|
Price |
|
$79,995 |
Production |
|
-- |
|
Engine |
4.9
liter V8 |
Weight |
-- |
|
Aspiration |
supercharger & intercooler |
Torque |
600
lb-ft |
|
HP |
620
hp |
HP/Weight |
-- |
|
HP/Liter |
126.5 hp per liter |
1/4 mile |
under 12 seconds |
|
0-62 mph |
under 4 seconds |
Top Speed |
-- |
(from Saleen Press
Release) Saleen put the E in Extreme with the 2008 S302E
• 620Hp
“factory-backed” sports car rewrites the performance landscape
• Production starts in mid-December!
Irvine, CA (November 13,
2007) –Saleen Automotive, North America’s premiere specialty vehicle
manufacturer, today unveiled the latest in a very aggressive 2008 MY
product line up. The new “Extreme” unveiled today, technically known
as the Saleen S302E, now represents the most powerful Ford derived
vehicle that Saleen has ever manufactured and a critical step in
earning Saleen’s new respect for its products and its brand. The
“Extreme”, along with 6 other models in Saleen’s 2008 model line up,
made their world debut today on the runways of the retired El Toro
airport runway in Southern California.
The new S302E raises the
bar for American performance cars while never sacrificing on style
and control. New for 2008, the car affectionately known as the
“Extreme” boasts a “Saleen built” 302 cubic inch engine augmented by
a patented Saleen twin-screw, intercooled supercharger. The
combination delivers an unprecedented 620 Hp and 600 lb-ft of neck
snapping, tire incinerating torque. “We believe that we are in the
process of creating a legendary new car. It’s thrilling” says Saleen
President and CEO, Paul Wilbur. “It seemed to make sense that as we
go into our 25th Anniversary as a manufacturer in North America that
we make our best and most powerful car yet.”
The hardware and engineering
In the automotive
history books, all great cars incorporate great hardware and the
S302E is no different. The new Extreme features a litany of high
quality performance parts that are a direct reflection of the
companies race engineering heritage, combined with the best thinking
in automotive OEM performance engineering. For starts, the unique
motor in the “Extreme” features a forged crank, forged connecting
rods, individually blueprinted pistons, a 5 axis CNC aluminum
cylinder head, high flow fuel injectors, and high performance forged
camshafts. All of these components have been orchestrated to mesh
masterfully together, coupled to our best-in-class, patented Saleen
twin screw supercharger. When married to a short throw, 6 speed
manual transmission and a Max-grip rear differential, the Extreme
screams to 60 mph in less than 4 seconds and clicks through the
quarter mile in just under 12 seconds.
“This place represents a
kind of automotive “mecca” for me. We are making limited volume,
performance vehicles for people who really love cars, by people who
really love cars. I cannot think of a better place to put my 35
years of OEM engineering history to work,” says Vice Chairman and
Chief Technical Officer Chris Theodore. Theodore is best known as
being the father of the Ford GT while Vice President of Advance
Product Development at Ford Motor Company. “Now I am helping build
great Saleen cars in the same factory that I architected for the
legendary Ford GT.’
“This is the best motor
that we have ever done”, says Powertrain Engineering lead Rob
Simons. “We have really benefited from having Chris (Theodore)
around. He brings perspective and experience to the company unlike
anything that we have known prior.”
To get that kind of
performance, the team had to get S302E’s power to the ground. This
is accomplished with standard 20 inch, 5 spoke forged aluminum alloy
wheels wrapped in Pirelli P-Zero ‘Rosso’ tires. Since power is
nothing without control, the Extreme also features a Saleen
Racecraft suspension and an all new, second generation Watts Link
system that is sure to help the driver maintain control through the
corners. The chassis system is rounded out by upgraded 4 wheel disc
brakes with ABS and traction control. This performance brake system
features 15” vented, slotted rotors with 6 piston calipers in the
front and 11.8” rear vented discs with single piston calipers in the
rear.
“This was an interesting
challenge for me. Everything I learned from the past on the S7 race
team was put into play for this year’s production models. The result
is one that I am sure that the market is going to love,” says
Chassis and Dynamics Team Lead, Derk Hartland.
The strategy
Most people associate
exotic performance only with European made vehicles. We are
committed to make Saleen synonymous with the best breeds in the
world and to do so from a perspective that is fundamentally
American. Saleen accomplished that in racing with the S7, and we
like to think that the S7 has helped establish our pedigree. Now we
are taking that experience and making it slightly more attainable in
a way that is sure to pleasantly surprise our customers. That is the
goal of the Extreme and the foundation of a plan that we call the
Reawakening of Saleen.
The Reawakening of
Saleen is a focus on the fundamentals of the enthusiast customer,
led by a solid commitment to great products. The strategy of the
reawakening is a simple one… Under promise and over deliver. That is
what you find in the Extreme and that is what you should expect from
Saleen now and going forward.
Production and pricing
The new S302E is slated
to begin production in early December with advanced orders being
accepted as early as November 16th. “Producing only 100 Extreme
units this year, the limited number production run will allow us to
build the car and deliver the Extreme to a customer a few days after
the customer places their order. Retailing for $79,995, we are
confident that our buyers will be very hard pressed to find another
vehicle with this performance, this level of balance, and a factory
warranty for this price,” says McCammon.
‘Power in the hands of a
few! That pretty much says it all. We will make great, powerful
automobiles that will be available to a select few individuals. We
are not trying to make volume vehicles for the masses and we
recognize the difference. “Make no mistake, we manufacture dreams.
That is what Saleen has always done and that is what we will
continue to do,” says Saleen President and CEO Paul Wilbur.
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 manufactured
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 facility is located in Troy,
Michigan. The Michigan facility has just completed all paint and
assembly of the Ford GT as a special project for Ford Motor Company
and currently is providing paint and subassembly for the Dodge Viper
SRT-10 as well as supercharging the new Ford F150 Harley Davidson
pickup for Ford.
