Tests of the S7 Twin Turbo

The April 2006 issue of Car & Driver tests the 750 hp S7 Twin Turbo

"The 7.0-liter V-8 bursts to life with a raccous rumble that is unattenuated by any mufflers. Saleen relies on the two turbos and four catalytic converters to remove the hashest notes from the firings of each of the nearly quart-sized cylinders."

"When you need to shed some speed, you'll take comfort in brakes whose feel is undiluted by any form of power booster. The S7 has twin master cylinders connected by a balance bar, exactly what you find on most race cars. The setup delivers the reassurinly hard pedal and precise modulation that help hold the giant Brembo disc brakes [15 by 1.3 inches in front with 14 by 1.3 inches in back] on the edge of lockup."

"This is steering that makes a Porsche Cayman S feel slugish, and you certainly don't want to rely on one hand to control the S7 while you yak on a cell phone in your other."

The S7 Twin Turbo has "a chassis that Saleen engineering V-P Bill Tally says is 50 percent more rigid than a Ferrari Enzo's."

"Tally says the diffuser is better than the one used on the race car because it is uncompromised by racing restrictions."

The S7 Twin Turbo has enough power to easily get below three seconds to 60, but despite trying about a dozen full-power launches, which bothered the car not one whit, such a time needs a higher-traction surface than we had available."

Chassis/body

Type: steel-tube space frame reinforced with aluminum-honeycomb panels

Body material: carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic and aluminum honeycomb

Speed in gears

I: 57 mph
II: 102
III: 144
IV: 170
V: 202
VI: 248

Acceleration

0-30: 1.5 seconds
0-40: 2.2
0-50: 2.9
0-60: 3.4
0-70: 3.9
0-80: 4.7
0-90: 5.4
0-100: 6.2
0-110: 7.0
0-120: 8.4
0-130: 9.5
0-140: 10.9
0-150: 13.6
0-160: 15.6

1/4 mile: 10.9 seconds at 140 mph
Top speed (drag limited, mfr's claim): 248 mph

Braking

70-0 mph: 157 feet

Handling

Roadholding, 200-ft-dia skidpad 1.04 g

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