AUTOMOTIVE ICON STEVE SALEEN CELEBRATES HISTORIC 25th ANNIVERSARY OF S7 SUPERCAR
Saleen display featured S7, S1 and 302 at two major events in Monterey on August 15 and 16
MONTEREY, Calif. (Aug. 19, 2025) – Silver is the traditional gift for the magical 25th anniversary, and Saleen celebrated this landmark at the same place their iconic S7 supercar debuted – the Monterey Peninsula at “Car Week.” Developed by championship driver and automotive pioneer Steve Saleen, this U.S. designed and built supercar captured race wins, global imagination and cemented itself as the new leader in on-street performance, as well as in pop culture.
At two major events last Friday and Saturday – The Paddock and Concorso Italiano – a special silver S7 was on display with race and street versions of the latest Saleen S1 supercars, along with multiple versions of the signature 302 sports car. Saleen was at both events to meet with similarly minded enthusiasts interested in the best American performance supercars, trucks, sports cars and hypercars.
“25 years ago today we debuted the S7, which was created to set a new benchmark for American performance, engineering and style,” said Saleen. “Not only was it the car that Tony Stark owned in Ironman and that ‘God’ drove in Bruce Almighty, but racing versions won in nearly every major circuit around in the world, including Shanghai, Mount Fuji, Silverstone, Imola, Laguna Seca, Nürburgring, and even a class win in the 2010 24 Hours of Le Mans.”
Ever the racer, Saleen continued, “When the S7 was actively competing, it achieved more than 100 race victories – beating Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren combined – and arguably the most successful American supercar ever built. And in Monterey, we celebrated the S7, but also continuing the winning legacy with the lightweight S1 supercar, available soon.”
Born and raised in Southern California, Saleen won the very first race he entered in 1973. He went on to break records in Formula Atlantic, sports cars and road-racing trucks, as well as compete in IndyCar, but it was Saleen’s entrepreneurial vision that would reshape American performance manufacturing, resulting in thousands of Saleen-branded vehicles built since 1984, as well as engineering and construction of OEM vehicles such as the 2005-2006 Ford GT and 2007-2008 Dodge Viper.
However, it was on August 19, 2000, when Saleen turned the traditional supercar world on its head with the introduction of the S7, the first fully American-designed and manufactured supercar. With a mid-mounted 550-horsepower 7.0L naturally aspirated V8, carbon fiber body, and blistering performance, the S7 proved that an American builder could go head-to-head with the best from Italy, Germany, and England, and do it with a unique style.
Now, as it celebrates 25 years, the S7 returns to the spotlight where it belongs, as a landmark in design, engineering, and performance. But Saleen’s 40-plus year legacy is far from over and the company continues to build innovative sports cars and trucks with power, handling, and functional aerodynamics, taking on the world’s best.
“While we celebrate the S7’s 25th anniversary, our team is hard at work exploring the future of American performance,” said Saleen. “We look forward to sharing more celebrations with our owners and enthusiasts around the world.”
ABOUT SALEEN
Founded in 1983, Saleen Automotive has been designing and manufacturing high performance vehicles for more than 40 years Saleen’s current lineup includes the 302 sports car, with up to 850 supercharged V8 horsepower and functional aerodynamics, the SportTruck, offered in a street or off-road (XR) versions with up to 775 horsepower while maintaining truck utility, and the track version of the upcoming S1 supercar. For more information about Saleen’s latest lineup, please visit www.saleen.com or via Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.
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To reach Steve Saleen and learn more about Saleen’s philosophy, please contact Dan Passe, dan@passeconsulting.com; 704-634-9022
