• HOME
• 
• AUTO LISTINGS
• 
• FINANCE
• 
• NEWS
• 
• DIRECTORY
• 
• REVIEWS
• 
• FORUM
• 
• BLOG
• 

2008 Saab 9-X BioHybrid Concept

If you are a Saab fan, this is the car that you've been waiting to see in the

Smart and stylish, the 9-X BioHybrid Concept is exactly the compact car Saab needs to build. (Photo: Saab)

metal for five years now. It feels like an eternity since the rumors of an entry-level Saab started, if we so graciously exclude the North American-only 9-2x - the Subaru Impreza-based compact that was affectionately dubbed Saabaru. A possible replacement to this car, something that could be sold to global markets, has yet to materialize despite being discussed on message boards and in industry analysts' columns for years as a hatchback based off of the Opel Astra, with Saab styling, Saab interior appointments and Saab powertrains. The Swedish brand needs this sort of model now more than ever, and not just here in North America where fuel prices are rising and the need to appeal to new, more youthful buyers and empty-nesters alike, those most affected by inflation, is paramount, but generally to spread the Saab spirit in higher numbers throughout the world. Saab is a luxury brand, and right now, luxury is downsizing. The market's thirst for compact, premium-branded small-sized cars is quite literally unquenchable, and Saab can do nothing but gain from following this trend.

So, it's a good thing that GM's premium Euro-brand is finally in the doing

Anthony Lo, steward of Saab design, has done amazing things in metal. (Photo: Saab)

stage of the new model process, and as such is presenting its work-in-progress, the 9-X BioHybrid Concept, at this year's Geneva auto salon, the car that the media has been dubbing the 9-1.

Anthony Lo, the man to take over as head of Saab design from Michael Mauer, has done a good job of pushing Saab forward into the future. Its concept cars are distinctively Saab, yet they're also cutting edge, fresh takes on Swedish, minimalist design. The 9-X BioHybrid Concept is a natural continuation on the Aero X theme, but downsized to a more practical form. Staring at it, right down the nose, shows its strong Saab cues, including the wraparound windshield and headlamps, plus the clamshell hood and the brand's trademark three-piece grille. But it's when the 9-X BioHybrid is viewed from other angles that its strongest familial indicators are highlighted, such as the roof, which tapers and thickens towards the rear of the vehicle, not to mention the hockey-stick shape of the window's ledge. These aren't new features, of course, but they're distinguished and visible on new Saabs, like the recently updated 9-3.

Tiny 1.4L engine boosted by direct injection, turbo, E85 and last, but not least, a hybrid drivetrain. (Photo: Saab)

What's different about the 9-X is its backside. It's practically vertical, a cliff-face from the roof. It divides opinions, but more importantly it makes the 9-X BioHybrid unique in a segment filled to brim with conventional hatchbacks. And you know, expected with that whole “Born from Jets” slogan, that there's actually more to this rear hatch than its upright design. The white surround that wraps around the tailgate is actually a retractable spoiler that extends 3.9 inches outwards (not upwards). The aerofoil smoothes the flow of air and provides downforce, reducing drag which benefits fuel economy and lowers wind noise while improving high-speed handling. It works too. At speeds of over 43 mph, when it is electronically deployed, drag is cut by 10-percent.

Inside, the 9-X BioHybrid is pure concept, a place where Saab can display its futuristic designs as much as it wants. The double-stacked dash is completely digitized, with jet-like readouts. It looks cool, but in reality it's all unlikely to make it to production. The concept car also comes with a Sony

Keep tabs on your car with this Sony phone. (Photo: Saab)

Ericsson smartphone that links the 9-X BioHybrid up with some clever multimedia devices. It too, however handy, will most likely not make the reality grade.

The 9-X BioHybrid just wouldn't be a Saab if it didn't have two things, a turbo and the ability to run on E85 ethanol, Saab's favorite, carbon-neutral fuel. A lot of the chit-chat surrounding General Motors of Europe's powertrains has actually ending up debuting on the BioHybrid. Its main engine is the “downsized” four-cylinder scheduled to end up in Opels and some Chevrolets, a tiny 1.4-liter turbocharged inline-four with direct injection, variable valve timing and a turbocharger. But the power story doesn't end quite yet as there might soon be another element to characterize Saab powertrains - hybrid technology. As per General Motors' latest development on mild hybrid drivetrain systems, this concept is actually the first application of an entirely new development. With a more powerful

How much of this interior will make it to production? Not much, but hey, it looks cool. (Photo: Saab)

electric motor and lithium-ion batteries backing it up, the 9-X gains performance, but also efficiency. To keep the battery charged and in peak operational condition, the BioHybrid also has a giant solar panel on its roof.

The run down on performance is as follows: when on gasoline power the engine, combined with the hybrid, will make 170 horsepower and 170 lb-ft of torque. It'll do 0 to 60 mph in 8.3 seconds and has a top speed of 119 mph. It averages 48 mpg on a mix of city and highway driving and emits 6.6 oz/mi of carbon dioxide. Fill that tank with E85, and quite literally everything changes. Saab's ingenious engine management system, combined with the higher octane rating of E85, allows the 1.4-liter engine to crank out 200 horsepower and 207 lb-ft of torque. The extra power drops the car's 0 to 60 mph sprint to 7.9 seconds and its top speed rises to 134 mph. And while you'll use more ethanol driving around - 37 mpg - when running on the fuel, the 9-X BioHybrid comes oh so close to cracking the 5.7 oz/mi barrier that British regulators would allow it to

Run on E85, it's quicker, faster, and produces less emissions. Note the rear spoiler. (Photo: Saab)

travel through London without paying a pence of congestion charges - it achieves a saintly 6.0 oz/mi, a very impressive figure given its power. It's highly unlikely that the production car will feature the concept's robotized six-speed manual gearbox, but it's almost guaranteed that Saab will keep the electric power steering - it'll need it to make the hybrid possible, and for its energy-saving abilities.

Don't, however, be confused by the “X” in the 9-X name. It doesn't stand for all wheel drive, as it has in the past. If anything, the capital X is more a placeholder number, a variable if you will. The 9-X is actually front wheel drive, and will indeed be built off of the next generation Delta architecture, which will also underpin the next Astra, Zafira, Cobalt, and very importantly, the Volt. Who knows, it may also be used as the basis for a small Cadillac down the road. And not that there isn't room for change between now and production, the suspension layout uses struts in front and a torsion beam in back, both with anti-roll bars.

Between this and the 9-4x, Saab's future looks mighty bright. (Photo: Saab)

We're only in March, and yet this has been one of the most important years in Saab's more recent history. Between the 9-X Biopower and the 9-4x Biopower crossover that was shown at the Detroit show in January, these concept vehicles show that Saab is on top of its game, and that GM is putting the money behind the brand, developing what the brand needs to not only survive, but flourish. Although, Saab may be shifting some production away from Sweden - the new 9-3 is earmarked for Germany - the 9-1, when it is produced, is a candidate for Sweden, and at fairly high volumes of 40,000 units per annum.

The 9-X Biopower, like other new products that Saab has been introducing lately, is true to Saab's character through and through. While some of the components have changed since GM took over, its focus on style, performance, functionality, efficiency and safety should even please the brand's diehard fans.

Page:  1

AUTOMOBILE REVIEWS BY MAKE

Acura  Audi   Bentley   BMW   Buick   Cadillac   Chevrolet   Chrysler   Daewoo   Dodge   Eagle   Ferrari   Ford   Geo   GMC   Honda   Hummer   Hyundai   Infiniti   Isuzu   Jaguar   Jeep   Kia   Lamborghini   Lexus   Lincoln   Lotus   Maserati   Mazda   Mercedes-Benz   Mercury   MINI   Mitsubishi   Nissan   Oldsmobile   Plymouth   Pontiac   Porsche   Saab   Saturn   Scion   Subaru   Suzuki   Toyota   Volkswagen   Volvo