Special Car, auto, cars, vehicles

Created in partnership with Saleen, the Gurney Signature Edition Mustang, much like the Parnelli Jones/Saleen machine released last year, is another in a long line of special-edition ponycars -- some may say too long. But with Gurney’s racing heritage literally dripping off the bodywork, Saleen hopes its latest tribute to a Mustang racing icon sticks out of the herd.

To celebrate the official launch of the Gurney Mustang -- first unveiled at the New York auto show earlier this year -- Saleen recently held a launch party at Galpin Ford in Van Nuys, California.

Dozens of fans arrived in a variety of Detroit muscle to show their support for the new-generation All American Racer. From late-’60s Mustangs to a Ford GT and even one AAR 'Cuda, there was a plethora of eye candy on hand to compete with the six Gurney models on the lot, as well as the S5S Raptor concept car set behind velvet rope in the showroom.

Galpin Auto Sports, known for its antics on MTV’s “Pimp My Ride,” strutted its stuff. Tommy Kendall, host of Speed’s “Test Drive” and former Trans-Am racer, also made an appearance.

Gurney greeted a few old friends and shared stories of his racing days, including tales of the old Watkins Glen track, where racers literally jumped their cars over railroad tracks at ridiculous speeds. He also spoke of his desire with his signature Mustang, saying “it would be nice if it were a little better than Parnelli’s.”

He’s referring to rival Parnelli Jones’ Mustang that also was produced by Saleen in 2007. That car, which MT tested last year, came with a rated 400 horsepower under the hood and rang in at $61,565. Senior editor Ron Kiino came away impressed, saying it was “as sublime as Mustangs come, providing ample power be it for cruising or tailout shenanigans along with a well-compromised ride that coddles without being too pillowy.”

Gurney’s goal? Be faster and cheaper than the Parnelli car. Oh, and pay homage to Trans-Am. So far, it looks like he and Saleen have done it.

The legendary racer has a well-worn reputation for tinkering with cars until they’re “perfect,” and his experience developing his signature ‘Stang is no exception. According to Marques McCammon, general manager of Saleen, Gurney constantly gave lists of items to improve even after the car went into production.

Derk Hartland, chassis and body engineering manager at Saleen, adds, “Dan is really picky. If it was his choice, we’d still be working on it.” During development, Saleen set up an autocross course for Gurney to test the car on. Hartland remembers the experience, “We couldn’t get him out of the car.” After exiting, Gurney enthused, “This is just fantastic!”

Development took about a year and 10 different packaging variations, according to Saleen staff. Gurney paid particular attention to the suspension, initially disliking the harshness of the original ride. His special-edition utilizes adjusted anti-roll bars, springs, and struts, as well as a Watts-link.

The car rests on Saleen’s modern interpretation of the original Torq Thrust wheels, 19x9.0-in. front and 19x10-in. rear. They’re wrapped in Pirelli Corsas, which can be found on the Ferrari F430 and Lamborghini Gallardo. Gurney praised the grip and forgiving nature of the tires.

On the exterior, the Mustang gets the full decal and bodywork treatment, and only three colors are available -- red, white, and blue -- to signify the All-American Racer in Gurney.

Notably absent is the trademark Gurney flap. While those with Saleen wouldn’t comment, Gurney freely adds, “I wanted too much.”

Also lacking was a version of the 302-cu-in. V-8 that powered his Trans-Am racers. As explained by Saleen staff, a naturally aspirated 302 would’ve been slower than the Parnelli and a supercharged version would’ve been more expensive. So instead, the Gurney Edition gets a supercharged 281-cu-in. V-8. Power shouldn’t be an issue, as Saleen says the engine is rated at 465 hp and 425 lb-ft of torque, resulting in a claimed 0-to-60 time of 4.2 sec. Although the Saleen team was tight-lipped about future products, don’t be surprised to see a 302 variant sometime in the future.

The Gurney Edition starts at $59,999, and with an EPA rating of 14 mpg city/20 mpg highway, a few might think twice before taking the plunge. But with a run of only 300 units, expect the die-hard fans to snatch them up. The Saleen team says more than 70 are already spoken for. And according to Thomas Ryan, vice president of sales, Saleen customers don’t ask about fuel economy anyway.

We can’t wait to get our hands on Gurney’s version. And at 65 hp and 35 lb-ft more than the Parnelli car, a classic rivalry might be brewing in a modern form. Keep an eye out; a comparison test of Saleens and race-car legends could be in the future.