
Steve Saleen has moved on, so how will the new owners of Saleen Performance Vehicles fare with their latest tuner Mustang offering? The 2010 Saleen S281 Mustang doesn’t wander too far from the formula that made Saleen one of the biggest names in the Mustang world, but it also makes some admirable advances over its predecessors. And when it comes to cosmetics, this just might be the best looking Saleen Mustang to ever hit the streets.
The core of the S281, like many Saleens before it, is a supercharged 4.6-liter V8. The Series VI supercharger bumps the power to 485 horsepower and 460 b-ft of torque, which puts it about on par with previous Saleen efforts and about in the middle of other tuning efforts in the same range. The engine is mated to a short throw five-speed manual transmission that is sure to be a delight for all drag racers, and the final gearing ratio is 3.73:1, which will deliver ample power at the wheels. This is a solid setup, but isn’t exactly groundbreaking.

The big wow part is the suspension design. Ford’s reliance upon a live rear axle is great for drag racers, but, as the design hasn’t changed all that much for a few decades, it’s hard to adapt modern suspension that will put the handling abilities of the Mustang on par with other sports cars. The stock vehicle makes an admirable attempt, moreover it just can’t get away from the fact that the rear end is a decades-old scope. The Saleen S281 still has the pass rear axle, but it also features a series of unaccustomed suspension components to help mitigate its disadvantages.

The suspension, dubbed the Saleen Racecraft system (which will surely be available as an aftermarket modification for those who already have a 2010 ‘Stang and want to upgrade it) puts new single-rate springs at the corners and uses a nitrogen-pressurized front strut system and a foster shock upgrade. These components feature a variety of damping settings so that drivers can forfeit tune the fell of their ride without likewise much hassle. Also, there’s a new sway bar system to help cut down on body roll. The system feels tight,
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