Steve Saleen's big plans for 2009

With a little help from Detroit, Steve Saleen is fanning the flames of the ol' musclecar war. No longer content with just modifying Mustangs, the former head of Saleen Inc. is branching out.

First Steve rolled out the SMS Limited Signature Series Dodge Challenger, and now we have some more details on a Saleen version of the 2010 Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro. For 2009, SMS Limited will not only build the SMS 570 and 570X Challengers, but also the SMS 460 Mustang and later in the year a line of SMS Camaros in their 150,000-square-foot facility in Anaheim, California.

All of the cars will get SMS superchargers, tweaked suspensions, and unique exterior styling elements, and the superchargers are more efficient and provide better cooling than anything they've used before. The company is also putting a new emphasis on upscale interiors, with better materials that should justify the cars' higher sticker prices.

SMS Challenger production should begin this month, with 2010 Mustangs starting to show up in the spring. And if all goes according to plan, Camaros should start rolling out by the end of the year. Customers wanting a bit of Saleen magic applied to their musclecars will be able to order them through select Dodge, Ford or Chevrolet dealerships.