This 1,300bhp Saleen S7-LM is heading to auction

Remarkably, the Saleen S7 has been around since the year 2000. Yep, Steve Saleen’s all-American supercar is now old enough to drink in its home country. If that doesn’t make you feel old, we don’t know what will. 

Anyway, let’s take things back to the start. The original S7 used carbonfibre body panels and a naturally aspirated 7.0-litre V8 that produced around 550bhp. In 2006, the updated S7 TT arrived with twin turbos, 750bhp and a 248mph top speed.

Saleen took the S7 racing – of course – and found success in a number of different championships. Perhaps the pinnacle, though, was a class win at the 2010 Le Mans 24 Hours. That translated into what we have here – a seven-strong run of road cars known as the Saleen S7-LM. The only sticking point? You had to offer up your current S7 to have it converted.  

That’s why this auction lot is for a 2007 S7, but it was updated to its one-of-seven spec in 2018 and has only completed 300 miles since. The Le Mans upgrades included lightweight racing brakes, forged five spoke wheels and aero updates – most noticeably that giant rear wing. Oh, and there was a revised induction system and new ball-bearing turbos for 1,000bhp on standard pump fuel. On high octane racing fuel, though, that huge V8 puts out 1,300bhp. Crikey.

Fancy owning one? That’s very brave of you. This particular example will cross the block at Bonhams’ Supercars on Sunset auction with an estimate of between £720,000 and £940,000. 

Images: Bonhams