2008 Saab 9X Air Concept Review

I was on the Saab 9-2x launch trip back some four years ago, and it was an impressive car... as was the five-door Subaru

Impreza WRX of the era that it was based on. I don't think that GM liked us referring to it as the "Saabaru" at that time, but even they would now have to admit it was a catchy and inevitable nickname. The car didn't sell well, however, and therefore when it came time for Saab to take another stab at a compact luxury model it decided to come to market with something everyone could point to as Saab, first and foremost.

Saab has done a good job of integrating a fair dose of "Saabness" into the other cars within the lineup despite pulling components and entire architectures from GM's European division, Opel, so there's no reason why it can't do likewise with its next-generation compact. Currently, the brand's lineup includes some impressively executed sport-luxury sedans, such as the 9-3 and 9-5, plus a bevy of taut, performance-oriented wagons that bring style and substance to the family hauling equation.

While these midsize models have been the staple of the brand for decades, what the

Trollhattan, Sweden-based marque truly needs is a new small car to go up against Audi's A3, BMW's 1-Series and Volvo's C30, something that pulls in new younger buyers to the Saab brand and attracts those looking for an answer to pump price woes. A possible new direction was revealed recently at the Paris motor show. The 9X Air Concept, while an unusual visual statement of open air touring derived by chopping the top off of last year's 9X BioHybrid and adding a retractable rear window and fabric roof piece, is considered to be an interpretation of the upcoming 9-1 compact.

But rather than speculate on what Saab has in mind for a future model that the 9X Air Concept might look like, there are some interesting details to this specific vehicle that should be explored, like that roof I just mentioned.

"With this car we have created an open air experience that is unique, sophisticated and very premium" said Mark Adams, Vice President GME Design. "From the beginning, we wanted to create an open air car that looked great with the windows up, since this is how convertibles are driven most of the time.”

Drive around California and people don't even lower their convertible roofs at all, the preference being roof and windows up and air conditioning on. But for those who actually use their convertibles like they were meant to be driven, Saab's unique compromise makes an interesting visual statement, and is hardly a compromise at all.

“The roof treatment has allowed us to completely alter the shape of the car,” said Anthony Lo, , Director of Advanced Design at General Motors Europe.

Lo and

his design team penned the car to look more like a closed coupe than the traditional ragtop, which resulted in a car that's more comfortable to drive with the roof open. They dubbed the new system “Canopy Top”, and unlike most convertible tops the rear isn't open to the elements and therefore there is no back- draft of air to cause turbulence and mess up the ‘do.

Additionally, the design team added a standalone rear screen separately from the soft-top assembly, positioned between the car's flying buttress-style rear pillars. I like what they've done here, because it's basically a targa top that leaves the archaic removable hard panel in the dust, instead creating targa that is fully powered, folding away into the trunk when lowered. Saab has already applied for a patent, so I suppose they're either planning on putting it in production or at the very least not wanting anyone else to.

“Convertibles are traditionally developed from a sedan body and have a flat, open rear deck when the hood is down,” continued Lo. “The Canopy Top has allowed us to introduce the rear pillars, which completely change the usual appearance of a convertible, giving it a more dynamic, coupe look. The pillars also anchor a complete wraparound glasshouse, which shelters the occupants from buffeting when the car is open.”

Altogether it's a more efficient package as well. There's no rear screen and supporting material to fold away, so it's smaller and lighter than a conventional cloth top which makes it take up less space in the trunk. Did I say lighter?

Yes, its reduced weight results in better straight-line performance and a lower center of gravity which means better performance through the corners.

“It is the best material, as we save about 100 kilos in weight compared to using metal,” explained Lo. “We have chosen the fabric used for the current Saab Convertible. It is extremely durable and provides effective road noise insulation. For good handling and a lower center of gravity, you also don't want any extra weight high up. All in all, we thought of quite a few drawbacks, and not so many gains, from going with a metal roof.”

The Air was designed alongside the 9-X BioHybrid, so the design and engineering teams chose to keep weight to a minimum from the onset by reducing unnecessary structural reinforcements normally needed when a regular coupe loses its roof. Those strengthening reinforcements used are aluminum, to sheer of even more weight.

Efficiency in mind, Saab designed the powertrain with a focus on saving at the pump and reducing harmful emissions. The 9-X Air gets the same drivetrain as the 9-X BioHybrid, which incorporates engine rightsizing, turbocharging, biofuel

and hybrid technologies for a fun to drive yet clean package. In English that's a turbocharged 1.4-liter four-cylinder with E85 flex-fuel capability and an electric motor featuring a lithium-ion battery pack, mated to a six-speed dual-clutch sequential manual gearbox, the hybrid drivetrain. It's reportedly capable of reaching 60 mph in just under eight seconds, which is acceptable if not blisteringly quick. Then again, the Air's expected 40 mpg average fuel consumption would probably make it a major hit just the same.

The concept features a 3-D blue/green digital dashboard that harks back to GM production models of the ‘70s and early ‘80s, in concept at least, while its four black and white seats are anything but old school. I particularly like the wraparound windscreen, pulling cues from the old Saab 99 EMS that my Dad nearly bought when I was a kid (he got a Scirocco instead and I bought a black '83 900S off the showroom floor when I hit adulthood), and making for excellent all-round visibility. And the Aero X-inspired frontal styling is exactly where Saab needs to take the brand.

Whether or not some of the more creative features of this concept make it to the production model will be up to the bean counters, and at GM this bunch has been burning the midnight oil just to keep the company solvent. It is expected that both hardtop and convertible models will eventually be available, but I'm thinking Saab dealers would just be happy to have any small luxury offering to go up against its rivals, as long as it's not a rebadged Subaru.