435S: First Test Drives

[Saleen Forums News]

Enjoy...

AutoWeek: http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...IEWS/910209987

StangTV: http://www.stangtv.com/forum/saleen-...view-5993.html

[NeoS281]

wow! I'm impressed! I just read the "stangtv" article on the 435S. The options chosen makes for a real competitor in the sports car market. While still a bit pricey($50K), I think they've done a great job with the product and it shows.

[HRD KNX]

Cool! Thanks for posting the links! I see blue injectors in this car, I wonder whats up with that?

[WickedS281SC]

Originally Posted by MARZ

http://www.stangtv.com/forum/saleen-...view-5993.html

http://www.autoweek.com/article/2009...IEWS/910209987

This Saleen has to be one of the worst ones by far - The look is plain and the Horse power is nothing impressive based on older models - I am so hoping on Nov 4th they show a promissing 2010 S281 !!

[MARZ]

Originally Posted by WickedS281SC

This Saleen has to be one of the worst ones by far - The look is plain and the Horse power is nothing impressive based on older models - I am so hoping on Nov 4th they show a promissing 2010 S281 !!

I think that was their point -- affordable performance devoid of all the flash and insane amounts of power that is the S-series. To that end, I believe Saleen Performance Vehicles has succeeded.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by WickedS281SC

This Saleen has to be one of the worst ones by far - The look is plain and the Horse power is nothing impressive based on older models - I am so hoping on Nov 4th they show a promissing 2010 S281 !!

In the 435S photos, you can see the Tokico shocks/struts sticking out. The question is whether the suspension tuning is out of a FMC/Ford Racing/Tokico catalog or something truly unique.

The 180 dealers might be misleading. The last time the list was went through... you could find listed Ford Dealers that went bankrupt during the financial collapse and others that have clearly stated they will not consider stocking these, or any, tuned Mustangs. Sounds better in print then if you let your fingers do the walking.

Anyway... at $40,000-$50,000 you can still buy a real, left-over, 2007-09 Saleen Mustang at a selection of dealers... with a warranty by SMS Supercars.

[Jim D.]

Dave's got some good points.

What's the uniqueness of the parts underneath?

The fact that there are and have been for some time a seemingly never-ending supply of 2007-09 model Saleens on showroom floors at bargain-basement prices has been a problem for dealers who might in the past have considered stocking a specialty Mustang again.

And I do know of several of the 24 California dealers who have no Saleens in stock and either have no plans to stock a Saleen in the future or have said to me "Saleen's out of business, but I've got a couple of Roush 427Rs over there."

As far as offering a bargain-basement "Saleen" that wouldn't spoil the brand, that's really what the Sleeper GTs were supposed to accomplish. Though for reasons I don't know, that program was far from successful, much like the Racecraft was far from successful.

It's almost as if the buying public is saying "I'll install my own supercharger and make my GT my own design."

It appears more evident than ever that a true Saleen enthusiast -- and I'll add the additional qualification of any longtime and true Saleen enthusiast who has bought a 1999 or newer Saleen -- is seeking what an S-series offers, though some also find an attraction towards the H-series. In other words, a modern-day longtime and true Saleen enthusiast isn't buying a sleeper car. What has been surprising to me was the retro look of the H-series was embraced by a lot of people who were either unaware of the Saleen brand, or perhaps were even previously not attracted to the Saleen brand.