An Ambitious American Automaker Is Crowdsourcing a New Design as Part of an Unexpected Comeback

The makers of the S7 have teased a new supercar, and enthusiasts will have the opportunity to influence its final design.

Side view of a red Saleen sports car focusing on the rear wheel with silver five-spoke rim and yellow tire lettering.

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By Gray Van Dyke

Published 15 hours ago

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If you know the name Saleen, chances are pretty good that, if not for the company’s Mustang tuning efforts, it’s because of the S7 supercar.

After all, few American automakers have managed to bring the fight to Europe in the exotic and high-performance auto segment. That such a small outfit succeeded in doing so speaks volumes, both to Steve Saleen’s ambitions and to his team’s expertise.

Unfortunately, for all the promise of a successor to the S7, the company never delivered. Even Saleen itself calls the 1990s and early 2000s its “golden age of supercar development.”

Two white Saleen sports cars with aerodynamic designs and large rear wings parked on asphalt. — The Saleen S7 was an authoritative statement of American supercar potential.

However, the company has just announced that it has an all-new supercar on the way, and that it will be “geared to be ‘one louder’ than what may be available on the marketplace today.”

Saleen has a new supercar coming

Per Saleen’s press materials, it’s to be called the ‘S11,’ and it will be displayed as a full-size clay model along with some design sketches at LeMay – America’s Car Museum. Fittingly, the car will come at the end of a new exhibition titled “The Birth of the American Supercar.”

Sleek red Saleen sports car with silver five-spoke wheels and yellow-lettered tires on a dark floor. — Saleen’s S11 is to be the brand’s next supercar effort.

As part of the display, Saleen will be using the opportunity to crowdsource elements of the new supercar’s final exterior and interior designs. In other words, though some of what you see will make it to the end product, there are still some areas that have yet to be decided.

According to Steve Saleen, “Throughout the year, we’ll present design choices to participating enthusiasts, and they can choose design details that will end up in our final product.”

What exactly this means, of course, only time will tell, but it could present a unique chance to ‘be’ a part of American supercar history.

Red sports car with chrome wheels parked on a coastal road with trees and ocean in the background. — The S7 is a true stunner — especially in twin-turbo Competition spec.

In any case, Saleen certainly seems to be serious about the project. The company stated that details “will be revealed over the next 12 months, including engine, suspension and aerodynamic and technical specifications.”

So… what happened, anyway?

Nowadays, Saleen offers powerful spec builds for the Ford Mustang, the F-150 and the Raptor, though it does also currently list the S7 and the S1 on its website with inquiry fields.

You can see the influence of the S7 on the above S11. Hopefully, the car turns things up to 11 as well.

Bring a Trailer

If the latter sounds unfamiliar to you, that’s probably because it was supposed to be launched as part of a previous company resurgence effort. Saleen has promised the car — for years — only for production to be complicated by a much bigger snafu.

In the late 2010s, the California-based company was desperately in need of cash, and Steve Saleen partnered with Chinese state-backed investors to build production facilities in mainland China. Along with a new supercar, the agreement would have seen Saleen manufacture a new S7 and some mainstream all-electric models.

Black and silver Saleen Mustang coupe parked on dirt with mountains in the background. — The Fox body Mustang is one of Saleen’s more cherished works.

For all of its promise, Saleen’s Chinese deal ultimately fell apart when one of his partners was accused of fraud. The People’s Court then seized the company’s factories and subsequently auctioned them off to the highest bidder. (If you want to learn more, it’s worth checking out the full account here.)

Before Hennessey, Saleen was one of few Americans bold enough to build an eponymous supercar.

Bring a Trailer

More to come

In the wake of such a monumental business calamity, it’s unexpected that Saleen would be keen to field a new supercar. Evidently, however, the company has managed (or intends) to find some backers.

Red Saleen S7 sports car with large rear wing parked on a coastal road near palm trees and ocean. — If the S11 can improve on the S7, it’s bound to make an impact.

Given legendary cars like the S7, there’s cause to be excited for Saleen’s next effort. If nothing else, you can bet that whatever results is bound to be ambitious, a true statement of American supercar potential in an era that’s increasingly automated.

About the Author: Gray is an associate editor at Gear Patrol, covering cars, motorcycles and anything else with wheels. When he’s not chasing the latest industry news, he’s probably wrenching on one of many projects. For better or worse, he believes classics make perfectly practical daily drivers.

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