Skip to main content

Saleen’s otherworldly S7 supercar will be reborn as the 1,000hp S7 LM

saleen-s7-lm
Saleen S7 LM Teaser Image used with permission by copyright holder
It would appear Saleen is looking for a return to the good ol’ days, especially after news that the performance tuner has amassed a giant chunk of debt and hasn’t delivered cars on time.

To change its momentum for the better, and to commemorate the company’s 20th anniversary of the conclusion of a seven-year run of racing championships, Saleen has announced that its mid-engined supercar of the 2000s will make a return. The S7 supercar was produced from 2000-2009 and by the end of its production run, made 750 horsepower from a twin-turbocharged 7.0-liter V8 engine.

Recommended Videos

The new model will be called the S7 LM and only seven units will be built, each with unique exterior, interior, wheel, and performance touches. Specs have yet to be confirmed, but the Saleen Owners and Enthusiasts Club (there’s a club for everything these days) says the LM will use exposed carbon fiber and make about 1,000hp – right on par with today’s leading hypercars.

Read More: Saleen 302 Black Label Mustang

The S7 was always a rare bird, but with just a handful of units being built, each will cost a pretty penny. The presumed price tag is $1 million. We can’t say whether this is the tuner’s Hail Mary to recover from its mountainous debt, but the profits on tuned Mustangs and, recently, Tesla Model S vehicles can’t compare with a million-dollar pay day.

As a bit of history, though the company built cars under the Saleen name for years prior, the Saleen Automotive brand was only formed in 2011 — and then had to fight for rights to its own name a year later. Lawsuits over undelivered products have plagued the tuner since then.

While we’d love to see a new S7 make a movie cameo as in Bruce Almighty, Saleen will need to get its tie on straight if these supercar plans are to pan out.

Miles Branman
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Miles Branman doesn't need sustenance; he needs cars. While the gearhead gene wasn't strong in his own family, Miles…
Volvo’s much-anticipated EX30 EV to reach U.S. before year end
Front three quarter view of the 2025 Volvo EX30.

Volvo is switching gears again, this time to accelerate deliveries of its much-anticipated EX30 subcompact electric SUV so that it reaches the U.S. before the end of 2024.

The Swedish automaker last summer had postponed the U.S. launch of the EX30 to 2025, citing “changes in the global automotive landscape." The move followed the Biden administration’s 100% import tariff on electric vehicles made in China.

Read more
Rivian R2 EV’s new LG battery boosts storage capacity sixfold
Rivian R2

The Rivian R2, the EV maker’s much-anticipated affordable electric SUV, will be powered by U.S.-made batteries promising to store six times as much energy as those currently used.

South Korea’s LG Energy Solutions announced it will be supplying LG’s 4695 cylindrical batteries to Rivian as part of a five-year agreement.

Read more
Scout Terra vs. Tesla Cybertruck: retro and futuristic, head to head
Scout Motors Terra driving front

Scout Motors is back. The classic brand has been reinvigorated under Volkswagen Group, and not only that, but it has already announced two new vehicles that it plans to launch in the next few years. Of the two, the Scout Terra is the electric truck, and it's built to offer a modern design with an excellent range and fast performance.

But how does the Scout Terra compare with another popular electric truck, the Tesla Cybertruck? While the Scout Terra is set to be much cheaper than the Cybertruck is now, it's entirely possible that by the time the Terra is released, it could have a higher price tag than expected, while Tesla lowers the price tag of the Cybertruck. Is one of these trucks objectively better? We put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The Scout Terra and the Tesla Cybertruck arguably couldn't be further apart in terms of design. Of course, variation is a good thing, at least as long as both options are solid under the hood too.

Read more