Saleen knows all about power. As in S281 Mustangs, N2O Focuses and the S7, America’s first (and still the only) mid-engine exotic supercar. When it went on sale in 2002, the S7 was the only street-legal car in the U.S. with more than 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. The media and S7 owners have raved about the car since it first smoked the rear tires in anger. And it has been recognized by numerous automotive magazines as the fastest production car in the world. But during the past three years the automobile marketplace has witnessed an explosion of performance with models from manufacturers including Ferrari, Lamborghini, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche and Chevrolet touting power numbers above the once magic 500 level.

Saleen is not an organization content to rest on yesterday’s 0-60 mph times or quarter-mile speeds. So in 2005, it was “goodbye S7” and “all hail the S7 Twin Turbo!” This is the first major change to the S7 since its introduction, and it is a big change as in 750 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque, numbers the competition will be chasing for a long while we predict.

While there are a number of different roads Saleen’s engine designers could have traveled down to achieve those high-altitude horsepower and torque figures, for this second edition of the S7 they decided to think beyond atmospheric. And because this is Saleen, they added a double twist to a tried and true racing technique for boosting power and torque: twin turbos.

Aerodynamics has also come under scrutiny in 2005. Unless you place the new S7 Twin Turbo next to one of the original 2002 models, you probably won’t notice that the 2005 version has a different diffuser/rear spoiler package and reshaped front fenders to enhance the S7s already sleek, swoopy and aerodynamic contours. To complement the Twin Turbo’s enhanced straight-line performance envelope the S7 chassis has also undergone a fair amount of tweaking. Virtually every suspension pickup point has been changed, and the suspension geometry has been modified for less squat and dive during acceleration and braking.

Designed by Saleen engineers, the S7’s engine and drivetrain incorporate the latest in modern racing technology. The new all-aluminum V8 engine casting was engineered and tooled by Saleen to displace seven liters. Redline is 6500 rpm. Space age materials and engineering are used throughout, including stainless steel valves, titanium retainers, beryllium exhaust valve seats, an aluminum throttle body, Saleen designed aluminum CNC-machined cylinder heads and stainless steel exhaust system. An exclusive Saleen-designed Front Engine Accessory Drive (FEAD) system results in an extremely compact engine, allowing for better packaging and overall weight distribution. The V8 incorporates a unique Saleen-designed side-mounted water pump, a belt-driven camshaft drive and a Saleen-engineered dry sump oil delivery system.

The engine’s mid-chassis placement optimizes weight distribution and center of gravity, making room for an unusually tall engine that allows for a very efficient induction system. Air enters a roof intake, passes through a 90-mm mass air meter and feeds into a carbon fiber plenum. From the plenum the air is routed to the twin ball bearing turbos, is pressurized to 5.5 psi max and then passes through an oval-bore throttle body into an aluminum intake manifold with eight individual runners.

To feed juice to this setup, the injection system includes dual electric fuel pumps and high-capacity, return-less, 52 lb/hr fuel injectors. Neatly engineered and integrated into the S7’s stainless steel, dual, high-flow exhaust system are two, twin-ball-bearing, water-cooled Saleen-Garrett turbos, featuring 44-mm wastegates. The four exhaust pipes from each bank of cylinders merge into a race-car-like high-efficiency collector. In addition, the exhaust incorporates dual catalysts per cylinder bank, EGR and those aforementioned twin wastegates. And because Saleen believes in power and clean air, the emission control system features dual, heated oxygen sensors per cylinder bank and a high-volume evaporative emission system along with those four catalysts. Oh, and for good measure and clean air, the system is OBD-II compliant.

And if you need any more proof of how Saleen engineers sweat the details, the stroke of the already short-stroke shifter has been furthered shortened for improved shifting feel. Say that five times fast, once for each gear change.

The S7 chassis and suspension incorporate decades of Saleen’s experience in racing, racecar construction and high-performance road car manufacturing. The Saleen S7 architecture begins with a space frame chassis to which honeycomb composite reinforcing is grafted. The body is structural, aerospace-quality, autoclave carbon fiber. Suspension is via fully independent unequal-length double wishbones with coilover springs, lightweight aluminum dampers (shock absorbers) and stabilizer (anti-roll) bars front and rear. The uprights at each corner are CNC machined billet aluminum, flow-through designs that use air to help cool the bearings.

Chassis tuning also includes revised shock valving front and rear. Saleen-engineered Brembo-supplied lightweight aluminum six-piston mono-block calipers are fitted front and rear.

Geometry changes, along with new tires, result in about a 30 percent increase in mechanical grip… which is substantial. In a seeming contradiction to current performance tire practice, the 2006 S7 Twin Turbo is fitted with “taller” tires, 275/35 R19s up front and 335/30 R20s at the rear, replacing the 275/30 R19s and 345/25 R20s fitted to the normally aspirated S7. While the Michelin Pilot Sport PS2 tires have higher aspect ratios, they also lay tire patches that are nearly an inch wider up front and almost 1.5 inches wider at the rear.

The S7’s beautiful shape was “designed” by the wind. Optimal aerodynamics and top speed performance objectives were achieved with extensive wind tunnel work. Targets included a low coefficient of drag, optimum drag-to-lift ratio, and extreme down force. The S7 has “full tray” body sculpting underneath.

For the 2006 S7 Twin Turbo, the redesigned front and rear diffusers, along with the new rear spoiler, result in a 40 percent reduction in aero drag and a 60 percent increase in down force. Those of you who know anything about aero forces recognize the significance of that last statement. Typically, you would have to trade down force to reduce aero drag.

The mid-engine Saleen S7 has front and rear trunks and comes with Mulholland Brothers custom-made, 3-piece, fitted luggage. In true supercar style, the doors open up and away from the body.

Seats and other interior surfaces are covered in elegant leather and suede. Air conditioning, power windows, power door locks with remote keyless opening for the doors and both trunks, an electric-headed front windshield, variable intermittent windshield wipers, a leather-wrapped steering wheel and an AM/FM/CD/DVD/TV system are all standard. The Saleen S7 also has one unique interior feature: a video “rearview mirror” — there is a small video camera inconspicuously mounted in the rear of the car.

Aluminum honeycomb impact absorbing panels
3-point seat belts with automatic seat belt pre-tensioners
Carbon fiber rocker panels and doors
Aluminum honeycomb front crush structure, integrated
rear crumple zones
Center-position fuel tank, passenger-side filler

Black multi-tone leather/suede
Tan multi-tone leather/suede
Aluminum and color accents
Performance sport seating
Custom-fitted driver seating position
Leather-wrapped steering wheel

High-volume flow-through ventilation system
Air conditioning
Rearview video camera with interior LCD display
240 mph speedometer
Central-mounted tachometer
Fully adjustable tilt and telescoping steering column
Power windows
Power door locks with central locking system
Keyless remote for doors and front and rear trunks
Variable intermittent windshield wipers
Electric heated front windshield
Custom-made fitted luggage
Remote engine hatch/fuel-filler door releases
AM/FM/CD/DVD/TV systems

Dual, power-operated door mirrors
Projector beam headlights
Heat-rejecting tinted glass
Autoclave carbon fiber body panels
Advanced wind-tunnel-developed aerodynamics including, integrated split-channel air flow throughout car; full underside aerodynamics; advanced-design front tray and side skirts; integrated full-body-width rear spoiler

Polished wheels
Navigation system

SPECIFICATIONS
2006 SALEEN S7

GENERAL

Curb weight

2950 lb (1338 kg)
Weight distribution, F/R
40% / 60%
Fuel capacity
19.0 U.S. gal. (72 liters)
Wheelbase
106.30 in. (2700 mm)
Track, F/R
68.82 in. (1748 mm) / 67.32 in (1710 mm)
Width
78.35 in. (1990 mm)
Front overhang
40.59 in. (1031 mm)
Rear overhang
41.14 in. (1045 mm)
Length
187.95 in. (4774 mm)
Height
40.98 in. (1041 mm)
Ground clearance
4.00 in. (102 mm)
Trunk space, F/R
2.65 cu ft (75 liters) / 2.82 cu ft (80 liters)

CHASSIS

4130 lightweight steel space frame

with honeycomb composite panels

ENGINE
Type
All-aluminum V8, 2-valve pushrod
Displacement
7.0 liters
Bore and stroke
4.125 x 4.00 in. (104.8 x 101.6 mm)
Compression ratio 11.0:1
Pistons
Forged aluminum
Connecting rods
4340 forged billet steel
Crankshaft
4340 forged billet steel
Induction system
Air enters a roof intake, passes through a 90-mm mass air meter, feeding a carbon fiber plenum; from the plenum, air is routed to two twin-ball-bearing turbos, passes through an oval bore-throttle body into an aluminum intake manifold with eight individual runners
Cylinder heads
CNC machined, all-aluminum, Saleen high-flow
Valves
Stainless steel with titanium retainers;
Intake: 2.125 in. (54.0 mm); Exhaust: 1.625 in. (41.3 mm);
Beryllium exhaust seats
Valve train
Solid lifter/roller rocker
Exhaust system
Stainless steel high flow with merge collector incorporating dual catalysts per cylinder bank and EGR system; two twin-ball-bearing turbos with 44-mm wastegates
Required fuel
91 octane
Alternator
140 amps
Battery
12 volts
Front Engine Accessory Drive (FEAD)
Compact drive system with side-mounted water pump
Emission control system
dual, heated oxygen sensors
per bank; high-volume EVAP system
Fuel system
High-capacity returnless with 42 lb/hr injectors
Oil system
High-vacuum dry sump configuration;
Capacity: 12.6 qt (12.0 liters); aluminum oil tank
Horsepower
750 bhp @ 6300 rpm
Torque
700 lb-ft @ 4800 RPM
Redline
6250 rpm

COOLING SYSTEM
Carbon fiber front intake, feeding twi,
front-mounted aluminum water radiators
with ECU controlled electric cooling fans; oil-to-water heat exchanger
ELECTRONICS
Saleen PowerFlash control system
computer Integrated coil-on-plug ignition system

DRIVETRAIN SUSPENSION
Transmission: Longitudinal, 6-speed all
synchromesh transaxle Front suspension system: Unequal-length double wishbones, lightweight aluminum dampers with
coil-over springs, stabilizer (anti-roll) bar

Transmission Ratios

NC machined billet aluminum flow-through uprights

1st 2.86:1
Rear suspension system: Unequal length double
wishbones, light-weight aluminum dampers with
coil-over springs, stabilizer (anti-roll) bar

2nd 1.61:1
CNC machined billet aluminum flow-through uprights
3rd 1.14:1
4th 0.96:1
5th 0.81:1
6th 0.64:1
Final-drive ratio 3.70:1
Limited-slip differential
Light-weight inboard and outboard tri-pod joints
High torque capacity steel halfshafts
Clutch: organic/metallic 8.0-in. twin disc; hydraulic actuation

BRAKES
Saleen-engineered/Brembo-supplied lightweight aluminum, six-piston mono-block calipers front/rear:
15.0 in. ventilated discs (Front)
14.0 in. ventilated discs (Rear)
Lightweight aluminum disc mounting bells
WHEELS AND TIRES
Saleen forged alloy wheels
Center locking wheel nuts with automatic safety locks:
Front: 19 in. x 9.5 in.
Rear: 20 in. x 12.0 in.
High-performance Michelin Pilot Sport PS2
Front 275/30ZR19 Rear 335/30ZR20