The Saleen S7 is a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance American automobile developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank Design for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock Ltd. for the chassis engineering. It was the only car produced by Saleen not based on an existing chassis.[citation needed] The S7 debuted on August 19, 2000 at the Monterey Historic Races. From 2000 until 2004, the S7 featured a naturally aspirated V8 engine with 550 horsepower (410 kW). In 2005, the S7 was replaced by the S7 Twin Turbo, which featured a more powerful twin-turbo system that boosted engine power to 750 horsepower (760 PS/559 kW) and the top speed 248 mph (399 km/h).
Sporty Saleen S7
Saleen S7 ModificationExotic Car Show
The body of the car, made entirely from carbon fiber, incorporates the use of scoops, spoilers, and other aerodynamic features to create split-channel airflow throughout the car, and at 160 miles per hour (257 km/h), the car creates its own weight in downforce, and because of this the car theoretically produces enough downforce to drive upside down.
Impressive Saleen S7
The interior of the Saleen S7 was designed to be both luxurious and functional. Leather appears throughout the cabin, with aluminum accents, and the S7 comes with a set of custom-fit luggage. Because of the car's mid-engine layout, it has two trunks, front and rear. Other features include an LCD monitor, rear-view camera, quick-release steering-wheel and a 240 mile per hour (386 km/h) speedometer. The cabin is of an asymmetrical layout, with the custom-fitted driver's seat positioned toward the center both to improve the driver's visibility and center their weight in the vehicle.
Every virtue has its price, of course, and the S7 makes you pay not only in real money but also in some comforts and conveniences. The cockpit swarms with virtually unchecked wind noise. The aluminum-intensive suspension, with unequal-length control arms and coil-over dampers, makes for spectacular handling and an acceptable ride on smooth pavement, but with every encounter of the 275/30ZR-19 front, 345/25ZR-20 rear Pirellis with a reflective Botts dot, it sounds and feels as if somebody is pounding the underside of the car with a sledge hammer. Racing-style floating brake rotors, which rattle over bumps, compound the situation. The brakes, although phenomenal, do not include anti-lock, nor does the S7 offer skid or traction control, which seems an oversight. Counters engineer Tally, who has driven motorcycles at more than 200 mph on the Bonneville Salt Flats: "We don't need stability control; we have downforce. Our competitors are masking problems with chassis and brakes." Ohhh-kay.