American speciality car maker Saleen has released a single sketch of a new concept supercar headed for concept car for the New York auto show next month. Called the S5S Raptor, the vehicle could conceivably be a successor to the popular S7.
The car is constructed from lightweight composite materials surrounding an aluminum chassis. Power comes from a 5.0-liter supercharged V8 capable of delivering a top speed in excess of 200 mph. Interestingly, the motor will be E85 ethanol-ready, an apparent nod to environmental and economic concerns of the day.
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02/28, 10:57 AM
posted by:
F451
Okay…not much to see, or discern.
02/28, 11:01 AM
posted by:
sunshine1810
Awesome looking car. I didn’t realize that the S7 was popular. Of course my last comment was me being facetious.
02/28, 11:17 AM
posted by:
Blakkarr
The S7 was cool, if a touch overpriced for a first effort (almost $400K). Looks like Steve Saleen is not shy about trying to make it big in the sports car market.
But I always said that Saleen should build a car similar but original to fill in for the hopped-up Mustangs he builds. Seeing the S7 makes me think he is capable of much better. Besides Roush does mustangs better.
This S5S looks to be a good deal less expensive, 911 to f430 numbers, than the S7.
I think I’ll look forward to seeing this one.
02/28, 12:35 PM
posted by:
JedS88
Steve Saleen dosen’t work there anymore.
The S7 was not popular untill they came out with the twin tubro.
02/28, 1:22 PM
posted by:
peter g
Well, nice…Sort of…But I really wish someone could come up with something revolutionary, like the Countach back in the 70’s.
02/28, 1:37 PM
posted by:
1c3d0g
So…is this their own in-house built vehicle or is it based on some exisiting OEM chassis? Either way, 200+ MPH is quite an achievement, regardless of manufacturer.
02/28, 1:55 PM
posted by:
Scarface03
^ The only OEM chassis kicking around the Saleen plant are for Mustangs, maybe a truck or two. I doubt the S5S will make use of that.
The “S5″ part of the nomenclature I take to mean that Blakkar is right, and it will be a toned down S7, which I think is the way to go. Had I hit last week’s Mega Millions, I suppose I could have been convinced to buy a metallic dark orange or dark red S7 turbo, but making a smaller, more civilized exotic has its appeal.
02/28, 2:02 PM
posted by:
corvette
how long has the s7 been out for?
02/28, 2:15 PM
posted by:
doghis
since 2000….so yeah it’s pretty old but god damn i would give my right nutt so for one of these
02/28, 2:19 PM
posted by:
Noah
Who cares about salen who will sell probably about 10 of these cars—-it is a real so what
02/28, 3:22 PM
posted by:
Arbiter
The illustration is before they put 277 louvers on it as all Saleens are required to have……………..
02/28, 4:03 PM
posted by:
LexusSoarer
Perhaps this car will have 100 or so less ‘gills’ than the S7?
02/28, 5:49 PM
posted by:
audi-lover
cool
02/28, 7:26 PM
posted by:
terminator
How was the S7 overpriced when it is faster and out-handles the Veyron?
02/28, 9:07 PM
posted by:
bigp
that 5.0 v8 is said to be from the new 2010 model f-150 check your self chevy dodge and toyota
02/28, 9:09 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
Maybe quicker, as in acceleration, but not faster. handling I’m not sure of. But the car was, in my opinion, overpriced by between $100K-$175K. The car really did not have what it took to justify that price.
Exclusivity be damned! You ask $400K for a sports car the least you could ask for is a car that can place higher than tenth in an ALMS race. Something the S7 failed to do for years. It DNF’ed more frequently than any other car not involved in an accident. This sighting individual cars not by team or number of examples on the field.
For a first effort it was not a bad car at all, but it very much felt greatly overpriced for such first effort into this arena (price wise and performance wise).
LexusSoarer,
Not to pick on you but a bit of trivia, The S7 has 64 louvers/vents and scoops on the car.
02/28, 9:18 PM
posted by:
Blakkarr
Bigp,
In all likelihood, the 5.0L V8 will be the new FORD “Hurricane” engine to be available on the Mustang in 2009 or so. It’s basically a detuned version of the 5.0L “Cammer” V8 used for racing and was on display in the Mustang GTR concept a few of years ago. Most people thought that car would be the face of a Cobra Variant. Obviously that did not happen.
Saleen will likely boost the devil out of that engine.
But I am surprised that FORD gets so many sports car makers, who don’t make their own engines, to use theirs. The Noble M12 used a 3.0L (or so) Duratec V6, boosted so much to make the Nissan GT-R’s engine look tame. The Koenigsegg used a FORD block for the first few years.
But GM has been coming on strong lately with several companies, Shelby and Mosler to name a couple, have been using VETTE engines in their cars.
I think Chrysler could stand to push their hemis, they seem to be the only company in DETROIT not getting their engines into limited production low run super sports cars.