After teasing us with a concept sketch last month, Saleen has officially unveiled the S5S Raptor concept in New York. We now know that the Saleen 5.0-liter supercharged engine (from whence comes the car's alphanumerics) is a version of the company's tuned Ford V-8 block.
Unlike the Mustang creations that Saleen is most famous for, the two-seat car has been designed and styled from the ground up with a mid-engine layout. The chassis is all-aluminum and is wrapped in a composite skin.
The Raptor's V-8 runs on E85 ethanol which allows it to produce more power than the similar powerplant found in the Sterling Edition S302. Horsepower reaches 650 at 6300 rpm while torque peaks at 630 lb-ft at just 4400 rpm. These numbers are good for an estimated sprint to 60 mph in 3.2 seconds. A six-speed manual transmission handles gear changes for the concept, though the folks at Saleen are already talking about an optional sequential, paddle-shifted gearbox. That's the first we've heard of an options list on a concept car.
The S5S features a double-wishbone suspension setup and rides on 20-inch wheels. Front brakes measure 15 inches and are squeezed by six-piston calipers, while the rears have two-piston setups with 13-inch discs.
If an S5S Raptor were to be built (and we think it will be) production could begin in as little as two years. Saleen has already mentioned a price tag of $185,000, so anyone selling an S7 should easily be able to afford one.
Click the links below for high-resolution S5S Raptor images, as well as coverage of Saleen's other New York debuts.