Saleen S5S Raptor: the green supercar
Saleen, the American manufacturer of high-performance sports cars and auto parts, is taking the green road with the new S5S Raptor, which was unveiled earlier today at the NYIAS.
As the first original creation under Saleen's new management staff (the company's founder Steve Saleen left in 2007), the S5S Raptor illustrates what Saleen is capable of in terms of development. "The Raptor is just a glimpse of things to come from Saleen," said Chief Technical Officer and auto industry veteran, Chris Theodore, during the unveiling ceremony.
The S5S Raptor is the heir to the Saleen S7 and Ford GT. It's a mid-engine two-seater designed to take on exotic Italian cars. Under its hood is a 690-hp, 5.0L supercharged V8 engine -- hence the name S5S (Saleen 5.0 L Supercharged). With 630 lb-ft of torque on tap, it allows 0-100 kph accelerations in 3.2 short seconds as well as a top speed of 320+ kph.
Designed by Saleen, this engine runs on the same high-octane E85 fuel that will be used for the 2008 season of the ALMS and IRL championships. Unsurprisingly, the company labels the Raptor as a "green" car.
A close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox sends power to the rear wheels. Buyers can also select a sequential transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
The styling of this machine is inspired from the Can-Am race cars, "but delivered with modern sophistication", claims Marques McCammon, General Manager of Saleen Automotive. Its overall shape is also reminiscent of the bold Volkswagen W12 Concept presented at the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show.
According to Saleen executives, the S5S Raptor could hit the market by 2010 at a base price of around $185,000 US.
photo:Saleen
Saleen, the American manufacturer of high-performance sports cars and auto parts, is taking the green road with the new S5S Raptor, which was unveiled earlier today at the NYIAS.
As the first original creation under Saleen's new management staff (the company's founder Steve Saleen left in 2007), the S5S Raptor illustrates what Saleen is capable of in terms of development. "The Raptor is just a glimpse of things to come from Saleen," said Chief Technical Officer and auto industry veteran, Chris Theodore, during the unveiling ceremony.
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The S5S Raptor is the heir to the Saleen S7 and Ford GT. It's a mid-engine two-seater designed to take on exotic Italian cars. Under its hood is a 690-hp, 5.0L supercharged V8 engine -- hence the name S5S (Saleen 5.0 L Supercharged). With 630 lb-ft of torque on tap, it allows 0-100 kph accelerations in 3.2 short seconds as well as a top speed of 320+ kph.
Designed by Saleen, this engine runs on the same high-octane E85 fuel that will be used for the 2008 season of the ALMS and IRL championships. Unsurprisingly, the company labels the Raptor as a "green" car.
A close-ratio 6-speed manual gearbox sends power to the rear wheels. Buyers can also select a sequential transmission with paddle shifters on the steering wheel.
The styling of this machine is inspired from the Can-Am race cars, "but delivered with modern sophistication", claims Marques McCammon, General Manager of Saleen Automotive. Its overall shape is also reminiscent of the bold Volkswagen W12 Concept presented at the 1997 Tokyo Auto Show.
According to Saleen executives, the S5S Raptor could hit the market by 2010 at a base price of around $185,000 US.
photo:Saleen
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