Saab rolls out futuristic concept
400bhp Aero X -- will they produce it?
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Saab's new Aero X concept "harnesses the power of Saab's aviation and Scandinavian roots to make a unique statement in performance car design", said the GM subsidiary. The aim is to show the future direction of and inspire future designs by Saab, which remains proud of its aviation roots. Powered entirely by bioethanol and made of carbon-fibre, it's unusual all right.
This dynamic two-seater sports coupé breaks with automotive design convention both outside and inside: there are neither doors nor windscreen pillars. Instead, the Saab Aero X adopts a cockpit canopy, aircraft-style. It offers the Aero X pilot 180-degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low-slung cabin.
Thrust for the all-wheel drive Saab Aero X also comes from a green, bioethanol-fuelled, twin-turbo V6 that kicks out 400bhp.
With weight-saving carbon fibre bodywork, a lightweight powertrain, electronically-controlled suspension and all-wheel drive, computer simulations anticipate zero to 62 mph in 4.9 seconds and a top speed limited to 155 mph.
Inside, the Saab Aero X's cockpit completely eliminates conventional dials and buttons. Instead, Saab has applied techniques derived from Swedish glass and precision instrument making, displaying data on glass-like acrylic 'clear zones' in graphic 3D images.
All exterior and interior lighting is by LED, which Saab reckoned "has given the design team new freedoms to exploit the compact packaging benefits of a technology that will be featured increasingly in future Saab products."
The Aero X is still supposed to be practical and includes a useful twin storage facility, with a conventional hatch opening and sliding drawer underneath.
"This study shows how the strength of the Saab brand heritage can inspire bold, innovative design," said GM's European design chief Bryan Nesbitt. "As we move forward with new Saab product, we will remain focused on carefully cultivating this brand equity in the context of Scandinavian design values."
"This concept shows the exciting possibilities that are open to us as we evolve a more progressive design language for the Saab brand," said Saab boss Jan Åke Jonsson. "Our designers, engineers and marketers in Sweden are ideally placed to nurture and communicate the unique DNA of the Saab brand. Their work will ensure that future product proposals express core qualities, such as progressive design, sporty performance and emotional functionality, in a way that is specific to Saab."
The Saab Aero X is the latest in a series of concepts from Saab, each aimed at accentuating different brand qualities. These include the 'four-dimensional' 9X (IAA Frankfurt 2001), the 9-3X Cross-over Coupé (Detroit 2002) and the 9-3 Sport Hatch (IAA Frankfurt 2003).
This, and parent GM's cash-strapped condition, make it almost inevitable that the Aero X will never reach production.
TUS 373 said:
Wow! Hats off - I love it. Shame that so many concepts are only ever just that, concepts. I also love the interior and the sound of that new technology for instrumentation. This is so futuristic.
Please Saab - go on, do it!
Yes please. Mr Lutz, show us you've still got some guts (OK, I'm useless at coming up with catchy pay-offs that aren't totally cringeworthy, but at least they're free to use
). Let the beancounters rule a little longer at Saab, however, and you'd be well advised to scrap the lot. If this thing can't kick any life back into the ol' brand, nothing will.
>> Edited by 900T-R on Tuesday 28th February 13:12
What do most cars have that this doesn't? A-Pillars!
With the recent obsession with lack of forward visibility from certain angles in cars and bike accidents, there may be incentive to make cars more like this.
I know it is unlikely they will build it, but please do so! The Saab brand (to me) has alot of credibility behind it and they could carry this off and do themselves a great deal of good. Go on Saab, do it, I dare you!
Still absolutely love it, hope it gets to production in a form resembling this!
silver993tt said:
What's this thing with pillar box windows on these concept cars? They have no visibiliy. Thsi is what you get with the Audi TT, nice to look at but useless visbility.
A reaction to all the MPV's and SUV's out there with those uselessly large touring bus windscreens? Back when the TT was new I rove one on the track, and it felt... well, cosy and protected, like sitting in a small armoured vehicle (but hey, I drive an old-school Saab and a MINI... both of which are quite similar in this aspect - and dare I say it the pre-996 911s are much the same to me?). The Morgan 4/4 I drove for half an hour with the hood closed was positively claustrophibic and lack of visibility scared the sh*t out of me, though.
silver993tt said:
Same as the trend with bigger and bigger wheels, 19 inch is the fashion now, anyone for 20 inch? These give a shit ride and look stupid on smaller cars such as the mini (with 18 inch wheels, why oh why?)
Have to agree with you on that one, although the MINI on the alrger rim sizes is additionally compromised through the use of those horrible runflat tyres. Team Dynamics' new Dutch distributor told me replacing the wheels and tyres on a 17"-shod Cooper with their Pro Race wheels and non-runflat tyres of the same size, saves an easy 30 kgs of unsprung/rotating weight!
...does look good though
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