China-Made Sports Car by Saleen to Hit the Market in 2018

Established by famous car racer Steve Saleen, the sportscar brand is ready to take on another challenging road – the Chinese market. Blockbuster films like Iron Man, The Fast and Furious, and The Transformers franchise have featured the Saleen supercars and now, it is ready to showcase its first car to Chinese car enthusiasts with the S1.

So come 2018, the Saleen brand will not just be enjoyed by avid fast car drivers through racing competitions but in the streets of China too.

The CEO and chairman of Jiangsu Saleen Automotive Technology Co., Charles Wang has announced that the entry-level sports car will be made available at the end of the year. He said, “The gasoline version will come first, after its launch at the Los Angeles Auto Show in December. Then the electric version will follow in 2018.”

The S1 can reach up to 290 kph but that’s not a surprise given that its engine is a turbocharged 2.3-liter that can produce 336 kw and 577 meter torque. It will be a 2-door supercar but that’s just the start.

The carmaker has plans to tap into different niches with Wang saying, “For example, Porsche will elaborate on its GT and 918 models, but what brings good sales are popular models like the Cayenne, Macan and Panamera. We will take a similar path and produce all sorts of passenger cars including sedans, SUVs and crossovers.”

Considering that its 17.8 billion yuan investment has already started through a plant built in Rugao, Jiangsu province, those vehicle models that are to be mass produced won’t be an issue.

They are also planning to build electric cars and may or may not tap 4S dealerships nor Tesla’s direct sales in terms of distribution. But Wang stressed that they are not forgetting the importance of the US market. That’s why their research and development teams are located in the US and China.

Without any other specific details, one thing is clear with us. As long as they provide the Chinese market with the best vehicles, the problem will be on how to keep up with the demand in the years to come for Saleen cars.