 |
 |
| S5S Raptor |
Saleen's all new concept vehicle, the S5S Raptor made its world debut today on the floor of New York City's Jacob K. Javitz Convention Center. The S5S Raptor unveiling comes amidst several other Saleen announcements including a partnership with Dan Gurney, Rockstar Games and the integration of several first time seen ASC products, featured on two existing Saleen vehicles.
We are extremely proud of the Raptor. It is the car that enthusiasts are waiting for America to produce and Saleen is just the company to answer that call, said Paul Wilbur, Saleen President and CEO.
The S5S Raptor represents the first ground up vehicle to be conceived by the new Saleen management team and the most extensive demonstration of the combined capabilities of Saleen engineering and the ASC creative team.
The Raptor is just a glimpse of things to come from Saleen, says Chief Technical Officer, Chris Theodore. Our company is unique in that we have the experience and knowledge behind some of the most exciting performance
vehicles built over the past 20 years. Beyond the S7 Supercar, our team members have been involved in the Viper, Prowler, Ford GT, and the products of Chrysler SRT and Ford's SVT performance groups. These lessons learned are evident in the Raptor concept and we will continue to build upon them as the company evolves.
The Raptor is a two seat mid-engine super car that competes in size and style with core offerings from the most notable of Italian exotic car makes, but with a segment leading 650hp and 630 lb-ft of torque provided by a Saleen 5.0L Supercharged Engine - the source of the S5S designation. Unlike its competitors, the Raptor is designed to digest cellulosic ethanol. This is the same ethanol formula, states Wilbur, that is the official fuel of the 2008 American Le Mans Race Series and the IRL. The higher octane rating of E85 results in more power. It is a combination that will send the Raptor screaming to 60 mph in a g-force generating 3.2 seconds. With ethanol power, the car is both mean and clean!
vehicles built over the past 20 years. Beyond the S7 Supercar, our team members have been involved in the Viper, Prowler, Ford GT, and the products of Chrysler SRT and Ford's SVT performance groups. These lessons learned are evident in the Raptor concept and we will continue to build upon them as the company evolves.
