At a quick glance, you might think this car is Italian--a
Lamborghini perhaps, or even a Ferrari. This yellow supercar is
all-American, however. The Saleen S5S Raptor made its world debut
at the New York Auto Show, putting an exclamation point on the
specialty manufacturer's recent reinvention of itself.
Considerably more restrained than Saleen's previous supercar the
S7, the S5S Raptor features clean lines sculpted in lightweight
composites. A solar-tinted glass roof allows daylight in, and the
purposeful mid-engine design looks world-class.
Saleen's racing heritage is obvious at the S5S Raptor's heart, a
new 5.0 liter supercharged V8. This 650-horsepower, 630 lb-ft
torque engine runs on ethanol, just like the IRL and American Le
Mans cars, and Saleen reports a 3.2-second 0-60mph time and a top
speed of over 200mph. Saleen chose the ethanol burning engine
partly as a nod to the track and partly to consider reduced
emissions and oil dependence. The engine uses a twin-screw
supercharger and is hooked up to a six-speed manual transmission.
The Raptor is also designed to handle a paddle-shifted sequential
gearbox, if desired.
Double wishbones are used at all four corners, and the massive
fifteen-inch front, thirteen-inch rear brakes are augmented by ABS
and traction control. The 20-inch forged aluminum wheels have a
black diamond and carbon-fiber finish.
That's all very exciting, but it's all just bench talk until the
rubber hits the road. Saleen says that the S5S Raptor could be on
the road in two years at an estimated $185,000 MSRP, depending on
the public's reaction to this car. Saleen seems to have thought
this through, so it's a good bet that we'll see a roadgoing Raptor
in the near future.
Pictures:
Source: http://www.worldcarfans.com/9080320.010/saleen-s5s-raptor-concept-debuts
