There's a disputed story surrounding the mysterious birth of America's best ever supercar

  • The Saleen S7 is arguably America’s best supercar
  • It was launched in 2000 by a former racing driver
  • There’s now a new theory about the car’s origins

Published on Nov 09, 2024 at 7:00 AM (UTC+4)
by Alessandro Renesis

Last updated on Nov 11, 2024 at 11:11 AM (UTC+4)
Edited by Kate Bain

There's a disputed story surrounding the mysterious birth of America's best ever supercar

A lot of people would say that the Saleen S7 is America’s best supercar.

But while everyone agrees it was great, the story behind it is a bit hazy.

There’s a new rumor now, more like a tip actually, revealing a shocking alternative version of the S7’s story.

And that is that the S7 may have been created from an aborted Aston Martin race car.

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The story behind the Saleen S7

Car magazine Jalopnik recently received an anonymous tip from somebody who claims the S7 was created as a way to recycle an Aston Martin project that was scrapped.

The tip came from one of those usual ‘familiar with the matter’ people, but the amount of details provided make the tip at least believable.

Obviously, this is one of those rumors that are impossible to fact-check beyond reasonable doubt.

What we do know is that Saleen was founded by Steve Saleen, an American racing driver.

First launched in 2000, it remained in production for nine years.

Throughout its ‘career’, the S7 always used the same 427 cubic-inch (7.0-liter) Ford V8, with power outputs ranging from 550 horsepower and 750 horsepower depending on the model.

The car was immortalized in the 2003 movie Bruce Almighty, where Bruce Nolan, a dissatisfied TV reporter, becomes God and turns his ‘boring’ city car into a Saleen supercar.

Saleen has been inactive for years now, but the good news is the company is reportedly planning a huge comeback, this time with a hydrogen car.

America’s best supercar – but is it the first?

Most people would call the Saleen S7 America’s best supercar, or at the very least the best-known supercar America has produced.

But is it the first?

The thing is, American buyers have historically always loved two types of vehicles: trucks and muscle cars.

The supercar as we know it is generally more of a European thing.

This is why when you Google ‘supercar+America’, the results are always a bit vague.

There’s the Falcon F7, with production limited to seven units only, and the 1969 AMC AMX III, which would probably also qualify as a supercar.

Then of course there are more modern cars, like the Hennessey Venom, but everyone calls that a hypercar, not a supercar.

At the end of the day, this is one of those conversations that would require a UN resolution.

After all, we as car people can’t even agree on whether the Dodge Viper is a supercar or a muscle car.

Alessandro is an automotive journalist with 10 years of experience covering supercars, automotive history, emerging vehicle technology, and luxury transportation. He wrote the first article published on SupercarBlondie.com when the website launched in 2022 and has since built a reputation for insightful reporting across the automotive and transportation industries. His expertise is grounded in hands-on experience. Alessandro has driven every Tesla model ever produced, from the original Roadster to the Cybertruck, and regularly covers the latest developments in electric vehicles and automotive innovation. His passion for transportation extends beyond cars, he has even flown a Boeing 787 Dreamliner simulator in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. His reporting spans everything from classic American muscle cars and rare automotive discoveries to luxury yachts, private aircraft, high-end watches, and cutting-edge vehicle technology. Known for his deep knowledge of automotive history and ability to uncover the stories behind iconic vehicles, Alessandro brings readers a blend of historical context, technical expertise, and first-hand experience.