Jul 21, 2023 | Latest Articles, News, Press Release, S1
Steve Saleen Wins Latest Race- Driving the New S1
50 Years Ago, Saleen Entered and Won His First Race Driving a Mustang
Steve Saleen, founder of Saleen Automotive, wins at the Sovren Historics in a Saleen S1. Saleen founded the Southern California vehicle manufacturing company in 1983 and built a brand name for himself based on his transformation of the Ford Mustang. Saleen would go on to produce his own automobiles, and his mid-engine S1 is the latest in his line-up of Saleen Original vehicles.
“I was invited as the guest celebrity to the Sovern Historics at Pacific Raceways, but had no intention of actually racing,” said Saleen. “We brought an S1 racecar to the track to give ride-along charity laps, with all proceeds going toward XXX charity. After seeing the S1 on the track, the race organizers asked if I’d like to compete in their premiere Large Bore class that consists of the higher horsepower cars and I said sure.”
The competition in this class consisted of a combination of vintage race cars and the latest vehicles, including a current generation GT4 Mustang. This Mustang was built specifically for racing by Multimatic and piloted by the track hot-shoe instructor, Rob Sholl. The S1 with Steve Saleen behind the wheel beat the GT4 Mustang, and also set the fastest lap of the day.
Steve is part of exclusive league of automotive icons that actually races his own designs. Dan Gurney, Bruce McLaren, and Jim Hall all drove their own purpose-built race cars, but Saleen is the only who has done this with a race car based off his own street car design.
Powered by a 450hp turbo-charged, 2.2L, 4 cylinder, and weighing only 2700lbs, the S1 was designed as a “True Driver’s Vehicle.” It combines state of the art engineering, aerodynamics, and a mid-engine platform, all wrapped in a sexy body that will go head to head with Porsche, Ferrari, and other premium marques.
Racing the S1 supports Saleen’s mantra of “Race Proven Performance for the Street” as it enters its final phases of testing and development. To ensure the S1 passes full certification and enters production, Saleen Automotive is currently in a stock offering to the general public.
MEDIA CONTACT
Greg Stacy – Saleen (gregS@saleen.com)
Apr 4, 2021 | Press Release, S1
Saleen 1 Race Cars Eligible SRO Racing
Saleen Automotive, the Southern California vehicle manufacturer has announced that the Saleen 1 Cup race cars are now eligible to compete in the 2021 SRO GT America Series. With the success of the recently run Saleen Cup Racing Series, SRO has given the greenlight for the extremely, competitive S1 Cup Cars to compete in the 2021 season.
The mid-engine S1 features an aluminum chassis and carbon fibre body, and weighs approximately 2500lbs in race trim. Powering the S1 is a 2.2L turbocharged 4 cylinder pumping out 450 horsepower and 460 lb-ft of torque.
“We have track ready, full prepped race cars available now,” said Saleen. “This is an ideal opportunity for newer racers and seasoned pros to get behind the wheel of a car that has proven to be very fast, competitive, all while remaining a true driver’s sportcar.”
The GT America Series consists of 14 rounds of racing at 7 of the most iconic tracks in North America. This series is open to FIA Bronze drivers only.
- Round 1 & 2 Sonoma Raceway March 5-7
- Round 3 & 4 Circuit of the Americas April 30-June 2
- Round 5 & 6 VIrginia International Raceway June 11-13
- Round 7 & 8 Nashville Street Circuit August 6 -8
- Round 9 & 10 Road America August 27-29
- Round 11 & 12 Watkins Glen International September 17-19
- Round 13 & 14 Indianapolis Motor Speedway October 15-17
The Saleen 1 Cup cars are now available and come with onsite, factory technical support at the racing venues, along with spare parts. Interested parties should contact Saleen Automotive.
ABOUT SALEEN
Saleen is dedicated to transforming the transportation experience. For more than 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.
MEDIA CONTACT
Greg Stacy – Saleen (GStacy@Saleen.com)
Greg Emmerson – ID Agency (greg@theidagency.com)
Dec 7, 2017 | Press Release, S1
CORONA, CA —December 7, 2017, Following the successful launch of Saleen 1 at the LA Auto Show last week, Saleen Automotive, Inc., has released more information on Steve Saleen’s newest creation. This modern, all-new, two-seater, mid-engine sports car is iequipped with Supercar credentials.
The Saleen 1 features a 2.5L, I4, high output, turbocharged, Saleen-designed engine generating 450 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque with a top speed of 180mph. Standard is a 6-speed manual transmission with an optional paddle-shifter automatic to be offered at a later date.
The aluminum tub and carbon fiber body of the Saleen 1 weighs in at 2,685 pounds. The combination of horsepower and weight creates a power-to-weight ratio that places Saleen 1 within the ranks of the high-performance elite.
Equipped with independent wishbone suspension, Saleen 1 will ride on wide wheels shod in 255/30/ZR20 front and 335/25/ZR20 rear Continental Tires achieving 1.2Gs on the skid pad. The 15-inch calipers and rotors, front and rear, provide ultimate stopping power. The front to rear weight bias is perfectly balanced at 42F/58R.
The innovative design of Saleen 1, with its seductive contours, results in greater downforce while reducing high speed lift and generating a greater air flow to give the car better speed and agility. It is a car built for the road or the track, utilizing Steve Saleen’s 35-plus years of success in design, manufacturing, and racing.
As an original concept by one of the world’s most innovative car designers, the Saleen 1 interior is constructed to deliver optimum control, safety, and comfort. With bold racing-inspired instrumentation, the luxury of high-end leathers and suede, and use of Alcantera throughout the interior cabin, the car holds true to its Supercar heritage. Amenities such as the latest electronic connectivity, Sirius radio, and Apple Play wrapped in a six-speaker sound system enhance the riding experience. The subtle—yet plentiful—storage such as cup holders, door panel pockets, compartments in the console and behind the seats, alcove in the center stack, and up front suitcase storage assist in making Saleen 1 extremely suitable for every day driving and longer trips.
Production of Saleen 1 will begin soon at Saleen’s Corona, California, location. With a planned production run of 1,500 Saleen 1s yearly, the car will be available in Saleen’s 12 special colors, including Tire Smoke Pearl White, Lizstick Red (Candy Apple Red), and Beryllium (Copper).
Amazingly, all this power and unequaled design, accompanied with a 3-year, 36,000-mile warranty, is available for only $100,000. A deposit of $1,000 will secure your order today.
Media contact: cbenty@saleen.com
Saleen Automotive, Inc.
2735 Wardlow Road
Corona, CA 92882
714.400.2121
