When the S7 made its global debut in Monterey on Aug 19, 2000 it did so as America's first true mid-engine supercar. Using a spaceframe construction and clad entirely in carbon fibre, it boasted a naturally aspirated 7-litre Ford V8 at its centre and 550hp at its rear wheels which translated into a 0-100kph time of 3.3 seconds and a top speed of 354kph.
Over its lifetime, it received a number of engineering improvements, including turbocharging which doubled horsepower and chopped almost a whole second off the 0-100kph time. But while the road-going S7 and S7 twin turbo came and went, the racing version hung around in terms of history, winning races around the globe including at Daytona, Sebring and Nurburgring. And it's the racing success that is behind the company's decision to resurrect the model.
"True to our form, we are bringing back America's only true supercar," said Steve Saleen, President and CEO of Saleen Automotive, "We are celebrating our winning heritage and advancing the performance DNA that Saleen was built around."
The new model, which will be badged the Saleen S7 LM and limited to just seven individually constructed examples, will boast a 7-litre twin-turbocharged engine rated at 1000hp, a specially designed steering wheel, reimagined interior and special external livery to ensure they stand out from any "stock" Saleen S7s on the road.
What's more, although the original cars started out as a joint creation between Saleen and UK-based RML Group, every one of these cars will be built exclusively at Saleen's California headquarters.
The original car caused quite a stir back in 2000 and in terms of styling it still stands up to scrutiny. However, the benchmark for US supercar performance has moved on considerably thanks to Hennessey Performance Engineering and its Bugatti baiting Venom GT.
But if the new Saleen can come close to the Venom's 2.4-second 0-100kph time and 427kph top speed, it will be worth every cent.
