Saleen 1

To high-performance car enthusiasts, the Saleen Automotive name needs little introduction. Founded in 1983 by Steve Saleen, the company made its debut as a specialty vehicle manufacturer with the 1984 Saleen Mustang and has set the bar for performance ever since with the Saleen Signature line, built on existing vehicle platforms.

In 2000, the company famously unveiled the Saleen S7 as the first production American supercar and the first in the line of Saleen Original vehicles designed and produced entirely by Saleen. With the need for a true “Driver’s Car” that offered supercar-level performance and engineering at a more accessible price point, Saleen Automotive began development of the Saleen 1 (S1) – an all-original lightweight, midengined sports car.

The Saleen S1 represented a design collaboration between Saleen Automotive and Hydra Design Labs. Hydra Design Labs served as a design consultant and specialist for both the exterior and interior of the S1, with Steve Saleen leading the overall design of the groundbreaking sports car. Hydra Design Labs was responsible for the Class-A surfacing of the S1’s exterior and interior, along with assisting in homologation of the vehicle.

The Saleen S1 was officially unveiled at the L.A. Auto Show, marking an entirely new era for California-based Saleen Automotive. Featuring a lightweight aluminum chassis with composite carbon fiber body and independent suspension, plus a Saleen-designed turbocharged inline 4-cylinder engine, the S1 produces 450 horsepower and weighs only 2,685 pounds – ranking it among the top supercar performance levels.