BMEWS
 
Sarah Palin knows how old the Chinese gymnasts are.

calendar   Friday - July 05, 2013

Eye Candy In Steel: Guy Friday Wallpaper

“that giddy, unchained-Satan feeling”



image

The 2014 Saleen Mustang Convertible: 700hp, $82,500. Right click, Save As.




Taking things up several notches, again

First announced at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and then previewed in prototype form at April’s Fabulous Fords event held in Buena Park, California, the latest Saleen 351 Mustang looks to live up to the reputation of its predecessors: delivering extreme performance.

The latest 2014 Saleen 351 Mustang is Saleen’s most extreme Mustang to date, in fact. In keeping with its name, the vehicle features a 5.75-liter (351-cubic inch) V-8, which is supercharged to the tune of 700 horsepower and 655 pound-feet of torque. This is at least a 200hp increase over older versions.

An intercooler and high-flow fuel injectors make sure the engine runs fine, and a number of forged internals should mean longevity. A six-speed manual is standard and is fitted with a high-performance clutch and lightweight flywheel. The final gear ratio is 3.73:1.

To ensure the car handles well, a custom suspension setup is installed, along with 20-inch wheels, 14-inch brakes with four-piston calipers, and a downforce-generating body kit.

Right. Because, let’s face it, you need that 3.73 rear axle to get this bloated piglet to move forward. Right. Riiiight.

Ford sells a “lesser” “gentler” version of the idea. Their 2013 GT500 comes with a similar aluminum engine of about the same displacement, 5.8 liters, their own style of supercharger, a similar 6 speed shifter, but a “pathetic”, “anemic” mere 662hp. And while Ford’s street bomber costs $28,000 less, it’s built with much tamer gears in the back, so that you can actually drive the thing, and maybe even get a month out of a set of tires. Maybe. But you can tell those “dud” gears make for a rather lame driving experience ...

With a car like this, you inevitably focus on the numbers. The $54,995 GT500 coupe turns in a 0-to-60 sprint of 3.5 seconds. Ferociously tall gearing means third gear is good for 140 mph and first gear is long enough to reach highway speeds. Even so, the quarter-mile passes in 11.8 seconds. Slam a redline shift from second to third, and you’ll hear the rear tires chirp. We also saw an even 1.00 g on the skidpad.

...

[after writing about all the go-fast goodies in the Ford] All of this works well until you stand on the right pedal, at which point it works very well, and then you look down at the speedometer and realize you’re going 140 mph and have only shifted twice. Make no mistake: The GT500 is not a slow car, but it doesn’t feel as quick as it is. This is deceptive, long-haul speed, a surprising pairing of monster thrust and continent-crossing gait. After a couple of balls-out acceleration runs, you feel like Robert Crumb’s Keep on Truckin’ guy, all legs, a continent between your shins. It’s initially unimpressive, and then you glance out the window and notice you’re three states away from where you started.

Right again. Boring. So let’s amp things up half a dozen notches. While the 2013 Ford GT500 uses super tall rear axle gearing for basic drivability, those gears also give back 24mpg on the highway and a top speed way over 200mph. Don’t expect that from the Saleen. Shorter gearing will bring the top speed way down, perhaps to a “mundane” 175mph or so, but will make getting there - or even the fine art of getting out of your driveway - a rip roaring, eye popping, heart stopping experience. You know, like you’re just toodling down the highway at a mild 135mph and stamp on the gas to pass some slow poke, only to find your tires turning into smoke and the car getting sideways from the crazy amount of torque that’s always right there waiting to explode. That’s got to be worth another 30 grand or so, right?

Saleen has always taken the donkey-kick in the pants thrill ride path. Their much lower powered 1998 S351 from 15 years ago was not exactly a timid little econo-box either:

Saleen’s supercharged S351 Mustang would be inexcusable if it weren’t so fast. It’s a fiend with so much brute torque the driver feels as if he could pull both the Titanic and the ocean floor beneath it up out of the North Atlantic. Through corners, it’s as effective and subtle as a leopard clamping his jaw down on a zebra’s femur. The S351 is for fanatics

Now take this experience, and add half again as many horsies and pounds-feet. Yeah, that’s gotta be dull, right?

Now when is Saleen going to get serious, and bring out the version with a 460 under the hood and a decent 3000hp? I want to be able to do my morning commute in 18 seconds flat, no matter how far I have to drive to work.

See More Below The Fold

avatar

Posted by Drew458   United States  on 07/05/2013 at 08:23 AM   
Filed Under: • Eye-Candyplanes, trains, tanks, ships, machines, automobiles •  
Comments (3) Trackbacks(0)  Permalink •  
Page 1 of 1 pages

Five Most Recent Trackbacks:

Once Again, The One And Only Post
(4 total trackbacks)
Tracked at iHaan.org
The advantage to having a guide with you is thɑt an expert will haѵe very first hand experience dealing and navigating the river with гegional wildlife. Tһomas, there are great…
On: 07/28/23 10:37

The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We've Been Waiting For
(3 total trackbacks)
Tracked at head to the Momarms site
The Brownshirts: Partie Deux; These aare the Muscle We’ve Been Waiting For
On: 03/14/23 11:20

Vietnam Homecoming
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at 广告专题配音 专业从事中文配音跟外文配音制造,北京名传天下配音公司
  专业从事中文配音和外文配音制作,北京名传天下配音公司   北京名传天下专业配音公司成破于2006年12月,是专业从事中 中文配音 文配音跟外文配音的音频制造公司,幻想飞腾配音网领 配音制作 有海内外优良专业配音职员已达500多位,可供给一流的外语配音,长年服务于国内中心级各大媒体、各省市电台电视台,能满意不同客户的各种需要。电话:010-83265555   北京名传天下专业配音公司…
On: 03/20/21 07:00

meaningless marching orders for a thousand travellers ... strife ahead ..
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at Casual Blog
[...] RTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPL [...]
On: 07/17/17 04:28

a small explanation
(1 total trackbacks)
Tracked at yerba mate gourd
Find here top quality how to prepare yerba mate without a gourd that's available in addition at the best price. Get it now!
On: 07/09/17 03:07



DISCLAIMER
Allanspacer

THE SERVICES AND MATERIALS ON THIS WEBSITE ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" AND THE HOSTS OF THIS SITE EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ANY AND ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, TO THE EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO WARRANTIES OF SATISFACTORY QUALITY, MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, WITH RESPECT TO THE SERVICE OR ANY MATERIALS.

Not that very many people ever read this far down, but this blog was the creation of Allan Kelly and his friend Vilmar. Vilmar moved on to his own blog some time ago, and Allan ran this place alone until his sudden and unexpected death partway through 2006. We all miss him. A lot. Even though he is gone this site will always still be more than a little bit his. We who are left to carry on the BMEWS tradition owe him a great debt of gratitude, and we hope to be able to pay that back by following his last advice to us all:
  1. Keep a firm grasp of Right and Wrong
  2. Stay involved with government on every level and don't let those bastards get away with a thing
  3. Use every legal means to defend yourself in the event of real internal trouble, and, most importantly:
  4. Keep talking to each other, whether here or elsewhere
It's been a long strange trip without you Skipper, but thanks for pointing us in the right direction and giving us a swift kick in the behind to get us going. Keep lookin' down on us, will ya? Thanks.

THE INFORMATION AND OTHER CONTENTS OF THIS WEBSITE ARE DESIGNED TO COMPLY WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. THIS WEBSITE SHALL BE GOVERNED BY AND CONSTRUED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE LAWS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND ALL PARTIES IRREVOCABLY SUBMIT TO THE JURISDICTION OF THE AMERICAN COURTS. IF ANYTHING ON THIS WEBSITE IS CONSTRUED AS BEING CONTRARY TO THE LAWS APPLICABLE IN ANY OTHER COUNTRY, THEN THIS WEBSITE IS NOT INTENDED TO BE ACCESSED BY PERSONS FROM THAT COUNTRY AND ANY PERSONS WHO ARE SUBJECT TO SUCH LAWS SHALL NOT BE ENTITLED TO USE OUR SERVICES UNLESS THEY CAN SATISFY US THAT SUCH USE WOULD BE LAWFUL.


Copyright © 2004-2015 Domain Owner



GNU Terry Pratchett


Oh, and here's some kind of visitor flag counter thingy. Hey, all the cool blogs have one, so I should too. The Visitors Online thingy up at the top doesn't count anything, but it looks neat. It had better, since I paid actual money for it.
free counters