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 Saleen S7 ended production in 2009.[2] Production of the Saleen 1 is planned to be 1,500 units yearly, with a starting price of US$100,000 each.[3]
| Saleen 1 | |
|---|---|
| Overview | |
| Manufacturer | Saleen |
| Also called | Saleen S1 |
| Production | 2018–present (1,500 units planned) |
| Model years | 2019–present |
| Assembly | Jiangsu (China), Saleen (United States) |
| Designer | Steve Saleen |
| Body and chassis | |
| Class | Sports car (S) |
| Body style | 2-door coupé |
| Layout | Rear mid-engine, rear-wheel-drive |
| Related | Artega GT[1] |
| Powertrain | |
| Engine | 2.5 L Saleen/GM Ecotec turbocharged I4, 336 kW (457 PS; 451 hp) |
| Transmission | 6-speed manual |
| Dimensions | |
| Wheelbase | 97.5 in (2,476 mm) |
| Length | 171.5 in (4,356 mm) |
| Width | 76.3 in (1,938 mm) |
| Height | 46.9 in (1,191 mm) |
| Curb weight | 2,685 lb (1,218 kg) |
Specifications
editPowertrain
editThe Saleen 1 is powered by a proprietary 2.5 litre turbocharged inline-four engine developed by Saleen (based on the GM LKW Ecotec3 engine, it has a cast aluminum cylinder block with cast-in iron liners and uses a forged steel crankshaft),[3][4] with an 88.0 mm (3.46 in) bore and 100.8 mm (3.97 in) stroke, and rated at 450 hp (336 kW) and 350 lb⋅ft (475 N⋅m) of torque.[4] The engine is mid-rear, transversely mounted and drives the rear wheels.
Transmission
editThe Saleen 1 is equipped with a 6-speed manual transmission as standard, however a paddle shift automatic transmission is expected to be offered as an option.[3]
Suspension
editThe Saleen 1 uses double wishbone suspension on the front and rear axles of the vehicle, allowing for easier tuning of suspension kinematics and properties such as camber angle or toe.[4]
Wheels
editThe car is equipped with alloy wheels with diameters of 20 inches at the front and rear. The Continental tires have codes of 255/30 ZR 20 for the front and 335/25 ZR 20 for the rear.[2] The brake calipers and rotors measure 15 inches in diameter at the front and the rear.[4]
Interior features
editThe interior of the Saleen 1 is finished mostly in leather, suede, and Alcantara. Other amenities include Sirius radio, Apple CarPlay, and a six-speaker sound system.[2]
Performance
editThe manufacturer claims a top speed of 180 mph (290 km/h) for the Saleen 1. The car has claimed acceleration times of 3.5 seconds for 0–60 mph (0–97 km/h) and 11.3 seconds for the quarter mile.[5] These acceleration times are achieved through a power-to-weight ratio of 0.17 hp/lb (0.28 kW/kg). The Saleen 1 is also capable of 1.2g of lateral acceleration in a turn.[4]
Racing
editSaleen Cup
editThe Saleen Cup was launched in partnership with SRO Motorsports Group in 2019 to demonstrate the capabilities of the S1.[6] A modified version of the Saleen 1, called the Saleen Cup car, is the exclusive car raced in the series. The Cup car features race-spec aerodynamics, FIA standard safety equipment, and slick racing tires.[6] The Saleen Cup series consists of eight races at four tracks around the United States, listed below:
| Date | Racetrack | Location | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| July 12–14, 2019 | Portland International Raceway | Portland, Oregon |  Brandon Davis
|
| Aug. 30–Sept. 1 2019 | Watkins Glen International | Watkins Glen, New York | T.B.D. |
| Sept. 20–Sept. 22 2019 | Road America | Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin | T.B.D. |
| Oct. 18–Oct. 20 2019 | Las Vegas Motor Speedway | Las Vegas, Nevada | T.B.D. |
The 2020 Saleen Cup was cancelled the weekend before its scheduled opening event.[7]
GT4
editSaleen plans to further modify the Saleen 1 Cup car for GT4 homologation for the 2020 season.[8] Saleen's plan includes the introduction of a factory racing team, with at least one driver sourced from the winners of the summer 2019 Saleen Cup.[9]
References
edit- ^ "Saleen reveals S1 sports car, plans Chinese production". 1 December 2017. Retrieved 23 July 2019.
- ^ a b c "S1 Launch Successful, Additional Technical Specifications Announced". Saleen. 2017-12-07. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- ^ a b c Vaughn, Mark (2017-12-05). "Saleen S1 supercar hopes to fill a niche". Saleen. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- ^ a b c d e Silvestro, Brian (2017-12-07). "The Saleen S1 Is a Small Supercar With 450 Horsepower". Saleen. Retrieved 2018-07-23.
- ^ Florea, Ciprean (2017-12-13). "2019 Saleen S1: The company's first original design since the S7 supercar". Top Speed. Retrieved 2018-08-04.
- ^ a b "Saleen Cup launched in partnership with SRO". Racer. 2019-03-01.
- ^ "Saleen's Race Car Series Cancelled a Week Before It Was Supposed to Begin". 27 February 2020.
- ^ Dagys, John (2019-03-01). "Saleen Confirms GT4 Car for 2020". sportscar 365.
- ^ Evans, Sean (2019-04-11). "You Can Now Race a Saleen 1 Supercar Without Having to Buy It". Robb Report.