This stunning, handbuilt Saleen S7 supercar from Saleen Automotive will be up for auction at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale, with online bidding via Proxibid

Ever heard of Saleen Automotive?

If you haven’t, don’t feel too bad. Your car-guy or car-gal cred is still intact even if you’ve never heard of this specialty automaker.

Or at least your cred is as intact as mine is, because I’m a little embarrassed to admit that I was entirely unfamiliar with Saleen as well, until this week when a press release landed in my inbox that references a Saleen S7 that will be up for auction at Barrett-Jackson’s 49^th Annual Scottsdale Auction, January 11-19.

Founded in 1983 by Steve Saleen, a former Formula Atlantic race car driver, Saleen is a manufacturer of fully original performance cars for the race track and the street, as well as custom builds on existing chassis including Saleen S302 Mustangs and the Saleen Sportruck, built on the Ford F-150 Platform.

The Mustang-based S302, available in both fastback and convertible configurations, packs a performance-engineered 302 cubic-inch V8 under the hood that produces 475, 745, or 800 horsepower depending on whether you select, respectively, the White Label, Yellow Label, or Black Label edition.

Four powertrain levels are available for the Saleen Sportruck, based on the Ford F-150, including a 2.7 or 3.5 liter turbocharged Eco-boost engine, or a supercharged or naturally aspirated 5.0 liter V8. Depending on the powerplant and performance options selected, the Sportruck—also sold in White, Yellow, or Black Label editions—is capable of producing 310 to 700 horsepower.

Both the S302 and Sportruck also feature high-performance suspension systems.

Saleen Automotive also produces performance parts and automotive lifestyle products under the Saleen brand and is involved in a diverse range of other manufacturing ventures, including an operation in China that produces electric city cars and crossovers for the Chinese market.

All told, Saleen has produced more than 12,000 EPA-certified vehicles—more than any other specialty automobile manufacturer in the word, according to the company website.

Affordability is always relative. But considering the level of performance enhancements and customization, the prices of these Ford-based models might surprise you. According to the Saleen Automotive website, the base White Label Saleen S302 starts at $46,000, and the base Saleen Sportruck at $51,000.

For a frame of reference, well-equipped new 2020 Ford Mustang GTs can be had for $35,206 according to Edmunds, while Ford’s MSRP for an F-150 pickup ranges from $28,495 to $38,235.

At $46,000 and $51,000 respectively, the Saleen S302 and Saleen Sportruck are still within a range that is arguably accessible for at least an upper-middle-income buyer, or maybe even someone of more modest means willing to make a significant investment in a distinctive performance vehicle for the street or the track, depending on the package selected.

When it comes to the 2003 Saleen S7 that’s up for sale in Scottsdale, however, the question of “affordability” is likely to be in an entirely different universe. Proxibid’s auction page for the car, as of January 10, doesn’t reference a starting point for the bidding. However, the duPont registry currently has a Saleen S7 listed for sale with an asking price of nearly $1.3 million.

Saleen’s original price for the Saleen S7 was $375,000, according to the eBay Motors blog, which adds that the supercars have continued to appreciate.

Among the claims to fame of the Saleen S7, built by Saleen Automotive from the ground up during the 2000 through 2009 model years, is that it was the third mid-engine production car manufactured in the U.S.

According to Proxibid, an online bidding solutions provider for Barrett-Jackson, the 2003 Saleen S7 up for auction in Scottsdale—one of only 78 produced—is equipped with a 7.0 liter naturally aspirated V8 that makes 550 horsepower. Proxibid also says that the vehicle is autographed by Steve Saleen and is capable of 224 miles per hour or more.

Saleen’s S7 model has a track record as “the winningest supercar-based racing vehicle of all time,” according to the auction entry on Proxbid’s platform, which enables prospective buyers to bid on the 2003 Saleen S7 and other vehicles on the docket, even if they won’t physically attending the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale auction.