Will the public embrace a corporate produced signature car?
07-23-09: This week has opened another drama charged chapter in the Saleen Performance Vehicles vs. Steve Saleen story. Steve Saleen filed suit last week to stop MJ Acquisitions from using his name as they prepared to unveil their new model, the Saleen 435S. The new “Saleen” was set to be unveiled at Mustang Week in Myrtle Beach, SC. Steve Saleen beat them to the punch and unveiled his own version of the Mustang last weekend built by his new company SMS Supercars, known as the SMS 460 and SMS 460X
To keep it clear, the new Saleen 435S pictured here is not built by Steve Saleen and does not have his signature, blessing or his design input. The new company “Saleen Performance Vehicles” which will make the 435S is a member of the automotive technology enterprise that also includes Power-Tec Engineering, Cyltec, Control-Tec, and Arrow Racing Engines.
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The Saleen 435S at first blush does not seem to have much more than some off the shelf parts from Classic Design Concepts including a front and rear spoiler and custom rear black-out panel. There are a number of visual tweaks here and there but overall the car is virtually indistinguishable from a garden variety Mustang GT. Saleen logos and a few minor graphic stickers are found as well as set of wheels that remind one of the Saleen/Gurney Mustang from last year.
It has what MJ Acquisitions calls a ‘Racecraft Suspension”, a brand name they bought from Saleen Inc. Under the hood is the Saleen supercharger that MJ Acquisitions purchased the rights to which puts power at 435hp, less than the 2010 SMS 460 and Roush 2010 Mustang 427R.
So the big question for this new Saleen 435S and MJ Acqusitions is will the public buy a “Saleen” Mustang from a company in which Steve Saleen himself has disavowed through legal action? Will they buy a car called “Saleen” when Steve Saleen himself did not design, create or build it.?
The unfortunate scene upon which MJ Acquisitions rolls out this car is in the cloud of the recently filed lawsuit. The suit seeks an injunction to prevent MJ Acquisitions from using the Saleen name to protect the integrity of Steve Saleen’s new company image going forward. Steve Saleen claims that their use of his name essentially waters down his brand. He might be right, but where that will go legally is anyone’s guess.
“We’re dismayed by the lawsuit that was filed this weekend by Steve Saleen, and even more disappointed by the fact that it appears to be an attempt to disrupt the debut of our new Saleen vehicle this week. “ says MJ Acquisitions CEO Mike Shields. “While this lawsuit is an unfortunate minor distraction, our dedicated team of enthusiasts is excited about not only the launch of our exciting new Saleen car later this week, but also on working closely with our loyal dealers and customers to ensure their satisfaction. As I stated last week during a media teleconference, we are working to resolve past warranty issues and have every intention of going forward with a warranty policy that will provide confidence to all our valued stakeholders.”
Many remember that MJ Acquisitions walked on customer warranties earlier this year when they bought remaining assets of Saleen Inc. Steve Saleen stepped in and offered to honor those warranties through his new company SMS Supercars, though he was no obligated to do so. MJ Acquisitions has changed their position this week stating they will now honor the warranties on certain Saleen branded cars.
Shields went on to claim that, “The Saleen Performance Vehicles brand is not about one person. It represents a legacy of high-performance vehicles that has developed over the past quarter century, and we feel privileged to be entrusted with that legacy going forward. Everyone in our company takes that responsibility seriously. That's why we're so enthusiastic about the future of our company, and why we can't wait to begin its latest chapter this week at Myrtle Beach."
That might be a tall order in an environment where enthusiasts who choose to spend big for personal signature cars tend to place a lot of value in the person who creates them. They want to meet the creator, have them sign their cars, and get their photo taken with them. They want to have that bond which completes the ownership experience.
When you add in the current economic times, one has to wonder if buyers loyal to Steve Saleen and his personal legacy will warm up to a car bearing his name, which he has not had a hand in creating, and one which is now under a legal cloud. Time will tell.
