Boss Man on Boss 302: Steve Saleen on the George Follmer Heritage Edition Boss 302 Mustang

There's nothing inherently new about special-edition Ford Mustangs. Straight out of the factory, the Mustang has provided a useful canvas to imaginative customizers for decades.

Among the most prominent Mustang tuners is California-based Saleen Automotive, which continues the tradition of southern California's uniquely tuned machines. The latest model in Saleen's repertoire of high performance is the : a special-edition Mustang based on the already hot Boss 302 package.

The Heritage Edition designation refers to a series of tuned 'Stangs that are named for famed racing drivers, among them George Follmer, who drove a 1969 Boss 302 Mustang. Previous Saleen special-edition namesakes have included Parnelli Jones and Dan Gurney.

The George Follmer Mustang was first unveiled at an event in Monterey in August.

At last week's Mustangs at the Queen Mary event in Long Beach, Calif., editor-in-chief Michelle Naranjo had the opportunity to speak with Steve Saleen, president and CEO of the company that bears his name, and a driving force behind the George Follmer Heritage Edition Boss 302.