Photo: Cars & Bids
Traditionally, Saleen has been known for tuning Mustangs, but that doesn’t mean Saleen only tunes Mustangs. There was, of course, the S7 supercar that it built back in the 2000s, and there was the S1 that Saleen tried to sell in China. But between 1998 and 2001, you could also get a Saleen-tuned performance version of the Ford Explorer called the XP8. And now one has surfaced that you can buy and enjoy in all its late-1990s awesomeness.
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This particular Saleen XP8 is currently listed for sale on Cars & Bids, and it looks about as clean as it gets when you’re dealing with a second-generation Ford Explorer. They were all over the place when they were new, but they weren’t exactly built to last 25 or 30 years, so even though there’s some corrosion and faded paint, as well as a number of other small flaws, good luck finding one that doesn’t have any issues.
Photo: Cars & Bids
And good luck finding another Saleen XP8, period. Cars and Bids claims only about 125 XP8s were ever produced, and you have to assume that far fewer are still on the road today. That also doesn’t account for the fact that the base engine was just a naturally aspirated 5.0-liter V8. Whereas this one has the optional supercharger that boosts power from 222 hp and 298 lb-ft of torque to 286 hp and 333 lb-ft of torque.
Those aren’t big numbers by today’s standards, but that’s still a solid increase in power that you should be able to feel behind the wheel. But also, just look at it. It’s ridiculously cool if you’re suffering from a bit of ‘90s nostalgia. This was as cool as the Explorer got back then, and you’re guaranteed to draw all sorts of attention everywhere you go. Especially if you take it to Radwood, where it recently won Best Truck. Come on, you know you want a 25-year-old Ford Explorer.
Photo: Cars & Bids
Photo: Cars & Bids
Photo: Cars & Bids