Steve Saleen retires

After 23 years running his self-titled motorsports and tuning shop, Steve Saleen of Saleen Inc. has announced his official retirement. He leaves his position as vice chairman of the board but plans to stay on as a corporate spokesperson and ambassador for the brand. The company was made famous by the Saleen S7 supercar (pictured), one of the few all-American high-performance cars on the market.

Saleen had been planning the move for several years now and is happy that the company will be run by a team he describes as “the most talented and innovative professionals in the industry”.

As founder and a major shareholder in the company, Saleen will continue to influence product design and development activities, as well as its branding strategies and promotional efforts.

Saleen Inc. has come a long way in recent years. Last year alone it produced close to 5,000 vehicles, and the future will see its product portfolio expand with even more Ford-derived models. We’ll also see Saleen Inc. release original equipment manufacturer (OEM) programs later this year for both Ford and Chrysler including a range of Saleen-branded performance parts.