Saleen S7 Returns with a 1000hp Twin Turbo Ford V8

In the history of the American built supercars, there are few vehicles which can rival the Ford-powered Saleen S7. Sure, the Chevrolet Corvette and Dodge Viper have both laid down better lap times at tracks around the world, but no car sold in the US have offered the same supercar feel that you get with the S7.

When introduced for the 2001 model year, the Saleen S7 was powered by an all-aluminum Ford V8 engine measuring 7 liters and laying down 550 horsepower. This was the only engine option for 2001, 2003 and 2004, but in 2005, Saleen introduced the new S7 Twin Turbo model with 750 horsepower. The 750hp model still used the aluminum Ford V8, but the addition of forced induction added an extra 50 horsepower for 2005 and 2006.

Since 2006, there have been no Saleen S7 road models sold, but according to the Saleen Owners and Enthusiasts Club, the S7 is coming back with even more power.

“True to our form, we are bringing back America’s only true supercar,” said Steve Saleen, President and CEO of Saleen Automotive, “We are celebrating our winning heritage and advancing the performance DNA that Saleen was built around.”

The New Saleen S7 LM
To celebrate the 20th anniversary of the Saleen racing championship run from 1996 through 2002, Steve Saleen and his team are introducing the new Saleen S7 LM. This supercar will be limited to just 7 units because from ’96 through ’02, Saleen won 7 racing championships, and these new S7s will have a unique wheel package, striping and interior design, but the most important aspect of the S7 LM is under the rear engine cover.

The Saleen S7 LM will retain the twin turbocharged Ford V8, but some tuning efforts have lifted the output from 750 to 1,000 horsepower.

For those folks drooling over the prospect of driving a 1,000 horsepower Saleen S7 LM around their home town, there is some bad news. With just 7 units planned for production, the new Saleen will likely be very hard to acquire without some serious connections and if you have those connections, you will also need to have some seriously deep pockets. According to the Saleen Owners and Enthusiasts Club, this supercar will likely cost somewhere in the area of a million dollars.

Now, the million dollar pricing information doesn’t come from Saleen in their press release on the S7 LM, but when you consider the cars with which this new supercar competes – and the fact that the 2006 S7 Twin Turbo cost around $600,000 – this million dollar estimate could be accurate.

Bottom line – the Saleen S7 is coming back in limited numbers with 1,000 horsepower from an all-aluminum twin turbocharged Ford V8 engine.