Saleen S7: The First American Supercar
With a debut in 2000, the Saleen S7 immediately captured the attention of the automotive world. 23 years later, the first American supercar still has it, thanks to a distinct and unreplicated formula. And while other small-volume supercar manufacturers have delivered home runs, the Saleen S7 remains a standout, over two decades later.
How much horsepower did the 2000 Saleen S7 have?
In its original guise, the Saleen S7 featured a 7.0-liter Ford V8 engine making 550 horsepower and 525 pound-feet of torque. A six-speed manual transaxle sent power through the rear wheels and motivated the first American supercar from zero to 60 mph in just 3.3 seconds, one-tenth faster than the McLaren F1.
Standout supercar design
Looking at the Saleen S7, it’s not hard to see connections to McLaren’s mid-90s legend. The low nose, broad headlights, and raked windshield all feel reminiscent of the world-beating F1. There are similar connections out back as well. The blunt rear end with black insets and twin round lights connect the two supercars from a design standpoint.
However, the Saleen is more dramatic than the McLaren F1 once you look at the details. Wide rear fender flares and a sculpted rear diffuser make the S7 more aggressive. And up front, gill-style door vents and a wide front grille add to the allure of the Saleen. Up to this point, there weren’t many cars that could command more attention than the McLaren F1. But in the S7, the British supercar found a formidable opponent.
A Twin Turbo turned up the wick
Not content with the 3.3-second sprint to 60 mph, Saleen bolted a pair of turbos onto that 7.0-liter V8. The Garrett turbos added 5.5 psi of boost and max torque at 4,800 rpm. That brought total output up to 750 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque. In turn, the S7 Twin Turbo could do the run to 60 mph in just 2.7 seconds, over half a second faster than the original.
The Saleen S7 LM is the ultimate supercar
Back in 2010, Saleen took its American supercar to Le Mans, winning the 24-hour race in the GT class. To commemorate the victory, the boutique American brand offered special-edition LM models to existing Saleen S7 owners. But there was a catch.
To get one of the seven Le Mans-spec allocations, Saleen would convert existing S7 models. So, in addition to the incredibly limited run, each car was effectively a unique, one-of-one model upon completion.
LeMans-inspired upgrades include a big rear wing and lighter brakes. But the true highlight happens under the hood. New, bigger turbos and an updated intake would make 1,000 horsepower on pump gas. And with racing fuel, the Saleen S7 LM could crank out a staggering 1,300 ponies, getting to 60 mph in just 2.3 seconds.
How much is a Saleen S7 in 2023?
Upon debut in 2000, the Saleen S7 would set you back $400,000. If you made that investment way back then, you’d be in line for a big payday in 2023. These days, quality S7 models auction for well over $500,000. According to Classic.com, the average price is $731,000, with museum-quality examples netting up to $1.2 million. That model was a 2007 S7 Le Mans with just 158 miles on the clock.
More pedestrian options go for a bit less, with the most recent sale crossing the online block at $675,000. Still, with only 100 models ever made, the S7 is both rare and stunning, which only adds to its collectability.
