Concept Cars: the Saab Aero-X Concept
Born from Jets: GM emphasizes the point with Saab Aero-X concept.
By Editors of Motor Trend
Photography by the Manufacturer
Saab's Swedish jet aircraft heritage is the theme of the Aero-X, a concept that bows at the Geneva show in March. The two-seat sport coupe features a cockpit canopy in place of conventional doors. A 400-horsepower twin-turbo V-6 powers all four wheels and operates on 100-percent ethanol bio-fuel. GM has been struggling to keep its Swedish automaker distinctive, despite increased platform sharing. Saab says the Aero-X is inspired by aviation (Saab has built aircraft using Volvo engines) and Scandinavian brand heritage.
Talking points
• Interior features glass-like"clear zones."
• Better than sports-car cargo space with "twin-floor" rear stowage.
• First project from the new Saab Brand Center in Sweden.
We never used to do this much
The Aero-X is the third Saab concept car in five years, but only the fourth in the company's history. Which says a lot about GM's uncertainty over the future direction of the Swedish brand.
1985: EV-1 wasn't an electric vehicle, but a Saab 900 Turbo-based concept. EV-1 stood for Experimental Vehicle 1 and represented Saab's first venture into the world of show cars.
2001: 9X was Michael Mauer's first Saab concept. It had a 300-horse V-6 and AWD. The long hood and rear-set two-door wagon-type cabin made it look like a Swedish Chevy Nomad.
2003: 9-3X was a three-door hatchback crossover with a 280-horse turbo version of GM's 2.8-liter high-feature V-6 and all-wheel drive. Some design detail filtered through to the 9-3 wagon.