The last time there was this much buzz about a Saleen->ke76 model, the dedicated auto company unleashed the S7, a car that was, at one point in time, considered the fastest and most powerful car in the world.

So you have to excuse the excitement in the room now that Saleen is back and teasing a "special announcement" at Laguna Seca->ke981 this weekend as part of the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion. We are thinking that this announcement will actually be the unveiling of a new Saleen model.

After years of the company being in limbo, including Steve Saleen's departure from the company he built from the ground up, there now appears to be a stable foundation that has given way for the debut of what could very well be the successor to the mighty S7.

While we're expecting a completely different -- and new -- supercar, we certainly wouldn't be disappointed if this debut ends up being the production version of the S5S Raptor Concept, a prototype model that was introduced in 2008 as a concept but never saw production due to the tumultuous circumstances that befell Saleen at that time.

But all of that is water under the bridge now and Saleen is preparing for something special at Laguna Seca this weekend. And if there's a company that has made us wait long enough for a supercar successor to its initial offering, it's Saleen.

Click past the jump to read about the Saleen S5S Raptor Concept

2008 Saleen S5S Raptor Concept

First unveiled at the New York Auto Show->ke226, the Saleen S5S Raptor Concept was supposedly earmarked as a limited-production model that would have sold for $185,000.

But for one reason or another, those plans were scuttled and the S5S Raptor never made it past the auto show floor.

It was a shame then and it still feels like a shame now, especially when you consider that the supercar's looks and capabilities would have made it a definite winner. The Raptor was a two-seat, mid-engine supercar with a then segment-leading 650 horsepower and 630 pound-feet of torque coming out of its 5.0-liter supercharged engine. Those 650 ponies were awesome because it allowed the supercar to hit a top speed of over 200 mph.