Saab Aero wins concept award
Sleek machine pointer for the future
Saab Aero X Concept
At the ceremony in London the Saab Aero X was praised for its dynamic stance and the designers’ constant references to Saab’s aircraft heritage, including its innovative wraparound windscreen, turbine wheels and canopy-style cockpit.
Presenting the award, Autocar editor Chas Hallett said: “The Aero X takes familiar Saab design cues and shows how they can be incorporated into modern architecture and plausibly extended even to a 400bhp super-coupe.
“The fact that the car also proposes futuristic fascia and interior elements, which are as plausible as they are original, and demonstrates how much better a car can be without windscreen pillars, just makes it better.”
The award adds to the trophies won by the Aero X. When it was first shown at Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the concept was awarded the coveted ‘Best of Show’ honour by US magazine Autoweek, which is also widely seen as one of the world’s most influential titles.
“We are very proud of this award,” said Bryan Nesbitt, executive director of Design for General Motors Europe. “The Saab Aero X is much more than just a concept car. It is a testament to the design direction we’re taking Saab in the future.”
Saab also sees the Aero X as a definition of Saab’s commitment to fossil-free propulsion. As a result, the concept is powered by a 400bhp turbocharged V6 BioPower engine that can run entirely on pure E100 bioethanol. As with the styling, the powertrain is a strong hint at what lies in the future for Saab.
Last year, the Opel Antara GTC was the winner.
all like a McLaren SLR 
Don't get me wrong fanciful visions are great, much better than the dreary "box on wheels city car of the future" trash that gets wheeled out, and old concepts of the 60s/70s are definitely my "thing". I just wish some of these journos and students would research their subject before dishing out superlatives for something being 'revolutionary'
But both those features, sort of, have been on production Saabs. The 900 screen is pretty wraparound by most standards, and the 9-5 estate has an optional load tray that slides out of the boot floor. Not an actual drawer admittedly, both similar concept.
Of course the Opel CD finished up in production as the Bitter CD after Erich Bitter saw it and liked it so much decided it could be viably built as a low volume luxury car. All we need now is for him to see the Saab in the same way and build us a low volume Bitter Aero!
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