Steve Saleen has a long history of building powerful cars; from the sporty Saleen Mustang to the potent S7. His new company, SMS Supercars, started life with the 570 Challenger. They will eventually turn their wrenches on to the Camaro, but their newest creation is the SMS 302 Mustang.
The SMS 302 Mustang is based on the all-new 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Under the hood sits the 5.0L V8 but power has been jumped up to 440 hp thanks to a new head design, high flow exhaust system, and upgraded pulleys. SMS doesn’t just add some engine tuning, they re-work the vehicle to make it their own. Front, side, and rear body panels create new and more aggressive lines. The extra lower brake light, along with the various duct placements, provides a nod to Steve’s racing heritage. Wheel, Suspension and Brake upgrades make sure the SMS 302 is an agile muscle car that can do more than eat up straight line strips. The interior features leather and suede seating as well as the all important Steve Saleen signature on the dash. Steve said that this signature is the final touch of the car and is good for 2 seconds a lap. He also said that “Redline” was a good movie, so you can’t believe everything he says.

If 440 hp is not enough for you, a supercharged version of the SMS Mustang will be available with 535 hp. Hinting that he still has even more fun up his sleeve, Steve mentioned they are working on a version of the Mustang to be called the SMS 351X. He gave no details other than the name.
Besides the excitement of being on hand for the launch of a new vehicle, Steve allowed us to take a tour of the new SMS facilities. They have a pretty awesome setup for turning the vehicles over. They utilize an assembly line in which the cars come in one door, receive the tear-down treatment, and are then built back up into SMS Supercars before heading out the other door. Once they receive a vehicle they can turn it around within two weeks. Also, they are setup to receive the different models in any order. A worker could be working on a Camaro one minute, then have a Challenger roll through, and finish on a Mustang. This arrangement allows them to be efficient and versatile.

For more information on SMS Supercars and all their available vehicles head over to their site.