we're a little amazed there are two bids. Currently, the "replica" is sitting at $20,100 and humorously oddly, the reserve has not been met. Did we mention that it's an automatic? Also, dude, your check engine light is on. Videos after the jump. Happy bidding!


Gallery: C5 Corvette based Saleen S7 replica


[Source: eBay Motors]

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: Chevrolet C5 Corvette-based Saleen S7 replica roadster

eBay Find of the Day: Chevrolet C5 Corvette-based Saleen S7 replica roadster originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>C5C5 CorvetteC5CorvetteCorvetteexotic carExoticCarkit carKitCarreplicareplicarS7S7 ReplicaS7 Replica RoadsterS7 RoadsterS7RS7ReplicaS7ReplicaRoadsterS7RoadsterSaleenSaleen S7Saleen S7 ReplicaSaleen S7 Replica RoadsterSaleenS7SaleenS7ReplicaSaleenS7ReplicaRoadstersteve saleenSteveSaleensupercarTue, 27 Oct 2009 14:29:00 EST<![CDATA[Ah, the memories! Saleen's Irvine assembly plant remembered in pictures]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/05/ahh-the-memories-saleens-irvine-assembly-plant-remembered-in/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/05/ahh-the-memories-saleens-irvine-assembly-plant-remembered-in/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/05/ahh-the-memories-saleens-irvine-assembly-plant-remembered-in/#commentsFiled under:


Click above for a high-res gallery of Saleen's Irvine assembly plant

In addition to the sunshine, warm weather and availability of good driving roads, one of the biggest benefits of living in Southern California is the proximity of automotive related businesses. Dozens of tuners, manufacturers, hot rodders and racers all reside in SoCal, making it an ideal place for a car nut to call home. As one who would enthusiastically place myself in that category, one of my favorite places to visit in the last several years was the Saleen assembly plant in Irvine. From their annual car show to personal tours to press events, I always enjoyed stopping by to see what Steve Saleen had up his sleeve. There were always one-off projects like an SVT Contour Prototype or a Bonspeed Edition Thunderbird, and there seemed to be at least one or two racecars lying around.

Of course, during every visit I had to check out the S7 build area where there were always at least a few of the supercars in various states of completion. I loved seeing the bare carbon fiber bodies, and there is a stunning white S7 Twin-Turbo that still has a special place in my heart. Of course, the high point was during the production of the Parnelli Jones Mustang, with the facility running at full tilt and Parnelli Jones and George Follmer joining Steve Saleen for photos on the car's debut.

With the economic downturn and Steve leaving the company in the summer of 2007, it was only a matter of time before Saleen consolidated all of its operations and moved everything to its Detroit facility. Lamenting the fact that I would no longer be stop by the Saleen building, I was browsing through my photo archives and decided it was time to share the pictures. I've assembled a huge gallery of my favorite images from the past five and a half years for your viewing enjoyment, all of which include descriptions providing any relevant information and the date the photo was taken. Enjoy!

Gallery: Saleen Irvine Assembly Plant


All photos copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips / Weblogs, Inc.

Ah, the memories! Saleen's Irvine assembly plant remembered in pictures originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 05 Dec 2008 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>SaleenSaleen Irvine facilitySaleen Irvine PlantSaleen MustangSaleen S7Saleen S7 Twin TurboSaleenIrvineFacilitySaleenIrvinePlantSaleenMustangSaleenS7SaleenS7TwinTurboSteve SaleenSteveSaleenFri, 05 Dec 2008 13:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Exclusive interview: Steve Saleen and SMS Limited]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/29/exclusive-interview-steve-saleen-and-sms-limited/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/29/exclusive-interview-steve-saleen-and-sms-limited/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/05/29/exclusive-interview-steve-saleen-and-sms-limited/#commentsFiled under: , ,

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. Plus, we could listen to his racing stories for hours. After he announced his retirement from Saleen, Inc last year, we were somewhat disappointed when he took the position of CEO at ZX Automobile, a Chinese car company hoping to import trucks into the United States. It's not that we think Steve wasn't up to the task; we were just hoping he would stick to sports cars.

We shouldn't have worried, because Steve announced the formation of his new company, SMS Limited, in March of this year with plans to develop vehicles based on the new breed of American muscle cars (Mustang, Challenger and Camaro) as well as race in the American Le Mans Series. We wanted to get more info on Steve's plans with the company, and what better way than to hear it from the man himself. We were able to get a one-on-one with Steve, and got some inside info on the new company and his plans to race an S7R in the ALMS. Interested? Follow the jump for the interview.

Continue reading Exclusive interview: Steve Saleen and SMS Limited

Exclusive interview: Steve Saleen and SMS Limited originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 29 May 2008 20:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ALMSSaleenSaleen S7Saleen S7RSaleenS7SaleenS7rSMS Dodge ChallengerSMS LimitedSmsDodgeChallengerSmsLimitedSteve SaleenSteveSaleenThu, 29 May 2008 20:02:00 EST<![CDATA[Iron Man's garage contains more than just an R8]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/02/iron-mans-garage-contains-more-than-just-r8/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/02/iron-mans-garage-contains-more-than-just-r8/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/02/02/iron-mans-garage-contains-more-than-just-r8/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click image to enlarge

The next television spot for Jon Favreau's Iron Man will debut this weekend during (what else) the Super Bowl. Quint at Ain't It Cool News posted a screen capture released by the studio that shows our billionaire industrialist hero, Tony Stark, working in his garage on the armor's glove- and boot-mounted boosters. And what a nice garage it is, boasting not just Tony's R8, but a Shelby Cobra, a Saleen S7, a Tesla Roadster, and a pair of bikes we can't identify (weigh in if you can). Bruce Wayne, eat your heart out.

[Source: AICN]

Iron Man's garage contains more than just an R8 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>audi r8AudiR8iron manIronManjon favreauJonFavreausaleen s7SaleenS7shelby cobraShelbyCobratesla roadsterTeslaRoadstertony starkTonyStarkSat, 02 Feb 2008 09:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Spied! Saleen developing all-new sports car]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/28/spied-saleen-developing-all-new-sports-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/28/spied-saleen-developing-all-new-sports-car/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/28/spied-saleen-developing-all-new-sports-car/#commentsFiled under: , ,


click image above to enlarge

We managed to get our hands on this photo that shows a clay model of what inside sources tell us is the initial design of an all-new car being considered for development by Saleen at its Irvine assembly plant. While representatives from Saleen would not officially comment as to what is in the photo, our best guess is that they are looking to put to use their knowledge and experience gained from the construction of the Ford GT for Ford. In fact, with the GT no longer in production, a car similar to the Ford GT might be exactly what Saleen is shooting for. After all, they have the facility in which the GT was built, the father of the Ford GT, Chris Theodore, is now Saleen's chief technology officer, and they gained a wealth of experience building a new car from scratch with the S7 program. Theodore has even hinted at the possibility of an all-new Saleen. "I have many ideas," he stated to TheCarConnection.com, "and some of them are inspired by the Ford GT. That car sold very well for around $150,000. So why not think in that direction when we talk about a new supercar? May be an S3 or an S5?" We can only hope.

Spied! Saleen developing all-new sports car originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>breakingChris TheodoreChrisTheodoreFord GTFordGtnew Saleen supercarNewSaleenSupercarSaleenSaleen Ford GTSaleen S3Saleen S5Saleen S7SaleenFordGtSaleenS3SaleenS5SaleenS7Wed, 28 Nov 2007 14:28:00 EST<![CDATA[First Drive, Pt. II: Saleen S331 Track Day]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/31/first-drive-pt-ii-saleen-s331-track-day/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/31/first-drive-pt-ii-saleen-s331-track-day/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/31/first-drive-pt-ii-saleen-s331-track-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


Click above for gallery of high-res images by Drew Phillips and the author

Day 1 of our first encounter with the Saleen S331 Sport Truck had us exploring the versatility of the truck. We started off by using the vehicle as a swanky ride through the heart of ultra-rich Orange County. A cruise down PCH gave us a chance to sample the ride and power, and to gauge public interest at the extremes of demographic segments. We got just as many thumbs up from the Lexus and Benz set as we did from the pickup and motorcycle crowd. We even had a chance to see how well the truck performed as, well, a truck. With payload that represented what Saleen sees as its target market's toys, we convoyed over to Newport Harbor with a selection of bikes and watercraft that culminated with a 30-ft powerboat. It's definitely a civilized and capable truck, but we wanted to better sample the "Sport" part. And that's what Day 2 was all about.

We met up at the shuttered El Toro Marine Base, which still has its two long airstrips reasonably intact and available for testing. With just about every model from Saleen's current lineup on hand, we were given a pretty compelling reminder that Saleen and performance go hand-in-hand. On one side we had the fleet of S331 Sport Trucks, on the other a row of Mustangs that ran from the Parnelli Jones, to the S281 SC, to the Extreme. At the head of the class sat a silver S7 under the company's new "School of Speed" banner. There is some talk that this will become a traveling show that will allow owners to better understand their vehicle's limits. We also found out a few other things about the truck and the company over the next few hours, most importantly, how the S331 stacks up against Ford's current sportiest truck, the F-150 FX2 Sport that was on hand for comparison purposes.

Follow the jump to find out how the truck (and the author) did in the autocross.

Gallery: Saleen S331 Sport Truck Track Day

Continue reading First Drive, Pt. II: Saleen S331 Track Day

First Drive, Pt. II: Saleen S331 Track Day originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Mar 2007 19:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>autocrossEl Toro Marine BaseElToroMarineBaseFord F-150FordF-150S331 SCS331ScSaleenSaleen Molly Pop MustangSaleen S331Saleen S7Saleen StoreSaleenMollyPopMustangSaleenS331SaleenS7SaleenStoreSteve SaleenSteveSaleenSat, 31 Mar 2007 19:25:00 EST<![CDATA[SSC Ultimate Aero set to go after "world's fastest car" title]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/14/ssc-ultimate-aero-set-to-go-after-worlds-fastest-car-title/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/14/ssc-ultimate-aero-set-to-go-after-worlds-fastest-car-title/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/14/ssc-ultimate-aero-set-to-go-after-worlds-fastest-car-title/#commentsFiled under: ,



How fast is fast enough? How important are bragging rights when you're trying to sell a supercar? Because, let's face it, the difference between 73 mph and 273 mph is kind of academic. Even if it's proven your car can go that fast, there are very few situations where that extra 200 mph would be usable, especially outside of a track environment. Now don't get us wrong, we love these high speed shootouts as much as the next gearhead, but all they really accomplish are earning a spot on some list and selling more cars, if that's your game. SSC, the company that brought us the Diablo-esque Aero a few years ago, is one such player.

They've sold a few of their All-American Aeros over the years and haven't had many complaints. As if the "regular" Aero weren't powerful enough, they upped the ante in 2006 with the Ultimate Aero. Instead of the supercharged, 787 bhp, 6.2-litre V8 engine, they fitted a a higher boost supercharger and got a Veyron-topping 1,046 bhp. Still not content, the 2007 Ultimate Aero picked up a "Turbo" badge and a few more horses as well. Now producing 1,183 bhp, the Turbo becomes the most powerful emissions-legal production automobile in the world. Where the original Aero promised a top speed of 240 mph, the new Ultimate has had a few weight saving touches to go with its power upgrade and its top end has risen to a projected 273 mph. We've previously heard outrageous claims from many supercar makers over the years, but this is a whopper.

Well, it looks like it's put up or shut up time for Jerod Shelby (no relation to Carroll) and the gang at SSC. On March 21st, they are set to prove their claims. And to show that this is indeed a street car, they will be doing their test on a 12-mile stretch of Nevada's Highway 93 in Elko County. The immediate goal is to officially beat the 253 mph top speed of the current world's fastest car, the Bugatti Veyron. But the team really hopes to set the bar a lot higher and stay on the books a bit longer. Before the Veyron, the Callaway Sledgehammer had hit 254 mph, but it wasn't deemed a production vehicle. It was the slightly modified McLaren F1 that had held the official record for more than 10 years until the Koenigsegg CCX topped it. Soon after, the Veyron came out and used an extra 300+ hp to eclipse the F1 top speed by a full 12 mph. If SSC can hit 273, only the new biofueled Koenigsegg CCXR and Saleen S7 tt Competition (each with more than 1,000 hp) might come close. Oh how we'd love to be there for a Veyron/SSC/S7/CCXR/F1/Sledgehammer smackdown. We'll let you know how the test goes.

[Source: SSC via Rideroom]

SSC Ultimate Aero set to go after "world's fastest car" title originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Aero SSCAeroSscBugatti VeyronBugattiVeyronCallaway SledgehammerCallawaySledgehammerJerod ShelbyJerodShelbyMcLaren F1MclarenF1Saleen S7SaleenS7Wed, 14 Mar 2007 13:35:00 EST<![CDATA[eBay Find of the Day: Your very own ALMS racers with LeMans pedigree]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/08/ebay-find-of-the-day-your-very-own-alms-racer-with-lemans-pedig/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/08/ebay-find-of-the-day-your-very-own-alms-racer-with-lemans-pedig/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/03/08/ebay-find-of-the-day-your-very-own-alms-racer-with-lemans-pedig/#commentsFiled under: , ,



As fun as a Pokemon encrusted Neon might be, we might have to take a pass and bid on this lot instead. Not one, but two Saleen S7R racecars are up on eBay right now. The ACEMCO team cars from 2004 through 2006 are available right now as a ready-to-race complete set-up. Car #63 is chassis #029. It competed in the ALMS series in '04 earning 7 podiums in 9 starts. It also ran a partial season in '05, finishing on the steps in half of its four races that season. The second car took over for the rest of the '05 ALMS season and raced in 2006 as well. This is car #66 (chassis #031), which racked up 2 poles and 3 podiums in 6 starts. Then it headed to Europe where it finished 6th in class and 11th overall in the 24 Hour of Le Mans in 2006. Along with these two turn-key racers, the winning bidder will get a huge inventory of spares.

As delivered, the Saleen S7R was a 600-hp, normally aspirated monster. The street version produced a still respectable 550 hp, but had additional street requirements that added a couple hundred pounds. You could go for a street twin turbo, or even the Competition package and get a full 1,000 hp, but these are racecars and competitive ones at that. The seller of this racing pair is asking for at least $1.2 million, but a quick $1.3 million will meet the Buy It Now price and allow you to be king of the paddock at the next track day. That's two full on racecars for less than the price of a new Veyron. Seriously though, the cars can compete in FIA GT or presumably ALMS races, as well. We figured these were appropriate finds considering that the 12 Hours of Sebring, which kicks off the 2007 ALMS season, is a little over a week away.

Thanks for the tip, TJ!

[Source: eBay]

eBay Find of the Day: Your very own ALMS racers with LeMans pedigree originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ALMSebayEndurance RacingEnduranceRacingLe MansLeMansS7RSaleenSaleen S7SaleenS7Thu, 08 Mar 2007 12:28:00 EST<![CDATA[Shop with Saleen!]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/30/shop-with-saleen/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/30/shop-with-saleen/http://www.autoblog.com/2006/07/30/shop-with-saleen/#commentsFiled under: , ,



On July 29, Orange County, CA saw the grand opening of the first-ever Saleen Store at the Irvine Spectrum. Split into two distinct sections -- Lifestyle and Automotive Technology -- the store offers a full range of Saleen-branded goods, from simple gift items like keychains and pens to memorabilia and a full clothing line.

Visitors will find an S7 supercar and and S281 Mustang on display, and if they're interested in putting one in the garage, they can do that as well. Staffers are equipped to answer all vehicle-related questions and can help prospective buyers kick off the purchasing process via an onsite referral service that matches them up with their local Saleen dealer.

The Saleen Store also is also home to diversions such as a racing simulator that lets customers experience what it's like to pilot an S7R on the track, refreshments at the Saleen N20 Bar, and interesting exhibits like a bissected Saleen Mustang. You won't find that at Banana Republic.

For enthusiasts in Orange County, the presence of the Saleen Store should make routine shopping trips a whole lot more interesting. Autoblog superfan Frank Filipponio was on-hand at the grand opening and was kind enough to send us some pics along with a link to his own gallery full of even more shots.

[Source: Saleen]

Continue reading Shop with Saleen!

Shop with Saleen! originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Jul 2006 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>saleensaleen mustangsaleen s281saleen s7saleen storeSaleenMustangSaleenS281SaleenS7SaleenStoreSun, 30 Jul 2006 13:02:00 EST