2001 Ford Mustang Saleen S281 Convertible

Description

For you numbers junkies out there, this 2001 Ford Mustang Saleen S281SC is one heck of a rare beast. It's one of only 223 Supercharged Saleen convertibles produced in 2001, so you aren't likely to see another one at the local cruise night. For everyone else, this droptop features a thundering 4.6L Supercharged V8 under the hood, a quick-shifting T5 5-speed manual transmission handling the gear changes, a gorgeous Oxford White over Oxford White color combination shining bright, and a top that goes down – making it one of the slickest examples of the Saleen/Mustang co-op ever produced. And to top it all off, this beauty queen has only logged 5800 actual miles since she left the factory, so the party's just getting started.

Saleen has always had a way of giving the Mustang an edge without diluting its basic personality, and #240 is no exception. In fact, a lot of folks argued that the Cobra just wasn't unique enough given its performance (and price) differential over the standard GT, so this Saleen really delivers across the board. It offers a complete body kit, including a front fascia, side skirts, rear wing, and lower valence that make it look downright predatory on the road. The Code Z1 Oxford White paint is beautifully preserved, showing almost no signs of use (in fact, the only minor complaints we could find were a couple very small chips on the lowest parts of the rockers, the rest of the car pretty much looks new), and kudos to the Saleen techs for matching it so precisely before laying down their signature graphics package. And the stuff's totally functional, having been tested on the track and not just designed because some guy thought it looked slick-that's the Saleen difference. The chin spoiler still looks excellent, the rear diffuser is always a treat to see when a Saleen just passed you like a blur on the left, and we love the look of the roll bar and hard tonneau cap that's fitted when the top is down – a direct homage to the 'Bullet-Bird' Thunderbird M-Code sports roadsters from the early 1960s. Man, this sucker is clean!

Inside, it's pretty much stock Mustang, mostly because it was already a first-class cabin for doing the serious business of driving. Comfortable bucket seats are wrapped in matching Oxford White leather and show very little wear and no damage over the past 22 seasons. Saleen added their own sporty white gauge faces – including the faces on the auxiliary gauges mounted to the center of the dash – along with a special serialized Saleen badge behind the sporty, leather-trimmed shifter that manages the lively 6-speed gearbox. Other than those minor Saleen-spec items it's basically a stock Mustang GT inside, and that's okay because Ford got the N95 Mustang right, so there wasn't much need to mess with success. The rear seats look completely unused, and with just over 5800 original miles (not a typo), this car was never used for daily commuting. It's loaded with every feature Ford offered, from A/C to power everything with the lone aftermarket modification being the 7-inch Pioneer multi-media player mounted in the factory slot, making this a no-compromises supercar that can be enjoyed every day if needed.

The 4.6L SOHC fuel-injected V8 that formed the core of the Mustang GT is a gem of a motor. Willing to spin to 6500 RPM with an exhaust note that sounds like ripping silk, it's potent and makes the Saleen feel like a vastly more expensive car. Nevertheless, more is always better, and with the addition of a Roots supercharger on top of the V8's intake, it cranks out a stout 365 horsepower and 400 pounds of torque, all without hurting reliability or drivability one bit. There might even be a bit of extra power on top thanks to a 90mm throttle body, custom tune from Sean Hyland, upgraded throttle body, and an upgraded H-pipe dual exhaust system that sounds downright nasty. Saleen's upgraded suspension features Racecraft shocks, struts, and springs, which gives this car amazing reflexes, and it works with Saleen's chassis reinforcements, Saleen's quick-ratio 5-speed gearbox, and a heavy-duty 8.8" rear end stuffed with 3.27 gears out back. A great-sound SR Performance cat-back exhaust system sounds heroic and all the fluids are fresh thanks to low miles and regular maintenance through the years. 18-inch split-five white alloys finish the killer look and come shod with recent Sumitomo performance radials with plenty of grippy tread left.

For future Mustang collectors, this is a rare gem, and even today, it is an absolute blast to drive. If you're looking for a unique Mustang, there aren't many better choices than this S281SC Saleen convertible. Call today!