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Saleen Automotive, Inc., commonly known as Saleen (/səˈliːn/), is an American manufacturer of specialty high-performance
sports car A sports car is a car designed with an emphasis on dynamic performance, such as handling, acceleration, top speed, the thrill of driving and racing capability. Sports cars originated in Europe in the early 1900s and are currently produced by ...
s and high-performance automotive parts. Saleen is headquartered in
Corona, California Corona (Spanish for "Crown") is a city in Riverside County, California, United States. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 157,136, up from 152,374 at the 2010 census. The cities of Norco and Riverside lie to the north and north ...
, US. On June 26, 2013 Saleen became
public In public relations and communication science, publics are groups of individual people, and the public (a.k.a. the general public) is the totality of such groupings. This is a different concept to the sociological concept of the ''Öffentlichkei ...
through a
reverse merger A reverse takeover (RTO), reverse merger, or reverse IPO is the acquisition of a public company by a private company so that the private company can bypass the lengthy and complex process of going public. Sometimes, conversely, the public compan ...
. It is listed on the
OTC Bulletin Board The OTC (Over-The-Counter) Bulletin Board or OTCBB was a United States quotation medium operated by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for its subscribing members. FINRA closed the OTCBB on November 8, 2021. The board was used for ...
and is controlled and majority owned by Saleen brand founder
Steve Saleen Stephen Mark "Steve" Saleen (born April 2, 1949) is an American businessman and former racing driver. He is best known for being the founder and former vice chairman of Saleen, Inc., originally named Saleen Autosport, which is an OEM manufactu ...
. Saleen's flagship car was the
Saleen S7 Saleen Automotive, Inc., commonly known as Saleen (/səˈliːn/), is an American manufacturer of specialty high-performance sports cars and high-performance automotive parts. Saleen is headquartered in Corona, California, US. On June 26, 2013 Sal ...
, introduced in 2000. The S7 was wholly built by Saleen and features a
mid-engine In automotive engineering, a mid-engine layout describes the placement of an automobile engine in front of the rear-wheel axles, but behind the front axle. History The mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive format can be considered the original layout of ...
design in a high-performance sports car package. It is also currently the only Saleen production car not based on an existing design or
chassis A chassis (, ; plural ''chassis'' from French châssis ) is the load-bearing framework of an artificial object, which structurally supports the object in its construction and function. An example of a chassis is a vehicle frame, the underpart ...
. Saleen currently manufactures the S302 (
Mustang The mustang is a free-roaming horse of the Western United States, descended from horses brought to the Americas by the Spanish. Mustangs are often referred to as wild horses, but because they are descended from once-domesticated animals, they ...
-based), the Ford F-150-based Saleen Sportruck, and Sportruck XR, a Saleen Tesla GTX and
Saleen S1 The Saleen 1, also called the Saleen S1, is a two-seater sports car developed and built by American automobile manufacturer Saleen Automotive. It was unveiled at the 2017 LA Auto Show, and is the first car developed entirely by Saleen since the S ...
, a new Saleen sports car, a limited run successor to the S7 sports car, the S7 LM. In 2017, Saleen formed a partnership with the city of
Rugao Rugao () is a county-level city under the administration of Nantong, Jiangsu province, China, located in the Yangtze River Delta on the northern (left) bank of the river. History In 411, the western part of then Hailing ( Taizhou) was separated f ...
to form Jiangsu Saleen Automotive Technology.Saleen, Steve (July 31, 2020).
How Chinese Officials Hijacked My Company"
''Wall Street Journal,''. Retrieved Aug. 10, 2020.
to produce and distribute Saleen vehicles in China for the Chinese market. In July 2019, in China, Saleen unveiled a new electric city car and a crossover. On June 29, 2020, Chinese authorities of the
Chinese Communist Party The Chinese Communist Party (CCP), officially the Communist Party of China (CPC), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). Under the leadership of Mao Zedong, the CCP emerged victoriou ...
forcibly expropriated the Jiangsu-Saleen facility and expelled its non-Chinese executives and employees.Garber, Jonathan (August 8, 2020).
China wields coronavirus to nationalize American-owned carmaker
, Fox Business. Retrieved Aug. 10, 2020.


History


1980s

The Saleen brand was established in 1983 originally as "Saleen Autosport" by Steve Saleen, a former professional
Formula Atlantic Formula Atlantic is a specification of open-wheel racing car developed in the 1970s. It was used in professional racing through the IMSA Atlantic Championship until 2009 and is currently primarily used in amateur racing through Sports Car Club o ...
race car driver. The first Saleens were produced in 1984 when they built three cars as the first production run – a white hatchback, a copper glow hatchback, and a black hatchback. In 1985, Steve Saleen put the first certified
supercharger In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
on a production Saleen Mustang. This car was delivered to Nault Ford in
Manchester, New Hampshire Manchester is a city in Hillsborough County, New Hampshire, United States. It is the most populous city in New Hampshire. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 115,644. Manchester is, along with Nashua, one of two seats of New Hamp ...
, and was the first use of a
centrifugal Centrifugal (a key concept in rotating systems) may refer to: *Centrifugal casting (industrial), Centrifugal casting (silversmithing), and Spin casting (centrifugal rubber mold casting), forms of centrifigual casting *Centrifugal clutch *Centrifug ...
supercharger on a late model Mustang. In 1986, the Saleen made its entry into the Sport Car Club of America race series with a race prepped version of the Saleen Mustang. A notable win that year at the 24 Hours of
Mosport Canadian Tire Motorsport Park (formerly Mosport Park and Mosport International Raceway) is a multi-track motorsport venue located north of Bowmanville, in Ontario, Canada, east of Toronto. The facility features a , 10-turn road course; a adva ...
was the catalyst for Saleen vehicles becoming heavily involved in motorsport throughout the rest of the 1980s.


1990s

By 1990, in response to increased aftermarket parts demand, Saleen established
Saleen Performance Parts Saleen Automotive, Inc., commonly known as Saleen (/səˈliːn/), is an American manufacturer of specialty high-performance sports cars and high-performance automotive parts. Saleen is headquartered in Corona, California, US. On June 26, 2013 Sal ...
as an independent operation. In 1994, Saleen debuted the S351 which had a Saleen-built 351 ci engine. Despite the
Mustang GT The Ford Mustang is a series of American automobiles manufactured by Ford. In continuous production since 1964, the Mustang is currently the longest-produced Ford car nameplate. Currently in its sixth generation, it is the fifth-best sellin ...
changing to the modular V8 in 1996, Saleen continued with development of their own EPA-certified 351W engine. In 1995, Steve Saleen teamed up with comedian
Tim Allen Timothy Alan Dick (born June 13, 1953), known professionally as Tim Allen, is an American actor and comedian. He is known for playing Tim "The Toolman" Taylor on the ABC sitcom ''Home Improvement'' (1991–1999) and Mike Baxter on the ABC/Fo ...
and formed the Saleen-Allen "RRR" Speedlab race team. In 1997, Saleen introduced a Saleen
Contour Contour may refer to: * Contour (linguistics), a phonetic sound * Pitch contour * Contour (camera system), a 3D digital camera system * Contour, the KDE Plasma 4 interface for tablet devices * Contour line, a curve along which the function has a ...
concept and an SUV, the
Saleen XP8 The Saleen XP8 is a performance sport utility vehicle based on the Ford Explorer created by Saleen during the years 1998–2001. There were three prototype models, based on the 1997 Explorer XLT, which when viewed closely, has distinct characteris ...
Explorer Exploration refers to the historical practice of discovering remote lands. It is studied by geographers and historians. Two major eras of exploration occurred in human history: one of convergence, and one of divergence. The first, covering most ...
. In the late 1990s, the company was
restructured Restructuring is the corporate management term for the act of reorganizing the legal, ownership, operational, or other structures of a company for the purpose of making it more profitable, or better organized for its present needs. Other reasons ...
and became "Saleen, Inc."


2000s

In 2000, Saleen introduced their flagship vehicle, the
Saleen S7 Saleen Automotive, Inc., commonly known as Saleen (/səˈliːn/), is an American manufacturer of specialty high-performance sports cars and high-performance automotive parts. Saleen is headquartered in Corona, California, US. On June 26, 2013 Sal ...
sports car. The S7 is a mid-engine, high-performance sports car that was initially priced at just under US$400,000. The S7 won four different GT championships in 2001 and has broken records at the prestigious 24-Hour Le Mans race. The S7 was Saleen's only production car not based on an existing design or chassis. In 2001, Saleen moved its production facilities to a new 100,000 square foot facility in
Irvine, California Irvine () is a Planned community, master-planned city in South Orange County, California, United States, in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. The Irvine Company started developing the area in the 1960s and the city was formally incorporated on ...
. In 2002, Saleen was awarded the assembly and paint contract for the new Ford sports car, the
Ford GT The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car manufactured and marketed by American automobile manufacturer Ford for the 2005 model year in conjunction with the company's 2003 centenary. The second generation Ford GT became available for th ...
. This effectively made Saleen a tier 1 supplier to the
Ford Motor Company Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobi ...
. In 2003, Saleen set up a special manufacturing and licensing agreement for distribution of Saleen vehicles in Canada. In 2004, Saleen expanded its operations and manufacturing to an additional 203,000 square foot facility in
Troy, Michigan Troy is a city in Oakland County, Michigan, United States. Its population was 87,294 at the 2020 U.S. census, making Troy the most populous city in the county and the 13th most-populous municipality in the state. Troy is a northern suburb of Me ...
. The new $15 million production facility included a high-tech paint facility and assembly line where Saleen produced the Ford GT under contract from Ford Motor Company. In 2005, global distribution was expanded to include Japan under a new partnership with a Tokyo-based importer. In 2006, Saleen opened its first own branded retail store in an outdoor shopping center, in Irvine, California. The showroom was described as a unique shopping experience for Saleen vehicles, parts, and apparel. In 2007, Saleen began working with
Chrysler Stellantis North America (officially FCA US and formerly Chrysler ()) is one of the " Big Three" automobile manufacturers in the United States, headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan. It is the American subsidiary of the multinational automoti ...
and supplied all the paint work for the new
Dodge Viper The Dodge Viper is a sports car that was manufactured by Dodge (by SRT for 2013 and 2014), a division of American car manufacturer FCA US LLC from 1992 until 2017, having taken a brief hiatus in 2007 and from 2010 to 2012. Production of the two ...
.


2010s

In 2010, 2011 Saleen Mustangs were made in Detroit by Revstone, the company that purchased and legally produced 42 Saleens those years. Steve Saleen was selling Mustangs under the SMS name as he did not legally own the name Saleen. At the end of 2011, there was an agreement between Ford, Revstone and Steve Saleen to let him start producing under the Saleen name again. In 2013, Saleen entered into a
merger Mergers and acquisitions (M&A) are business transactions in which the ownership of companies, other business organizations, or their operating units are transferred to or consolidated with another company or business organization. As an aspect ...
that resulted in Saleen being a publicly traded company. Later that year it was announced that the Saleen operations, manufacturing,
research and development Research and development (R&D or R+D), known in Europe as research and technological development (RTD), is the set of innovative activities undertaken by corporations or governments in developing new services or products, and improving existi ...
, and paint facilities would be consolidated to an expansive four acre campus in Southern California. In 2014, Saleen entered into an agreement to expand vehicle distribution to include China. In August 2014, Saleen unveiled an all-electric performance model, the Foursixteen (a tuned version of Tesla Model S). In 2019, the Chinese joint-venture presented an updated version of the Saleen S7 (called the S7 Le Mans), at an event which featured
Jason Statham Jason Statham (; born 26 July 1967) is an English actor. He is known for portraying characters in various action-thriller films who are typically tough, hardboiled, gritty, or violent. Statham began practising Chinese martial arts, kickboxing ...
and
Chris Wu Wu Kang-ren (; born 24 November 1982), also known as Chris Wu, is a Taiwanese actor and model. He debuted in the short film ''Fragile in Love: Poetry in Motion'' in 2007, and first came to attention for his role in the 2009 television series ...
. In addition to their American hypercar, Jiangsu Secco Automobile Technology Corporation also promoted a few Rugao-built vehicles, including their electric microcar called the "MaiMai" and a crossover called the "MAC".


Jiangsu Saleen Automotive Technology

In 2017, along with partner Charles Wang, Saleen formed a partnership with the city of Rugao to form a company named "Jiangsu Saleen Automotive Technology" in the city of Rugao. The company was to produce and distribute Saleen vehicles in China for the Chinese market. In July 2019, in China, Saleen unveiled a new electric city car and a crossover. On June 29, 2020, Chinese authorities forcibly expropriated the Jiangsu-Saleen facility and expelled its non-Chinese executives and employees.


Products


Current models


Legacy models


Special vehicles

These are special vehicles made by Saleen, that were either non-production models, concept vehicles, or non-serialized versions.


Saleen Performance Parts

The aftermarket parts department of the company markets car parts and accessories such as custom wheels, exhaust systems,
brakes A brake is a mechanical device that inhibits motion by absorbing energy from a moving system. It is used for slowing or stopping a moving vehicle, wheel, axle, or to prevent its motion, most often accomplished by means of friction. Background ...
, and other high-performance parts. *
Superchargers In an internal combustion engine, a supercharger compresses the intake gas, forcing more air into the engine in order to produce more power for a given displacement. The current categorisation is that a supercharger is a form of forced induct ...
**Series I – This was the first supercharger system created by Saleen. It was engineered with an Eaton
Roots-type supercharger The Roots-type blower is a positive displacement lobe pump which operates by pumping a fluid with a pair of meshing lobes resembling a set of stretched gears. Fluid is trapped in pockets surrounding the lobes and carried from the intake sid ...
in 1998. **Series II – Launched in 2001, the Series II supercharger was a newer generation Eaton M90 roots-type. **Series III – This was a larger version of the Eaton supercharger. Going from 90 ci of displacement to 112 ci. **Series IV – The Series IV switched from a roots-type supercharger to a twin screw-type. This version had 1.6L of displacement. **Series V – This marked the first forced-induction system developed entirely in-house by Saleen and designed around Lysholm-sourced compressor screws with 2.3L of displacement. **Series VI – This was very similar to the Series V supercharger with added boost pressure producing more horsepower. This supercharger system was available in versions for the 2005-2009 Ford Mustang, the 2004-2008 Ford F-150 5.4L truck, Ford Expedition, Lincoln Mark LT, and Lincoln Navigator. **Saleen Shakercharger – A ram-air intake system for the Ford Mustang incorporating the Saleen Series VI supercharger with a functional hood scoop system borrowing its appearance from the S302PJ. This product was the result of design collaboration among Saleen's engineering interns in 2007 and 2008. *
iPod The iPod is a discontinued series of portable media players and multi-purpose mobile devices designed and marketed by Apple Inc. The first version was released on October 23, 2001, about months after the Macintosh version of iTunes ...
adapter – a factory-installed option that was available across all of Saleen's products line that provides for an integrated iPod connection to the radio head unit. Saleen also offered this option as an aftermarket-installed product through their Speedlabs division. * 2005–2009 Mustang HID headlamps – OEM, DOT approved bi-xenon headlamps offered by Saleen that fit 2005-2009 Mustangs. As of early 2007, these were the only OEM-grade, street-legal HID headlamps available for the Ford Mustang * Saleen Mustang Scenic Roof – Available across Saleen's Mustang-based products, this comprises a glass full-roof panel that replaces the traditional mustang coupe roof in lieu of a sunroof option. The scenic roof was manufactured from tempered laminate glass and fully certified according to U.S.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA ) is an agency of the U.S. federal government, part of the Department of Transportation. It describes its mission as "Save lives, prevent injuries, reduce vehicle-related crashes" rela ...
(NHTSA) standards. **Frost Touch Scenic Roof – This is a version of the scenic roof that contains
Smart glass Smart glass or switchable glass (also called a smart window or switchable window) is a glass or glazing whose light transmission properties dynamically alter to control the passage of solar irradiation into buildings. In general, the glass chan ...
. This glass has the ability to change from clear to opaque by flipping a switch. * Watt's Link – Developed in 2007, Saleen designed a version of the popular Watt's link for 2005-2009 Ford Mustangs.


Colorlab Automotive Paints

During the development of the Saleen SR in year 1995, Saleen formed a strategic partnership with
BASF BASF Societas Europaea, SE () is a German multinational corporation, multinational chemical company and the List of largest chemical producers, largest chemical producer in the world. Its headquarters is located in Ludwigshafen, Germany. The ...
that resulted in the development of unique paint color formulations coupled with advertising centered around Saleen products. During this time, the Saleen paint color "Mystic" was formulated which gave the color a chameleoon-like effect. Shortly after, an updated color called "Rainbow" was released as an evolved version of the "Mystic" color which gave a more chameleon-like effect by displaying more color changes. Since this time, the Saleen paint color Liztick Red Metallic, named for Steve's wife, Liz, was developed along with twelve more colors, including two named for Steve's daughter, Molly Saleen, Mollypop Pink and Chrome Molly. Other Saleen exclusive colors include Plum Insane Metallic, Burnout Black Pearl, Tire Smoke White Pearl, Sour Apple Green Metallic, Orange County Orange Metallic, Maliblue Metallic, Speedlab Yellow, Shark Skin Metallic, and Beryllium Copper Metallic, and California Sunset Metallic. In 2014, Saleen signed and agreement that made BASF the exclusive paint supplier for Saleen.


Motorsport

Saleen's birth year of 1984 also marked the first year that a Saleen Mustang was entered into a race, when owner, Steve Saleen, introduced the first streetcar, the Saleen Mustang, and raced it at Sears Point Raceway, California. In 1986, Saleen entered the
Sports Car Club of America The Sports Car Club of America (SCCA) is a non-profit American automobile club and sanctioning body supporting road racing, rallying, and autocross in the United States. Formed in 1944, it runs many programs for both amateur and professional r ...
(SCCA) Endurance Series with a race prepared version of the Saleen Mustang, winning the grueling 24 Hours of Mosport, Canada with a sponsorship from General Tire. 1987 brought an SCCA Drivers' Championship to Saleen. The Saleen 3-car team with drivers Steve Saleen, Parnelli Jones, and George Follmer also captured the Team, Manufacturer, and Tire Championships, with sponsorship from General Tire. Saleen entered the SCCA Endurance Series with an all-female driving team including Desire Wilson and Lisa Cacares who obtained the team's 1st victory of the season at Sears Point, California. Saleen Autosport also entered a General Tire backed, Ford Ranger-based, Saleen Sportruck in the SCCA Race Truck Challenge, where they captured two wins. In 1988, the Saleen race team finished 1st, 2nd, and 3rd at 24 Hours of Mosport for the third consecutive win and gives Ford its first 1-2-3 finish since LeMans in the late 1960s. 1989 was a busy year for the Saleen race team. They entered the PPG Indy Car World Series with a team backed by Montgomery Ward. Saleen Mustangs and Sportrucks also continued their winning campaigns in SCCA Competition with General Tire sponsorship. In 1990, Saleen entered the SCCA Trans-Am series with a Saleen Mustang backed by General Tire. Adding to their wins, in 1991 Saleen won the SCCA Race Truck championship with five victories in six races which moved Saleen into a tie for the most victories in the series (49) and the Manufacturers' Championship. Owner and driver, Steve Saleen, campaigned the Trans-Am series with Saleen Mustang with sponsorship from Champion Batteries. Saleen returned to SCCA Endurance competition in 1993 with a supercharged Saleen in the World Challenge Series. In 1995, Saleen formed the Saleen/Allen "RRR" Speedlab with Tim Allen. The team of Steve Saleen, Tim Allen, and Bob Bondurant set new track records and won the final race of the SCCA World Challenge series. For 1996, The Saleen/Allen "RRR" Speedlab, with teammates Steve Saleen and Tim Allen won the SCCA Manufacturers’ Championship with the SR Widebody Saleen Mustang. Saleen also won at
Watkins Glen International Watkins Glen International, nicknamed "The Glen", is an automobile race track located in the town of Dix just southwest of the village of Watkins Glen, New York, at the southern tip of Seneca Lake. It was long known around the world as the hom ...
Raceway. In 1997, Saleen/Allen "RRR" Speedlab competed at 24 Hours of Le Mans for the first time, marking the Mustang's first return in over 30 years. Saleen also clinched the SCCA Manufacturers’ Championship title for the third time. 1998 brought more wins for the Saleen/Allen "RRR" Speedlab. The team won both the SCCA Manufacturers' and Drivers' Championship titles. ome 1999, an ex-LeMans Saleen SR won the Spanish FIA GT championship. In 2000, Saleen competed in the inaugural Grand American Road Racing season, Saleen captured the Drivers' Championship and clinched the Manufacturers' and Team Championships in the season finale at Watkins Glen International Raceway. Saleen customer cars participated in the Speedvision World Challenge—earning a victory at Lime Rock Park. For the 2001 race season, the racing version of the S7, the Saleen S7R, was introduced. The S7R dominated racetracks during its inaugural season. Saleen S7R customer teams won four Drivers’ Championships in four different series (American LeMans, European LeMans, Grand Am, and Spanish GT). Teams driving the S7R achieved 19 wins out of 32 races including the 12 Hours of Sebring. The S7R grabbed 27 poles and set 27 fastest laps, at many tracks, including the prestigious 24 Hours of LeMans. 2002 brought more victories for the S7R. Customer teams continued to operate in four series (American LeMans, Grand Am, British GT, and Spanish GT) winning 18 out of 40 races, three Drivers’ Championships, and several more Team and Manufacturers' Championships. It also won 21 poles and set 23 fastest laps. In 2004, while Europe watched, the Saleen S7R captured the 1st place win at Imola, Italy, beating home-track favorites Ferrari, Maserati, and Lamborghini, and the debuting Maserati MC-12. In 2006 the Saleen/Oreca Race Team drove the S7 race version and captured the fastest lap and took the victory at
Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps The Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps (), frequently referred to as ''Spa'', is a motor-racing circuit located in Stavelot, Belgium. It is the current venue of the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix, hosting its first Grand Prix in 1925, and has held ...
. Saleen also began support of formula race teams in Europe. S7 racecars and spare parts were donated to the effort of trying to win on the European circuit.


Saleen racing results


1980s


1990s


2000s


2010s


OEM Development

In 2002, Saleen was awarded the partial assembly and paint contract for the 2004-2006
Ford GT The Ford GT is a mid-engine two-seater sports car manufactured and marketed by American automobile manufacturer Ford for the 2005 model year in conjunction with the company's 2003 centenary. The second generation Ford GT became available for th ...
. Beginning with the 2007 model year, the Saleen-designed supercharger kit in the F-150-based S331 was offered by Ford as a ship-through Ford-endorsed performance option on Harley Davidson Edition F150s. At the 2007 New York International Auto Show, Chip Foose unveiled a Ford-endorsed limited edition F150, powered by the Saleen-designed powertrain used on the Saleen S331SC.


References


External links


Official Site

Saleen Club of America



Saleen S281 SC
{{Automotive industry in the United States Vehicle manufacturing companies established in 1983 Sports car manufacturers Car manufacturers of the United States Automotive motorsports and performance companies Auto tuning companies