While it's certainly not a bargain-you get what you pay for. If speed, power and status are worth over $500k to you, then the Saleen S7 Twin Turbo is the car for you; although calling it a "car" seems quite the understatement ... after all, a Honda is a car too and classing these vehicles together just doesn't feel right. One spin in this pricey supercharged machine and you'll understand what I'm talking about. For auto enthusiasts who prefer to buy American, the Saleen S7 is a dream.

When it first hit the market in 2002, it was the only street-legal car in the U.S. with more than 500 horsepower and 500 lb-ft of torque. Today, the Saleen S7 Twin Turbo is the fastest and at $555,000 is the most expensive sports car of its kind that money can buy. According to Saleen, the S7's shape was inspired by the wind. Optimal aerodynamics and top speed performance objectives were achieved with extensive wind tunnel work. Targets included a low coefficient of drag, optimum drag-to-lift ratio, and extreme down force. The S7 has "full tray" body sculpting underneath. For the 2005 S7 Twin Turbo, the redesigned front and rear diffusers, along with the new rear spoiler, result in a 40 percent reduction in aero drag and a 60 percent increase in down force.

Those of you who know anything about aero forces recognize the significance of that last statement. Typically, you would have to trade down force to reduce aero drag. The S7's new all-aluminum V8 engine casting was engineered and tooled to displace seven liters. Space age materials and engineering are used throughout, including stainless steel valves, titanium retainers, beryllium exhaust valve seats, an aluminum throttle body, Saleen-designed aluminum CNC-machined cylinder heads and stainless steel exhaust system. If you've read this far, you know your car terminology. If you read past the sticker price, you must be a serious racecar enthusiast.

For LxM Amy Covington