Saleen Debut GT4 Concept

Paul Jeffrey · Oct 22, 2019

American high performance sports car producer Saleen have given a public debut to their GT4 specification concept car, set to go into production 'soon'.

Having been a major player in GT racing during the GT1 era of the FIA GT Championship back in the mid 2000's, Saleen have pitched themselves back into mainstream top level endurance racing today, showing off their S1 inspired GT4 concept vehicle at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

According to the press release that accompanied the announcement, the new GT4 machine will feature "distinct changes from the standard production model Saleen 1, including updates designed to comply with GT4 series specifications". With the GT4 series regulations ensuring cars closely match their road going counterparts, performance manufacturers such as Saleen are starting to gather plenty of interest in the category, quickly establishing the class as one of the most exciting and rapidly growing series in the endurance racing landscape.

With the new S1 based GT4 concept, Saleen have made some minor changes to the road car, with "updates to the car’s front splitter and fenders, plus new advanced rear diffuser to improve aerodynamics. Per GT4 specifications, a large rear wing is included to add maximum downforce and traction. Saleen’s GT4 concept car also offers front and rear anti-lock braking systems and other GT4-specific equipment". So it should be pretty quick..!

“We developed the Saleen 1 to be fully capable on the track and easily adapt to racing applications,” said Steve Saleen, CEO and founder of Saleen Automotive. “Our company was founded on racing DNA and the track is where we prove our reputation. We look forward to completing the homologation process with SRO and seeing these cars compete at GT4 events around the world.”

What do you think of the new machine? Excited to see it hit the racetrack in the near future

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robi16 · Oct 22, 2019

Beautiful!!!!!

Kriss047 · Oct 22, 2019

Would like to see picture from front too but otherwise pretty nice hehe

TheReaper GT · Oct 22, 2019

Kriss047 said:
Would like to see picture from front too but otherwise pretty nice hehe

I've got you

Two Hands · Oct 22, 2019

I like it

odiopower · Oct 22, 2019

Can we have this in ACC?

Dr. Death · Oct 22, 2019

REMINDER: This is a GT-SPEC CONCEPT CAR. This is NOT an upcoming GT car.

Terry Rock · Oct 22, 2019

Wow! very nice looking car.
Any word on a potential powerplant?

Sky · Oct 22, 2019

Dr. Death said:
REMINDER: This is a GT-SPEC CONCEPT CAR. This is NOT an upcoming GT car.

that whole quote about looking forward to seeing it in gt4 races says otherwise

TrumpetReich · Oct 22, 2019

Was lucky enough to see the cup cars at their debut in Portland. Absolutely beautiful cars and true monsters on the track. Can't wait to see this in the GT4 field. (even better will be seeing some of those saleen cup drivers in the GT4 field)

RichardHessels · Oct 22, 2019

odiopower said:
Can we have this in ACC?

Nope it's GT3 only for AC (at the moment)

paracletus · Oct 22, 2019

Unusual paintwork. Bit like the old subaru rally car.

R3dF0x · Oct 22, 2019

Now, Sector3 has to add it in RaceRoom ...

vegasbikerider · Oct 22, 2019

Here's the real car. Was in Vegas last weekend

Spinelli · Oct 23, 2019

Looks too thick and chunky for my taste. Also, the front looks too Porsche 918 RSR while the side and rear 3/4 look like a slightly thicker/chunkier Lotus Evora mixed with some Porsche Cayman. I just saw the road version to check out the back end and I like the back, it has a bit of that early 90s look which I love and a lot of recent cars have started implementing (late 80s & early 90s styling cues). The road version looks better.

Rory Wetherington · Oct 23, 2019

Spinelli said:
Looks too thick and chunky for my taste. Also, the front looks too Porsche 918 RSR while the side and rear 3/4 look like a slightly thicker/chunkier Lotus Evora mixed with some Porsche Cayman as you look from higher up. I just saw the road version to check out the back end and I like the back, it has a bit of that early 90s look which I love and a lot of recent cars have started implementing (late 80s, early 90s styling cues). The road version looks better.

My first impression was a little bit Porsche, little bit Ferrari and a little bit Lotus. Looks great though.

Ryno917 · Oct 23, 2019

Not going to win any design awards and doesn't do anything innovative on that front, but it looks pretty good to me. Excited to see these guys hit the track, hopefully they get enough traction to keep the company in business in a big enough way that they can stay on the grid.

Would love one for AC, too.

Dr. Death · Oct 23, 2019

Sky said:
that whole quote about looking forward to seeing it in gt4 races says otherwise

It was trying to catch attention of any team, it was Saleen showing people that if anyone wanted to, their car could compete. However there's no team wanting to switch so far, and until 2020 we wont see if there's a new Saleen in the field. Its very much possible that this is just gonna remain a concept and nobody is going to switch to this car.

TrumpetReich · Oct 23, 2019

Dr. Death said:
It was trying to catch attention of any team, it was Saleen showing people that if anyone wanted to, their car could compete. However there's no team wanting to switch so far, and until 2020 we wont see if there's a new Saleen in the field. Its very much possible that this is just gonna remain a concept and nobody is going to switch to this car.

While nothing is confirmed yet, Saleen has made it very clear that they plan on running their own team, not supplying another. That's basically the whole point of the current S1 Cup series, to find the drivers for that team.