2015 Saleen Black Label 302

Earlier this year, renowned Mustang-modifier Saleen Automotive released information on three new variants of the new 2015 Ford Mustang with varying levels of performance, starting with the White Label and Yellow Label models. This weekend, Saleen revealed its highest-performing tuned 2015 Ford Mustang yet, the 730-hp Black Label.

 


While the Yellow Label 302 has to make do with a not-insignificant 715 hp and 595 lb-ft of torque out of its supercharged 5.0-liter V-8, Saleen ensured the Black Label went even farther. Saleen fettled with the supercharger from the Yellow Label model and installed higher-flow fuel injectors, to result in the Black Label pumping out a neck-snapping 730 hp and 600 lb-ft of torque from its modified 5.0-liter.




http://www.autoblog.com/2015/03/22/2015-saleen-302-black-label-mustang-730-horsepower-official/

Anybody else done the 'squint test' and see a bloated 370Z like I do?

Saleen or not, I'm still lukewarm on the 2015s.

Good call on the 370z.. I have thought they look konda Porsche-like. Regardless, i don't love the looks. But who can complain with 700hp and 600ft lbs

I like the front end of it. Nicely detailed lights and not so cluttered as the stock model.

It may not make sense to some here, especially the younger enthusiasts, but...who cares about all this outrageous horsepower available to anyone with the cash to just walk in a buy one?

Back in my youth (in the 70's), you could buy a lukewarm "performance car" ( any 2-barrel, single exhaist small block in a pony or a few other 2-doors cars would fit that bill), and you could spend more mony and "step it up"...a bit. There was a limit, and it was pretty low.

Chrysler went the furthest in offering the real speed enthusiasts the "goods" needed to end up with a real hot performance car: multiple carb intakes, high compression, stripped down/ giant motor cars, fiberglass hoods, etc...

Ford and GM (and maybe AMC?) offered some great stuff to, obviously but there was always room to go "bigger" for the "serious" guy.

Open up the exhaust, headers, better indunction/ fuel managament, clipped springs and other suspension mods...and any variety of internal engine mods.

Cruise around in a car that had custom cam, heads, headers, suspension, etc...back then and you got some serious kudos as a guy that knew cars and knew how to build 'em.

Today, you can buy such bewilderingly powerful and optimized cars already built that there is no need to do any "custom" stuff yourself. A new GT500 with 550 horses, or a Hellcat with 707 horses, or any one of a dozen other super-awsome new cars are avaialable to anyone who wants to write the check and drive away.

When you see a new 700+ HP Saleen, or a new Hellcat driving down the road, do you think to yourself "Wow, that guy sure must be a real knowledgable car guy and wrench-turner!", or do you thinkl "OK, there goes another guy who can afford to indulge in excess without the scraped knuckles to get there."

I'm not saying anything negative about those guys...I absolutely wish I could drop 60-100 large on another playtoy whenever I wanted to!

But, yesterday's kick-ass cars used to say as much about the owner/ driver of the car as it did about the car itself.

Today's kick-ass cars don't say anything about the owener/ driver, its all about the car.

... When you see a new 700+ HP Saleen, or a new Hellcat driving down the road, do you think to yourself "Wow, that guy sure must be a real knowledgable car guy and wrench-turner!", or do you thinkl "OK, there goes another guy who can afford to indulge in excess without the scraped knuckles to get there."...

Click to expand...

I think, lucky bastard, I wonder how many knuckles he had to scrape to get there.

Jim

... When you see a new 700+ HP Saleen, or a new Hellcat driving down the road, do you think to yourself "Wow, that guy sure must be a real knowledgable car guy and wrench-turner!", or do you thinkl "OK, there goes another guy who can afford to indulge in excess without the scraped knuckles to get there."...

Click to expand...

I think, lucky bastard, I wonder how many knuckles he had to scrape to get there.

Jim

Click to expand...

You're right Kit. Is that guy a wrench turner? But I'm not knocking having a new one (2013 GT/CS convertible in my case). I have the old one to wrench on and the new one to drive.

Granted my 2007 is now considered to be an old car, it was new when I bought it, brought it home and had new wheels, tires, and a bunch of suspension bits waiting to be installed. A year later I installed the Ford Racing intercooled blower. Last year I installed adjustable Koni shocks. Granted the 2015 is far more advanced, and delivered with drive train, suspension, and brakes that will difficult and costly to improve upon. The cars have simply gotten much better in the performance arena with pricing that reflects those improvements. I do understand what is being said though. Hoprfully it will not come to a decal that says, "This sticker ads 10 horsepower to my car.

Chuck"

This is a subject I often think about. There are so many ridiculously high horsepower, high dollar, beautiful performance cars available now, but the large majority of them just don't have any mystique or soul. Plus, you cant work on them with out an array of special tools and diagnostic computers.

Driving a car from the 60s/70s absolutely provides us with a unique experience. Will modern Mustangs provide the same thing we have, in 40+ years?....I don't think so.