Is the Saleen S281 supercharged Mustang a good car?
Is the Saleen S281 supercharged Mustang a good car?
That’s not to say the supercharged S281 is not a fast and enjoyable car to drive. It is. Nearly every aspect of its character has been honed for better performance. Some of it is ingenious work.
What’s the price of a new Saleen Mustang?
At $25,570 and with 300 horsepower under the hood, it’s hard to find anything comparable. Certainly, Saleen’s new supercharged S281 version of the Mustang—at $48,624 in its cheapest form—is not directly comparable.
Which is faster Saleen S281 or Saleen GT?
The S281 reaches 100 mph 2.1 seconds quicker than the GT. And more convincing yet is the dash to 130 mph—it’s a full 13.5 seconds quicker. The supercharged engine also has the grunt to tow the …
What kind of Hood does a Saleen Mustang have?
Despite being a double-skinned (and presumably quite stiff) molding, the vented hood quivers and jumps as you drive along, its spasms suggesting you might not have closed it properly. Saleen-specific plastic designs pretty much run the perimeter of the S281, with rocker skirts at the sides and a jutting rear fascia below a prominent spoiler.
Is the Saleen S281 faster than a stock Mustang?
Yes, our quarter-mile time of 13.8 seconds at 103 mph is quite a bit quicker than a stock Mustang GT’s 14.2 at 98, but is it evidence of 350 horsepower? Not really.
When did the Saleen S281 supercharged come out?
The last supercharged Saleen we tested ( C/D, August 1998) suffered from the lack of an intercooler, but the S281 takes no chances here and wears an air-to-water intercooler squeezed into the engine bay. Saleen claims 350 horsepower for the ear in this form, up 90 hp from the stock GT’s 260, and 65 more than Saleen’s own naturally aspirated S281.
What kind of engine does a Saleen Mustang have?
Saleen Mustangs are unabashed mutants, with bodywork additions that bulge like the lats on Mr. Universe contestants, with wheels and tires that crowd the wheel housings, and with engines that pulse with supercharged steroids.
What are the downsides of the Saleen S281?
Of course, they’ve also displayed some of the downsides of steroid abuse in the past, such as grumpy idling, supercharger whine, a jolting ride, and tramlining on longitudinal grooves badly enough to make a bloodhound dizzy. Also, under the duress of our testing procedures, some examples of Saleen’s handiwork have even, uh, failed to go forward.
