Vehicle Description
This vehicle is located at our Sun Prairie, WI location.� Call
608.318.1945 with any questions!
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Here is another beautiful modern muscle car that features all the
modern creature comforts combined with the power and performance of
a muscle car.� With the limited production numbers coming from
Steve Saleen, and the ultra-low miles; this car is sure to nothing
but appreciate in value!
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Anyone who is a Mustang fan knows the name Steve Saleen. The
Mustangs bearing his name have been special since the reinvention
of performance back in the early 1980s and his work has been
synonymous with high-quality performance since day one. As the
Mustang evolved, so did Saleen's performance, always pushing
boundaries without sacrificing the other virtues that made Saleen
Mustangs competition for BMWs more than Camaros. And perhaps most
remarkably, Saleen's expertise has made them the go-to people for
Blue Oval performance, starting with the Saleen S7 supercar that
now changes hands for nearly $1 million and including the Ford GT,
which, shockingly enough, was subcontracted to Saleen for
production. It seems that anything bearing the Saleen name is bound
to be impressive in every way.
Which brings us to this brilliant Chrome Yellow 1999 Saleen S281
SC. In 1999, Saleen was granted manufacturer status, which means
this is not just a Ford Mustang with some aftermarket parts, but
rather a fully engineered car that is recognized as a separate
brand. Now, of course the Mustang DNA is obvious everywhere you
look, but as usual, the Saleen upgrades have transformed it into
something special. 1999 was also the Mustang's 35th anniversary and
the debut of the "New Edge" styling, all of which combine to make
what is arguably the best-looking fourth-generation Mustang of all.
Even more interesting, Saleen only built 421 cars in 1999, of which
this is #198, and of those, only 64 were S281 SC coupes, so it's
hardly the kind of thing you'll see on a regular basis. In
addition, we have a letter of authenticity from Saleen stating that
this is actually one of one in these colors with a supercharger,
making it a special car indeed. In addition, this particular S281
SC shows just 11,431 original miles and has just two owners in its
18 years since new, making it the very best kind of performance car
to find. It has obviously been babied since day one, never used as
a daily driver, and I'd wager that the number of times it has seen
rain could be counted on one hand. You probably won't find a nicer
one.
Chrome Yellow was one of the signature colors on the Saleens in
1999, and if you looked in any of the magazines of the day, you'd
probably see reviews of a car very much like this coupe. There's no
denying that the finish is vivid, a three-stage paint that Ford
used on a select few Mustangs that year. Saleen added their usual
body kit, which smoothly blends Saleen and Ford parts to create a
tasteful but dramatic look that's also very functional. There's a
custom chin spoiler up front, complete with Saleen production
number under the left headlight, a tradition from the very
beginning. The side skirts visually lengthen the musclebound
Mustang, and custom "gills" in the quarter panels, a special
C-pillar was added, and a SALEEN-emblazoned rear bumper finishes
the look. Oh, and there's also a special wing that's aggressive but
not ridiculous, something that's hard to avoid in the Mustang
aftermarket. Of note, the ground-effects show correct Saleen part
numbers and patents, proving that they're the real deal and not
fiberglass knock-offs and the subtle black Saleen graphics are
about the only part of the car that are low-profile. Of course, it
remains in excellent condition with so few miles, showing only one
or two scuffs that have been touched up properly. It has never been
hit, wrecked, or rusty, and the fit is remarkably good, as you'd
expect from a car with an original price tag that was nearly 50%
more than a stock Mustang GT.
The interior was less dramatically modified but there are still
plenty of Saleen-exclusive touches. The original black leather
buckets are plenty supportive for the kind of driving this car
enjoys and remain in excellent condition with only light comfort
marks on the driver's chair. The door panels, dashboard, and
headliner are all pretty much as-new, and there are Saleen-logo
floor mats protecting the carpets. Saleen added a set of special
white-faced instruments to the Ford gauge panel, including a 200
MPH speedometer, which is probably not just hyperbole in this
particular car. Custom pedals give it a racy look and the
short-throw shifter for the 5-speed manual transmission feels more
like a toggle switch with positive engagement and slick throws. Up
top, there's a special gauge pod with more white-faced gauges, this
time for boost pressure and intercooler temperature, and the
installation is so neat that you almost think that's the way Ford
did it originally. Of course, just about everything was standard on
the Saleen, including power windows, locks, and mirrors, A/C (still
ice cold!), and the Mach 460 sound system, which sounds fantastic,
even today. The back seat has probably never hosted a visitor and
the trunk looks new and includes a space-saver spare that's never
been down. If you want fresh, clean, and unabused, this Saleen
delivers.
The big upgrades are under the hood, and that's where this
particular Saleen gets its name. The 281 stands for 281 cubic
inches, the displacement of Ford's 4.6 liter SOHC V8. The SC part
stands for SuperCharged, which comes complements of a roots-style
blower sitting neatly atop the engine. Known for instant boost and
big torque, it transforms the mild-mannered 4.6 into a torque
factory capable of incinerating the tires through the first three
gears. There's a trick air-to-liquid intercooler with its own pump
and cool little radiator with electric fans tucked under the nose,
which helps ensure consistent air temperatures and keeps the engine
happy with pump gas despite 10 PSI being forced down its throat.
The result is 350 horsepower and 410 pounds of torque, which
totally transforms the Saleen's demeanor without hurting its
user-friendliness. Turn the key and it starts instantly, thanks to
custom tuning by Saleen's experts (remember, they were an OEM at
this point, so they had to get it right), and if you don't get too
aggressive, it's perfectly happy to trundle around town and sit in
traffic with the A/C blowing. But get it out on the open road and
you'll quickly learn that it makes full boost faster than you can
get your foot on the floor and going full throttle in any of the
first three gears generates fearsome acceleration and quite a bit
of tire smoke, too. The remarkable thing is how docile it feels,
yet the performance envelope is huge. Other Saleen upgrades include
a custom exhaust with X-pipe and Borla stainless mufflers,
oversized throttle body, and a special air filter assembly.
The 5-speed manual gearbox doesn't seem to mind the added torque
churning through it and thanks to Saleen's special shifter and
upgraded clutch, it's a joy to row it through the gears. 3.27 gears
were standard equipment, and that's what's in this car, since with
all that torque you don't really need a lot of gear to get things
moving. Saleen added select Racecraft suspension components,
including springs, sway bars, and shocks, plus a few chassis
reinforcements to sharpen steering feel. The Mustang already wore
4-wheel disc brakes with ABS, so no major upgrades were required
there, and they look fantastic behind the gorgeous 18-inch Saleen
alloy wheels, which are some of the most attractive wheels ever
created. The
