For many reasons Steve Saleen’s Fox-bodied Mustangs are the Shelby Mustangs of my generation. After the 1970s and early 1980s, where the best performance cars made due with 180HP and were lucky to wheeze their way to 60 MPH in under 12 seconds, when the 5.0L Mustangs hit the scene they were the cars we all lusted after. The ads proclaimed “The Boss is Back” and they were right. The 5.0L sparked the second horsepower race and we’re all better for it. And what better 5.0L than a Saleen-modified one?
While just 543 Hatchback Saleen Mustangs were built for 1988, this one is quite special even within this minuscule production run. Why? It is 1988 Serial Number 1. It was Steve Saleen’s personal car and also served as Saleen’s press car, poster, and brochure car for not only 1988 but also 1989 and 1990. #01 was road tested by Rick Titus for Motor Trend Magazine’s February, 1988 issue.
For 1989 it was updated to 1989 appearance for the brochures and posters, then later served as the development mule for Saleen’s prototype active suspension setup.
After being used as the 1990 Saleen Mustang poster car Steve Saleen sold #01 directly to its second owner.
Today #01, like all of the Saleens here, Is one of our favorite cars to drive. Every time behind the Wheel reminds us of just how well Saleen transformed an already great car into a true performance car. Much like a 1965 GT350 this thing makes all the right sounds, handles like a slot car, and just loves doing four-wheeled drifts onto freeway entrance ramps. Yes, indeed, it is just that easy for a car to make you a teenager again!
