Just a few years ago, 500 horsepower was considered extraordinary. Today it's commonplace," noted Fred Blount, vice president of sales for Saleen, Inc. While "commonplace" may be a bit extreme in itself, there are now at least 20 cars on the road that break the 500-hp barrier, according to a count by TheCarConnection, with more coming. So what is a respectable supercar, such as the Saleen S7, supposed to do? When it launched in 2002, it was the only street-legal car in the U.S. to exceed that barrier. Now the upgraded Saleen S7 Twin Turbo will remain tops in the domestic category by adding twin turbochargers giving it a big boost for 2005. The S7 Twin Turbo edition is rated at 750 hp and 700 lb-ft of torque. Other changes for the new year are meant to improve the car's downforce and handling, as well as the ergonomics of the interior.

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