Who designed the new Saleen S1 to be made in China?

This is all I know. I didn't have time to go check the Fisker design, and who was that going to be produced by?


A few years ago Steve Saleen had a mid-engined sports car. He got mad at me when I said the English firm fabricating it claimed they designed it. This time, with his new sports car, I think the Chinese are given credit for the building but no designer was named when they announced the car at the LA Auto Show. .


It is still a prototype, but some reporters are praising its ready-to-sell look, even with a finished looking interior. . It is not a large car, compared in size by some to the Porsche 718 Cayman.Curb weight will be under 2,700 lbs. The chassis is an aluminum tub which is bodied in carbon fiber.

The engine is a four cylinder, which alone makes me not want to call it a “supercar."
But the 2.5 liter is rated at 450 horsepower with 350 pound-feet of torque which ought to get it up to 170 mph. Apparently Saleen, who has raced at LeMans, still believes in manual trannies so a six speed will be standard though a . "paddle shifted automatic" is projected as an option. Saleen claims a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds.

The car would be made in China, with a company called Jiangsu Saleen Automotive Technology Group. Originally they bought the Henrik Fisker designed Artega GT, an existing design and attempted to adapt it but when the adaptation didn't work out they designed a new body. Maybe this was also done so they wouldn't have to say it was designed by Fisker, who is always willing to step into the limelight.
The name is a bit odd as the Saleen 1 is actually the second Saleen two seat sports car, the first, the S7, made in England some years ago.

Here's a couple of my own humble opinions on design but would like to hear from those in the design trenches::

FRONT: Derivative of lots of cars but I like the way the leading edge goes far forward. Not so entranced by the old '70-ish hood mound (like an old big block Corvette) and the gadget-like headlights which look cheap.

SIDE: Very truncated, similar to the Alfa 4C coupe, even with a similar side scoop on the rear fender.

REAR: Thin horizontal taillights seem Aston Martin inspired, but it's a nice clean rear end, and there's room down below for four exhaust pipes if they are so inclined.

One headline bandied about the price $100,000 and I don't know if that's the base price but I can't imagine paying much more if it only has a four. The current Ford GT only has a 6 and I think it's overpriced considering it doesn't have a V8 or V12. After decades of being groomed to respect a V8 or V12, it seems puny to me to give the same respect to a four. After all, didn't Enzo Ferrari pick 12 cylinders because the more you have, the more you can lose and still finish the race (and I don't think my own GTC/4 V12 ever worked on more than 10 cylinders...)
Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login