Saleen Gives First Look at 2015 Saleen 302 Mustang!

[Saleen Forums News]

First Look: 2015 Saleen 302 Mustang

Tuesday, July 1, 2014 -- Corona, CA -- One look at the 2015 Mustang and you get a familiar feeling of previewing the next legendary muscle car. With this Saleen 302 first look, take that legendary status and add over 30 years of Saleen racing, design, and engineering DNA and the result is something truly worthy of iconic status.

With this model being the first major Mustang redesign since 2005, we took this as an opportunity to push the limits in both design and performance. We feel this latest Saleen mustang model is perfectly positioned as the next American exotic, campaigning on the world stage. As a first look, the final features and specifications of the 2015 S302 Mustang will be released as our unveiling and production draws nearer.

For more information or to place an order for a 2015 Saleen 302 Mustang, visit saleen.com or contact Saleen directly at (855) 797-6339.

[OneQwkStang]

No windshield banner?

[seelye76]

wow, that looks awesome!

[95 S-351 R-Code]

I like it! Makes the front of the ugly 2015 Mustang look good!!! Mark

[Saleen12c]

I like it!

[03cobra456]

how do they expect people to order the car without hp numbers or any other views of the car

[mc575]

Can't believe I'm saying this but it looks like a camaro ! Nooooo!

[saleen777]

That is a thing of beauty!

[ricksaleen]

I think I need to reserve judgment for real life. Not sure I can trust my first impression as it looks very Camero-ish on top and rear Corvette on the bottom. I loathe bordering hate the look of the Corvette from the back.

Need more pictures to make a final opinion.

[seelye76]

Originally Posted by mc575

Can't believe I'm saying this but it looks like a camaro ! Nooooo!

At least it doesn't look like a Fusion :)

[281Saleen]

Holy shiz that thing is hot!!

[Dheiss02]

I can't speak for everyone, but I like it. Once Steve puts the golden touch to one of the 2015 it is sure to improve the car dramatically...........improving a already **** fine car at that I can't wait! It may be time to put my 520 rwhp 1999 up for sale

[Ashley]

It looks great....can't wait!!

[randyh]

I agree it makes the front of new Mustang better, but I can see where the Camaro comments are coming from.

[woodpkr89]

I'm not usually a downer. And I have always loved saleens styling but i am not a big fan of the front. I really would have liked to see saleen keep the same grill size as the 2015 mustang as opposed to making it wider and shorter. I wish it could have been more like the speculative renderings from a little while back.



But i can t wait to see how the rest of the car looks and preforms. I am just glad to see another pure saleen!

[Saleen1]

double thumbs up

[XEVIOUS]

I know im gonna get some hate for this but i gota say.. the first thing i though of when i looked at it was CAMARO. WT#!!... The last thing anyone should be doing is further blending the designs of the two maques any closer. This is clearly done up by someone that likes camaros, and its a very VERY BAD idea!. Part of it is fords fault with 2015. as the molding around the headlights tapering upwards instead of down as traditionally done with mustangs. But clearly by creating a unbroken bar across the front facia, and even going as far as creasing a vertical line in the center of the bumper just screams camaro.
Its gives way too much impression of a camaro.

Indeed we have to see much more of the car to get a final impression, not to mention seeing it in the flesh, But im afraid any who gets one of these is gonna have to deal with alota hate from both camps. Alota "wanna be camaro" jokes. the last thing you do is make a mustang look anything like a camaro.

[uneedav8]

It doesn't look bad, but it does not look like a Saleen. It looks like it would be a SPV Saleen vs the SMS/Saleen. The lower openings should all face outward for the family resemblance IMO.

[XEVIOUS]

Very VERY bad move to make a mustang look like a camaro. who the heck pen'd this design, and more importantly who signed off on it? cause surley they didnt think it threw.
The two camps dont mix. water and oil. and all anyone who gets one is gonna get is hatred from both sides. you wait and see. all people are gonna say is , "wanna be camaro"

[XEVIOUS]

Indeed it doesnt exactly look bad, But like you said it doesnt look Saleen either. Ill go out on a limb and a say this was not a Phil Frank design. Frank raised the mustang's look into a whole new bracket, arguably as high as exotic. And that what Saleens use to be exotic grade mustangs. Something that stood out from the rest, and could mix it up with any crowd. But after the whole fallout at saleen its design prowes fell off. Fist with Saleen inc. then SMS. now.. not to be harsh we all understand Saleen (the man) was doing the best he could with what he had. Even worst, saleen didnt protect there image and design's when Roush came along and copied every move saleen made. even lifting saleens trademark side decal designs. rather opting for muting the design down to little tags on the fender. something roush did back in the day. Now Roush sells well using saleens past designs. again WT#?!!! Saleen gota get Phil Frank back in play or at least someone with his expertise. even more Franks designs were not just about design, but moreso functionality which made saleens even more unique. every will have there opinions and with time comes change but until i see this in person im pretty disappointed. why on earth would someone want to by a mustang that looks like a camaro?

[Dave]

Yes. Looks familiar. An evolution of the MJA/Revstone version. We will see how things develop with time.

[tbar]

That was the first thing that came to my mind as well. That looks like the Camaro.

[AGBULLIT]

I think that it would look better if it was not blacked out around the headlights and the grill.
The contrast of the body color would break up that long horizontal line.

[uneedav8]

Originally Posted by XEVIOUS

who the heck pen'd this design, and more importantly who signed off on it? cause surley they didnt think it threw.

I was thinking the same thing. I was kind of worried when I heard Phil was no longer working with Saleen. That guy always seemed to exceed our expectations, even though Saleen fans set the bar very high (with every new mustang body change). I wouldn't think Steve would sign off unless the design blew people away. I wish someone that can make decisions is reading our comments.

Originally Posted by XEVIOUS

Frank raised the mustang's look into a whole new bracket, arguably as high as exotic. And that what Saleens use to be exotic grade mustangs. Something that stood out from the rest, and could mix it up with any crowd.

The appearance has always made the Saleen Mustang what it is. It would have never gained the popularity, or the following it has... with a mediocre design. It has always been leaps and bounds ahead of SVT, Roush, and Steeda. As the mustang has evolved from the foxbody to present, the one thing that has remained a constant with the Saleen Mustang; is a functional design with the family resemblance. It has always looked like it was designed in the wind tunnel. There are no mistakes when you first see a Saleen Mustang (even the rough first renderings). I would have never thought this was the new Saleen, if I had never seen the MJA/Revstone version of the car. When I saw the Ford unveil of the 2015 mustang, my first thought was what an awesome starting point for Saleen. The design possibilities seemed endless. The appearance of this car misses the mark IMO. Anyone can add more horsepower, and bolt on suspension parts.

Originally Posted by XEVIOUS

Saleen gota get Phil Frank back in play or at least someone with his expertise.

Phil had his own design language. His shoes are not easy to fill.

Originally Posted by XEVIOUS

why on earth would someone want to by a mustang that looks like a camaro?

Yeah, this might get interesting. The Saleen Camaro which may be too Saleen, for the GM guys....and a Mustang that is too Camaro for the Ford guys. We will have to wait and see how this all plays out.

[PJ451]

I looked at this yesterday and was going to comment on how much it made me think Camaro ... but I wanted a second look. Today I think CAMARO. And that's not good. I have always loved Saleens, I own a PJ, and thought the cosmetic changes usually complemented the original design. I don't see Mustang in this face, I don't see one in my future.

[Agent_177]

Originally Posted by OneQwkStang

No windshield banner?

X2 That's a trademark.

I like the hood.

[T1320]

I hope this is not the latest saleen. I also think camaro when i see the front. If this is the new saleen mustang it will be the first model design I would rather have a regular mustang gt. Did phil frank design this car?

[LLSaleen]

I agree the proposed 2105 Saleen design is as close to the 2014 Camaro Z/28 as one can get without infringing on a GM trademark.
Saleen Mustang should be recognized for their uniqueness and not copy or blend into the styling of other manufacturers.

[XEVIOUS]

@LLSaleen Agreed, Saleen has been a staple of creative first's in the mustang market. Carrying on the tradition of what shelby did in the past. Ive said it time and time again that Saleen as a company has to protect there image and designs, but they havent and notably Roush has gone and lifted every move saleen made all the way down to creating a mick of Saleens trademark side stripes. Todays Roush looks like yesterdays Saleen and vice versa. So comes a new mustang and a new saleen and the idea is to copy the looks of a camaro?!!! Really? the more i think about it the more angry i get, because it doesnt take a genius to understand the reasons why its a bad idea. Im almost certain whoever signed off on it though hey maybie we can get people from both camps with this design. sigh.. all that waiting and hoping for something special and we get a Mustaro. wow. BUT who know maybie its all just a sketch. hopefully it is, hopefully its time to do something different. Theirs also something else i dont think they thought of with this design. and that the simple fact that its old. Camaro will be changing in a year or two and this new saleen will look like an old camaro. how bad is that. again we have to see the entire car, but thus far... X buzzz!!!

[uneedav8]

The Saleen has always looked so awesome because the design enhanced the base mustang without taking away from it. It was Saleen's expression using Fords existing lines. That is the reason there was no mistake that it is a mustang. This designs takes Fords futuristic EVOS front end, and tries to repeat something we have already seen in the past. It makes a new car look like the older car. I agree with one of the previous post. I think the stock mustang GT front bumper looks better. I understand that designing the car is no easy task. We may not know what we want the final product to look like; but we sure know what does not represent Saleen (when we see it).I would much rather have compliments for the new design (no one wants to hear negative comments). Like I said earlier, I hope someone is listening. Unless the fascia molds are created, it is not too late to change direction. The Saleen mustang has been a big part of my life, and I want it to succeed.

[Dave]

We do not expect to see a 2015 Saleen Mustang for a year.

The preview is a computer render. There is no reason to "work up a tizzy."

Also, if the current marketing plan and model selection continues into 2015, the White Label and Yellow Label will offer traditional Mustang styling.

[uneedav8]

Originally Posted by Dave

We do not expect to see a 2015 Saleen Mustang for a year. The preview is a computer render.

Thanks Dave. That would make sense. Don't they usually preview closer to the final release date? I would assume they would want to protect their design, since so many people try to produce similar products.

[Dave]

Originally Posted by uneedav8

Thanks Dave. That would make sense. Don't they usually preview closer to the final release date? I would assume they would want to protect their design, since so many people try to produce similar products.

The only vintage, pre-production tease imagery I can recall during the digital-age for Saleen vehicles are the 2009 570 and 2010 Mustang models.

Both SPV and Saleen/SMS teased their Mustang offering. The SPV Mustang began production about five months after its SEMA debut. The Saleen/Frank Mustang went into production about a year after we saw final renderings.

During the print-world 1990s both the 1994 and 1999 Mustang renderings were teased in Magazines, but lead time changes the scope.

Anniversary models have been teased, but these are never a redesign and we typically have some idea as to what we will see.

Originally Posted by XEVIOUS

Ill go out on a limb and a say this was not a Phil Frank design.

We consider the 2010 460 / 2011 302 / 302 Black Label as Phil Frank's last complete Saleen vehicle design.

[ricksaleen]

A lot of new designs want to capture the market now, with what is hot "right this moment" now. Sure the hard, sharp point edges of the GTR and the C07 seem to be garnering attention and some sales but trust me, they will NOT age well. Five or ten years from now people will be looking at these cars and going,........ah dated!

It is funny but when I pull my 95' S351R Mystic Edition Speedster out, like I did this past weekend, I had a ton of people coming up to me in parking lots and pulling up to me while driving to ask me, just what new car is that I am driving, they love it. Fellows my S351R Speedster will be 20 years old next year and still garners this kind of appeal and attention. THAT IS THE ESSENCE OF A SALEEN!!!!!!!!

The more and more I thought about it and looked at this new rendering design, the more I would implore Steve to please reconsider this direction. Just because the previous SMS/Saleen cars used this design does not mean you need to consider it. Those had very limited sales and the appeal was a very small group. That is not what will drive Saleen back into the limelight.

Steve, you need to do what you have always done and go your OWN way, not the GM (Camero, Corvette) or Nissan (GTR) or Lamborghini (Huracan) or the this or that way, but the Saleen way. If you want to keep the bar look across then at least change the opening so it looks more like and Aston Martin that a Camero. It is so easy to do with that opening when the whole front clip rolls up so high to meet the hood. The lower section, you just need re-do. Maybe it is me but I just am not liking the looks of the Corvette or even Ferrari 458 lower fronts with that grey out active area. I realize you want to set a new direction but this is not the way to do it.

After spending hours looking at this rendering, the bottom of the front ground effects is where I can not get past the direction of design.

It is not a horrible or bad design, so that is okay but it is not a I have to buy it or sell my left kidney design and that is what I was hoping for. It is very early in the design so as Dave says things can change. Hope so!

First the right design, then Hellcat power levels.

Dave could you set up a poll on if people like it as is or want change to a newer look or change to a more traditional Saleen look pre-SVS/SMS or change to a more traditional Saleen look post-SVS/SMS. I would think this feedback would be very valuable information for Steve to have going forth and at this juncture.

Seeing the stock fall a ways after this rendering despite posting great profits and revenue probably says a lot already but stocks can be funny.

[XEVIOUS]

@ricksaleen I agree, i own a 96 saleen s281 speedster#290 And theirs something to be said about that generation of saleens in that Phil Frank the designer took the mustang up to an exotic level, And Saleen and his team made the car drive better than a Ferrari and Porsche, proven in MotorTrends competition where the s351 was faster in majority of the handlings tests, than the 911 the ferrari viper etc. Fast forward to todays Ford302boss with all the rave reviews it recived for neutralizing the live rear axel and overall performance numbers and what stuck me was that those numbers were basically the same as 98 Saleen s351! somehow all these so-called notable auto journalists forgot saleen reached those specs over 16 years prior!. along with neutralizing the LRA, Ford simply copied Saleens efforts with the new car. now.. notably any good performance shop with actual racing expertise would know how to do this, but saleen did it rite. And design wise what always stood out for me about saleens is how theyre grown up. Sure playfully sporty but also sophisticated, a touch of class even with the stripes and all, which really looked fantastic. And notably the body kit was more than a cosmetic additure it was designed with performance and function in mind. Saleens mustang looked like Saleens,not mustangs with a kit, thats at least how it use to be, and it was the rite direction. Roush on the other hand use to look very Boy-toy, straight outa high school. striking yes but adult no. at least not until they started copying saleens every move then litterly started stealing saleens designs. even there decals. Then Saleen lost phil frank. droped in some new kid and he made saleens look like old roush's. gone was its signature look and eventually with all the hubub that followed saleens didnt even look like saleens anymore, just like a regular stock mustang. Some people liked it calling it 'sleepers' ! , i was like these guys must be sleep at the wheel cause your simply not gonna sell cars well if theirs nothing to show for big dollar price. we know how that story ended. The mustang isnt a bad platform to build a custom car from, but it is a costly task, we know this. Its coach building. but if done rite then you have something really unique and legendary. alota companies have tried and failed, mostly do to poor designs. First and farmost you have to have a designer thats great, plain and simple, saleen had one with phil frank. who had his own unique vision of a sports car, that wasnt ferrari lambo or anyone else, sure the S7 was influence by the mclaren but that was more of a result of proper wind tunnel work. and discovery what works best at what budget. Saleen gota get a new lead designer. someone sitting around copying camaros just dont cut the mustard.

[Werecow]

It is really hard to tell from this picture, but I kind of like it. The base care needs to have the front narrowed down for aerodynamics. The rendering gives me the impression that there is a lot of carbon fiber in the nose, which is a plus as it will cut down some of the extra nose weight. HP numbers will come... I haven't seen Ford's official numbers as yet, but even if they stayed the same, thus Saleen's numbers stayed the same, this is a lighter car and has a better platform, so it should perform better.

Looking at the hood, with the carbon fiber, functioning vents, I have to wonder if this is a standard hood for a Black Label, or a special edition hood.

I have been for an agressive ride in the new Vette. It is one hell of a car! I just want the next Black Label to perform on those levels...preferrably better and whatever replaces the 351 I want it to perform at the new Z06 levels. To make it more difficult, I would like them to cost a little less as well...lol

I can't wait to see a rendering of the whole car. I think wind tunnel testing may alter the actual car a bit, but in the end, I don't think we'll be disappointed.

[Palerider]

+1 - If the wind tunnel and performance leads this car to look like a Camero, then that's where we have to go.

[Saleen1]

I for the life of me do not understand all of the "Saleen looks like a Camaro" comments. Other than the grills being a somewhat similar height I see nothing similar. The headlights, hood, and splitter areas of the car look completely different. This rendering looks worlds better than the stock Mustang nose. I can't wait to see the rest of the car.

[SyberSaint]

Originally Posted by Saleen1

I for the life of me do not understand all of the "Saleen looks like a Camaro" comments. Other than the grills being a somewhat similar height I see nothing similar. The headlights, hood, and splitter areas of the car look completely different. This rendering looks worlds better than the stock Mustang nose. I can't wait to see the rest of the car.

I have to agree with you. It similar look that my SPV Saleen has. Like the front end pics Dave posted above...

Syber

[Greg Wackett]

I am not seeing the Camero comparison either, but will hold judgement until the actual car is released as we all know things will change.

[tfalk]

Looks like my SPV after a giant stepped on and flattened it...

[SyberSaint]

Originally Posted by tfalk

Looks like my SPV after a giant stepped on and flattened it...

That is EXACTLY what I thought...

Syber

[Saleen Forums News]

Rear view.

[sidvicious]

I like the fact that the 15 Saleen looks nothing like the new Mustang. I hate the Fusion looking front end of the new car. I'm glad Saleen is going away from the Fusion look. Its interesting that Saleen seems to be looking for minor changes to the rear. This design concept is totally different than the S197 design. Those cars look like Mustangs from the front; but are totally different in the rear end. The new Saleen looks wider in the pics; but that effect may be due to the car being lower. As for looking like a Camaro, I can see it a little due the upswing of the grille; however, I think the new Saleen looks much better than the Chevy. Its interesting that the new Saleen does not have fog lamps, similar to the S197 design. Overall, I need to see the whole car, but so far, I am liking what I see.

[Dave]

I have nothing to base my comments on.

I wonder if the 2010-2014 Black Label will be the last restyled Mustang. Moving forward I would not be surprised if less cosmetic changes took place on the 2015. More like "key" changes to identified areas, but not involving a complete front-to-back restyle.

[Palerider]

Uh, didn;t Saleen release this "first look" at the 2015?

[Brokn Nx]

The more new cars I see, the more I love my foxbodies.

I like the car, but also see the similarities to the Camaro.

Cutting edge design is always a risk. Make the wrong move and people loose jobs. Very few cars are universally cool and acceptable.

I think the cars that people hate are often my favorite models because the hardcore enthusiasts totally get it. The 'sheep' can have their 69 Camaros and 55 Chevys, its been overdone to the max, but sells magazines.

[sidvicious]

Some more coverage of the new Saleen:

http://www.mustangandfords.com/news/...stang_preview/

[Werecow]

Maybe one picture is a black label and the other a white or yellow label.

[ricksaleen]

So.........wow! Looked at SLNN stock today and it is all the way down to $0.052. That is either going to be an awesome buy of a stock when it jumps up big time or the wind is leaving the sails.

I made my comments known in the above posts as still really, really concerned for the direction of the new Saleen Mustang based upon the renderings thus far. Then again I was at the Dodge SRT Viper Homecoming event in Detroit all weekend and walking the plan, Chrysler Museum and inside the Chelsea Proving grounds, the Viper looks to also be on very shaky ground as well. Of course those are the two brands I am interested in and have collected all these years.

Hope Steve can get the Tesla out very soon and start to build some confidence again, then hope the design team can get back to the drawing board. Hopefully the stock pops again as the trend since the release of the rendering has not taken an uphill run yet.