Editor's note: This story is part of the WardsAuto digital archive, which may include content that was first published in print, or in different web layouts.
The automotive intelligentsia holds a certain emotional attachment to the Ford Mustang, the progenitor of the pony car and one of the most beloved symbols of Americana.
That an enthusiast-driven auto maker such as Troy, MI-based Saleen Inc. has flourished for 25 years tuning, racing and building high-performance renditions of Ford Motor Co.’s illustrious pinup speaks volumes about the legions of fans the car has amassed since debuting in 1964.
While hot-rod legend Carroll Shelby long has enjoyed the status of being the father of some of the greatest Fords of all time, Saleen, too, has forged a reputation for knowing how to work the business end of a Blue-Oval special.
Saleen’s tagline reads, “Power in the hands of a few,” and its Mustangs now breach the 600-hp mark in the form of the ’08 “Extreme” S302E model.
This thoroughly worked-over, $79,999 Mustang, with a supercharged, 5.0L controlled explosion under hood and unmistakable Saleen bodywork, is the most audacious pony ever to carry a warranty at a local Ford dealer.
And as the patriarch of the lineup, the S302E is the template for Saleen’s Sterling Anniversary Edition commemorating its quarter-century in the marketplace.
Only 25 of these $100,000 beasts will be produced, with the added premium covering the subdued 2-tone silver paint, huge 20-in. chrome wheels and enough sterling-silver tinsel and badging to drag down a Clydesdale.
