Saleen Ford Focus N2O Is a Wicked Early 2000s Relic
Over-the-top Saleen Focus N2O was birthed from the Fast and The Furious Era, sporting a zany body kit and even a factory nitrous system.
Who could forget the car trends of the early 2000s? Wacky fiberglass body kits were abundant, and everyone wanted a bottle of nitrous in their trunk and a road trip to Race Wars planned after the automotive action hit The Fast and The Furious took off. Some manufacturers couldn’t steer themselves away from dipping into the market. This includes none other than iconic Mustang man Steve Saleen. Though the design-work is plainly dated, we still think this car is awesome. If you’re familiar with Saleen, you’ll know that this car is far more than looks. It also features upgrades in handling performance and one of the boldest factory power modifications ever. This car came out of Saleen’s shop with a full nitrous system in place.
Offered for sale by Affordable Classics, Inc in Oregon, this may be one of the cleanest N2O Focuses left. It has only 71,000 miles and comes with all the factory manuals and paperwork. Inside and out, it is in nearly perfect condition.
Millennial Teen’s Dream Come True
Looking back on any era will net you some unpleasant reminders of styling’s past. If you’ve still got a pair of Loverboy red leather pants tucked away in your closet, we’re talking to you. The same goes for all the flannel owners with Beanie Babies tucked in their breast pocket. That being said, it’s hard to find a better example of an early 2000s styling leftover than the Saleen N2O Focus. The big, flat rear bumper, the fender flares, and accompanying side skirts, especially the hatch wing, features not one but two brake lights. Why have just a third brake light when you can have a fourth, right? Although, perhaps some of the extra lighting attitude should have been carried to the front bumper. It oddly appears to have holes for fog lights but doesn’t have any.
Inside is actually quite nice, even by today’s standards. Bolstered black leather seats wearing the Saleen logo, white-faced gauges, a metal shift knob, and the Saleen logo looking back at you from the steering wheel really sell the sports car feel. Enough about the looks, though. How’s it perform?
Nimble Handling in a Compact Size
Upgrades for handling include performance suspension, strut tower bars, sway bars, and 17-inch wheels with Pirelli tires. All of these upgrades combine with the sub-2,700-pound curb weight make for a nimble car with go-kart-like handling. Brake pads are also upgraded, though it does retain drum brakes in the rear.
Under the hood, you’ll find the standard Ford 2.0-Liter Cosworth-developed four-cylinder. Under normal conditions, the engine outputs 157 horsepower. Which, by standards of the time, is already a pretty reasonable amount for the size and weight of the car. However, the nitrous system’s use ups the power output to 227 horsepower and 226 pound-feet of torque. According to Driving Enthusiast, that puts the 0-60 time in the 6-second range and allows for a 14-second quarter mile. That puts it within reasonable spitting distance of a 2005 Mustang GT, remarkably.
Overall, we can’t be mad at this car despite its appearance. It’s a sign of its time, for sure. Additionally, though, it’s an awesome handling little hot hatch with nitrous installed. If that isn’t cool, we don’t know what is.
Only 75 of these were made in 2005, so if you want to own one, now’s your chance. This one is $13,500. While it seems a bit lofty for an old Focus, we can’t help but find ourselves thinking it isn’t too bad of a price to pay for such a quirky, exciting piece of Saleen history.
Photos: Affordable Classics, Inc