Saleen Raptor S5S

American muscle car fettler Saleen produced this interesting concept last year just to show the Europeans that the Americans are still in the supercar game. Ever since the doomed Vector,

 which sold well as a poster but not as a supercar, Europe has generally mocked American attempts at building a true supercar. Manufacturers such as SSC, who produced the world record breaking Aero, have failed to capture the imaginations of European buyers, as demonstrated when the SSC Aero that had broken the World Production Car Speed Record sold for around £170,000 at a UK auction in 2008. The list price of a new SSC Ultimate Aero is $654,000.

The Raptor is certainly a good-looking beast, although we don't know if you could call it beautiful. Developing 650 bhp from a V8 engine and weighing in at just under 1.5 tonnes, it should give any Ferrari or Lamborghini a run for it's money. Sadly, however, the likelihood of it making it into production is remote as they sold of a considerable chunck of their business at the tail end of 2008.