To high-performance car enthusiasts, the Saleen Automotive name needs little introduction. Founded in 1983 by Steve Saleen, the company made its debut as a specialty vehicle manufacturer with the 1984 Saleen Mustang and has set the bar for performance ever since with the Saleen Signature line, built on existing vehicle platforms. In 2000, the company famously unveiled the Saleen S7 as the first production American supercar and the first in the line of Saleen Original vehicles designed and produced entirely by Saleen. With the need for a true “Driver’s Car” that offered supercar-level performance and engineering at a more accessible price point, Saleen Automotive began development of the Saleen 1 (S1) – an all-original lightweight, midengined sports car.
Working closely with input from Hydra Design Labs as a design consultant and specialist for both the exterior and interior of the new sports car, Steve Saleen led the overall design process for the S1 and officially unveiled the car at the L.A. Auto Show in 2017, marking an entirely new era for the California-based company. Featuring a lightweight aluminum chassis with composite carbon fiber body and independent suspension, plus a Saleen-designed turbocharged. inline 4-cylinder engine, the S1 produces 450 horsepower and weighs only 2,685 pounds – ranking it among the top supercar performance levels. Production of the Saleen S1 will begin in 2020.
