Saleen S7

I know, this is the Lambo board, but it seemed like the best place to post. What's the deal with the S7 ? Anybody know the cars? The earlier ones seem to be getting to a price where I might consider one. I love the way they look, they are fast, exotic as all hell, the only thing i'm having a little trouble with is the fact that they're made by a company that deals with hi-perf Mustangs. Whats your thoughts?

 

A guy I used to work for has one, first '04 off the line. Great looking car, huge problems. He has had it in the shop so much that I heard that he was looking into the lemon law. I love the car but I would pass on buying one.

 

I was afraid that may be the case, being that the car is pretty much a custom built car.

 

MKy neighbor loves his S7. But then, he's Steve Saleen.

 

They sound like Mustange GTs also which kinda ruins it for me.

 

So does a Konegsegg (ford based motor), but i'd take either. That's just me of course.


Darrell.

 

Right....but.....(and I HATE mustangs) Mustang GTs do have a VERY nice exhaust note. Nothing else, but a great sound.

 

Not any more. They dropped the Ford based engine for their own design

 

Not entirely accurate. They are producing the blockes themselves, but they are still Ford based. (think Merlin for chevy). They are not a new design.


Darrell.

 

I'd get a Ford GT before buying a Saleen. The Saleen looks great from a distance, but up close the manufacturing tolerances are not that great. The Ford GT is a great car, more reasonably priced, and has a great potential for appreciation IMHO.
BT

 

The cars are already going up in price. Theres a thread over on FGT forums about it.

Thats a stupid reason to hate a car. Ive heard both cars and they dont sound that simmilar.

 

I saw one and thought it looked funny and couldn't believe it.

To me the car is great but with the money you spend on them id rather have something like a 360challenge or a Diablo, Murcielago or something else.

 

They must not sell well as Lamborghini of Dallas no longer is a dealer for them.
Plus, the S7 is going out of production very soon. The next car has already been seen as a "clay" design in the shop. Expected to be priced at $150K-$200K.

 

I always thought they looked pretty cool.
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+1

Saw this S7 in Houston...
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I saw one up close in person and thought it was pretty rough around the edges considering the price. As other people have said, the panel gaps are noticeable. The interior looks glitzy and cheap. The driver side footwell is tight, and the passenger side is comically narrow. The fender openings are round, yet they don't seem to be centered around the wheels. This creates a big gap between the fender lip and the top of the rear wheels that has always bothered me. At the end of the day it's a tube frame chassis with a hopped up Ford V8. There's nothing wrong with that, but considering how much cheaper other similar options are, such as the Ultima GTR and Molser, I don't understand why anyone would choose an S7.

 

Never been a fan. Weak design, and imo, easy to see the headlights and cab section are a direct rip-off of the McLaren.

I've always wondered why Top Gear or 5th Gear have never tested one? Maybe they have but I haven't been able to find the clips.

 

I actually like the design, and overall look of the car. Just when you get close it is not precise, and at the price they are getting I think it should be pretty close to perfect. To me the Ford GT is reasonably close in performance with better manufacturing, or the Mosler MT900s is similar with better chassis engineering. The Saleen is very nice just not for the price IMHO. Some pics I took of some at car shows last year.

BT
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Experienced the S7TT a few years ago on a set of a TV show. Cool car, but the fit and finish wasn't exactly perfect. Also, it could've just been that particular car, but there was NO room for the passengers legs. Whatsoever. It was laughable. Ride height = incredibly low. Regardless, it looked unbelievably exotic- and fast, sitting still..

Just hit the blogs that they're in development of a new sports / supercar:

http://www.autoblog.com/2007/11/28/spied-saleen-developing-all-new-sports-car/
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That looks a lot better than the gilled menace

 

I for one always liked the S7. It looks like a true GT1 car. Infact the Masarati is a good copy of it. I think if the S7 had a Ferrari or Lambo badge on the hood, people on the forum would be drooling all over it. Case in point: the Lambo Revention. If that car was built by a tuner all you would hear is "how could someone do this to an M car" and so on. If someone even adds the slightest body mod to a Murci, people on here get all up in arms. Now here comes the Revention, which looks like it just rolled out of a Tijuana body shop, and everyone loves it, because it's from the factory. It's all about perception.




Darrell.

 

Like I said, I really like the style and design of the S7. The fit and finish is the only problem I have with it. For the apparent quality it should be priced more in line with the Ford GT IMHO. But it is striking to my eye!

BT

 

That car used to P.O me off I can remember a few years back at the Lemans series just yelling WTF when they where losing to the Corvette racing team. Oh but as soon as Lambo goes racing they decide to go racing to and beat them at one of the races I forgot which one but they came back at the last second and an S7R overtook an RGT.

 

I agree 100%

 

The "S8" or "S4" as it was dubbed (S8, because it is the new rendition of the S7. S4, because it's a cheaper, less exotic model) Was supposedly dropped when Steve Saleen left. Maybe that was just in the rumor mill, but as far as I know that project is dead to make room for GM products they plan to modify.

Peter Hatch