Very nice, do we have the underpinnings for a Boss Mustang here?

Styling. Very good overall. In particular:

Nose: like the GT500ish lower valance even a touch better than the GT500 lower valance. As mentioned, it would be even better integrated to a GT500ish upper grill, but it's still an improvement over the jowly GT piece. Little splitter bar over headlight is silly.
Shaker: Got over the fixation and remove, just doesn't make sense for a current FI motor. Original car had a flat hood anyway.
Stickers: Fine for a few off custom job, way overdone for a production job (presuming a Ford Boss ;-).
Rear Slats: Maybe as an option.
Rear end: Chrome around rear lights: Cheesy, unpimp da car. Lower valence and exhaust: cool, better done than GT. Is Saleen learning a bit of styling restraint from their usual cheese-grater school of design?
Spoiler: This looks like it might actual work, in contrast to the stock GT codpiece. Keep as an option, like the original Boss.
Wheels: What, no Bullitt wheels, is Ford styling on a 10-step program allowing them to withdraw from this trite late Mustang styling cliché? These are MUCH more interesting, and retro.
Interior: Mix, seats look properly bolstered but some of the design elements starting to adopt some of the cheesy disco-Dan chintz that afflicted '70s Stangs.

Motor: Cool, perfect power and the iconic 302 size. If a production Boss, hope Ford goes with this, or perhaps 4.6 for cost, in a high winding DOHC 4V form to replicate the high winding character of the original Boss 302. Save a long stroke 330/5.4 for a torquey Mach I variant.

Overall, very nicely done, better than Ford's own efforts with the GT-H or GT/CS. Hope this previews or inspires a Boss in Ford's own Mustang stable (this is such an obvious inclusion that it baffles me how Ford has dragged their feet on this for so long)

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rhumb @ April 14, 2006, 10:01 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>Overall, very nicely done, better than Ford's own efforts with the GT-H or GT/CS. Hope this previews or inspires a Boss in Ford's own Mustang stable (this is such an obvious inclusion that it baffles me how Ford has dragged their feet on this for so long)
[/b][/quote]

Ford didn't do this car or the GT-H those are both independant of Ford. Saleen is doing this one, and the GT-H is Shelby.

 

Well what about those window scoops/vents, not sure what they are? I see they finally have vent holes out the back, but no holes in the front. Does this vent from inside the car, is that it! Man if they would just open it up front and I would buy a pair. Trying to find the classic rounded looking scoops, but with the vents coming out the back. Has anyone seen any scoops available that are open in front and back? Thanks for any ideas.

 

Wow very nice car, done very well for a Saleen..........................Love the engine and Interior. I just hope Saleen will sell that front lower valence and some of the other pieces in it's parts catalog...............

 

Love the car...hate the price tag. Now of course I said that exact same thing when I was determining the cost of building my Shelby tribute car, and low and behold I succumb to temptation. I hope I have more will power this time around! [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/drool.gif[/img]

 

I'm excited about the 5.0L engine...the rest I could do without.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rhumb @ April 14, 2006, 11:01 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Very nice, do we have the underpinnings for a Boss Mustang here?

Styling. Very good overall......Overall, very nicely done, better than Ford's own efforts with the GT-H or GT/CS. Hope this previews or inspires a Boss in Ford's own Mustang stable (this is such an obvious inclusion that it baffles me how Ford has dragged their feet on this for so long)
[/b][/quote]

I agree, overall the BEST looking Mustang Saleen has ever produced bar none. I've never been a fan of Saleen's work, even from the very beginning, but I actually LIKE this Saleen very much.

I do hope Ford is paying attention, this is so close to Boss "perfection" that I too am amazed that Ford chose not execute a package similar to this. I realize this is built by Saleen but the two companies are soo closely tied that I'm sure the development of this car did not occur without Ford's knowledge or involvement. I can only hope Ford can utilize most of what Saleen has developed and apply it to a Boss variant. The major changes for me would be the elimination of the exterior chrome front and rear, make the shaker hood and stripes an option and offer it in a variety of colors including some Grabber hues and of course Metallic Black. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumb.gif[/img]

Of course, the pricing would have to be more in line with what an average Mustang enthusiast could afford (read: $35K). Definitely my favorite S197 Mustang style so far...now if we could only do something about Saleen's absurd pricing [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/headscratch.gif[/img]

 

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/worship.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(1 BULLITT @ April 13, 2006, 10:34 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I like the PJ Edition Saleen and that's a first for me. Although, I could have sworn I've have seen it before...

[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/33.gif[/img] . . .

Could it be . . .

Nah, it COULDN'T be!



YES I HAD!
[img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]


Well, other than.
The paint is different,
the grille is different
the hood is different
the wheels are different
the air dam is different
the stripes are different
the rocker panel covers are different

I agree the saleen is a dead ringer for the GT-R.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(pitpup @ April 13, 2006, 6:23 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Most interesting is the 7-spoke wheels when the standard Mini-Lites were always, Always, ALWAYS 8 spoke. I even saw where another site was looking to do a group buy of the classic wheel for the 05+. Now THAT would be a cool wheel. Like the Saleen above, but ALL 8 FRICKIN' SPOKES.
[/b][/quote]

The reason why the PJ uses 7 spoke Mini-Lite inspired wheels is that the 7 spoke wheels look so much better than the original 8 spoke wheels.



<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Burke0011 @ April 13, 2006, 7:16 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I wouldn't blame Ford for the price tag considering they are not making this car... This seems right in-line with Saleen pricing......
[/b][/quote]


The price tag is totally Ford's fault.

Because instead of sitting on their fat rear ends wasting precious resources and insulting Mustang fans putting together that piece of garbage GT/CS Ford should have been working on a honest to goodness real new Boss 302 instead of leaving it to Saleen to do it at an insane price. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdown.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smilies23.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V10 @ April 14, 2006, 6:10 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
The price tag is totally Ford's fault.

Because instead of sitting on their fat rear ends wasting precious resources and insulting Mustang fans putting together that piece of garbage GT/CS Ford should have been working on a honest to goodness real new Boss 302 instead of leaving it to Saleen to do it at an insane price. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdown.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smilies23.gif[/img] [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]

I wish Ford would have been able to produce a car like this. It looks great and has the performance capabilities many of us would love.

The price tag is Saleen's fault, in my opinion, given the number of these cars that will be built. The engine alone probably contributes to a fair chunk, if it really is custom bored out 4.6 L blocks. For Ford to do an engine program like this for a small amount of cars and get them certified takes probably more expense than they can afford right now.

I keep hoping that enough people buy other Ford vehicles so that profitability is restored. If so, we might see something like this in another Mustang. As far as precious waste of resources, I also hope that enough Mustang fans like the GT/CS to buy those as well. Those of us who are more hardcore about performance right now are mainly served by the aftermarket.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PACETTR @ April 13, 2006, 9:58 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
It is a modular 4.6 that has ben overbored to yield 302 ci...
[/b][/quote]


Where did you see info. that says it's a bored out 4.6?

I read through all the info. on the Saleen web site and I did not find any info. that says whether the engine has been bored, stroked or a combination of bore & stroke increase. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]

By the way, for those of you choking on the $50K price tag, from the Saleen web site:

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'>MSRP is
estimated to be in the mid-to-high $50,000 for this limited production vehicle. Taxes, designation
charges, and other fees may apply.[/b][/quote]

If you need a translation to English - that's $60K. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/thumbsdown.gif[/img]

 

Maybe if we get enough people we can get a group buy for $35K each [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrinjester.gif[/img]

 

I like it but price is to, high I wait until for 08 Mach1 from Ford. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/04.gif[/img]

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V10 @ April 14, 2006, 8:19 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Where did you see info. that says it's a bored out 4.6?

I read through all the info. on the Saleen web site and I did not find any info. that says whether the engine has been bored, stroked or a combination of bore & stroke increase. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]

[/b][/quote]
Bored from 3.552 to 3.70 or combination of .030 overbore and 3.75" stroke...haven't seen any "official" word on the Saleen version, but this is how Ford Racing, SHM, etc. do it...

 

WOW! that is a pretty sharp looking ride. I am not real big on the plastic across the headlights there, but other then that I think it looks great. Price wise, that is not a bad price since they are only going to make 500 of them. Compare that with 7,000 to 10,000 GT 500s. As a Saleen owner I can tell you the quality of the product and the customer service is much better then anything Ford can produce. The only thing that could make this car better would be the addition of the Saleen Supercharger, that might press power to around 500. Most Saleen models only share the frame and stereo in common with the GT, and the interior is just unbelieveable.

 

Perhaps as a bit of a cost saver, instead of a new, overbored 4.6 block to get 5.0, just go with a standard AL 4.6 block with a pair of GT (40 / 500) heads, tweaked intake and exhaust systems, 10.5:1 pistons and retuned ECU -- all pretty much off-the-shelf parts. 350-375hp ought to be easily acheivable with this set up, albeit at higher revs. But a light, high revving motor is the perfect reflection of the original, all-around-performance, race track character of the original Boss 302.

Sure, the 302 moniker has a certain cache, but to be so beholden to it as to make it unobtainable in an affordable production varient makes no sense to me. So make a new legend, the Boss 281.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(rhumb @ April 15, 2006, 9:12 AM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Perhaps as a bit of a cost saver, instead of a new, overbored 4.6 block to get 5.0, just go with a standard AL 4.6 block with a pair of GT (40 / 500) heads, tweaked intake and exhaust systems, 10.5:1 pistons and retuned ECU -- all pretty much off-the-shelf parts. 350-375hp ought to be easily acheivable with this set up, albeit at higher revs. But a light, high revving motor is the perfect reflection of the original, all-around-performance, race track character of the original Boss 302.

Sure, the 302 moniker has a certain cache, but to be so beholden to it as to make it unobtainable in an affordable production varient makes no sense to me. So make a new legend, the Boss 281.
[/b][/quote]

That would be an excellent motor!

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(PACETTR @ April 14, 2006, 11:09 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
Bored from 3.552 to 3.70 or combination of .030 overbore and 3.75" stroke...haven't seen any "official" word on the Saleen version, but this is how Ford Racing, SHM, etc. do it...
[/b][/quote]

Yes I know how to increase displacement on an engine.

The point I was making is that the Saleen web site & press release do not say anything about how the extra 21 CID is obtained. Right now none of us know for sure what the bore & stroke of the PJ Saleen is. It could be just a stroker which is cheaper to do than increasing the bore. My guess is that it's been both bored and stroked. 92.3mm bore and stroke gives 301.5 CID.

The Saleen press release does say that the compression ratio has been increased and it talks of high RPM valve train so we know how some of the extra 70 HP is being obtained. I'd guess the heads are ported too.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(V10 @ April 14, 2006, 7:19 PM) Quoted post</div><div class='quotemain'>
I read through all the info. on the Saleen web site and I did not find any info. that says whether the engine has been bored, stroked or a combination of bore & stroke increase. [img]style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/dunno.gif[/img]
[/b][/quote]

This "Muscle Mustangs & Fast Fords" article mentions stroking (and I mean that in the automotive engine enhancement sense).