SAAB AERO X

About Saab Aero X

Saab Aero-X is a concept car by Saab unveiled at the 2006 Salon International de l'Auto. It is powered by a 2.8 L twin-turbocharged V6 running on pure ethanol that produces 300 kW (400 hp). 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) is predicted to be 4.9 s and top speed is limited to 250 km/h (155 mph). It has a 7-speed manual transmission controlled by paddles on the steering wheel.

Like the American-market Saab 9-2X, the Aero-X has four wheel drive. The doors and windscreen are connected, so instead of using conventional doors or even gullwing doors, it uses a cockpit canopy where the entire top section of the car is opened. This offered the Aero X's driver full 180 degree vision, and also facilitates entry and exit from its low-slung cabin. The body is made of carbon fiber. The suspension is electronically-controlled. Even though it is a compact two-seat sports car, it has reasonable storage, as the rear features two storage facilities, with a conventional hatchback and sliding drawer underneath.Have a look at Saabo.com for more information.

Relationship between Saab Aero X and Wheeljack

It has been rumoured that the Saab Aero X concept car is more like the character Wheeljack. Wheeljack has many similar design elements, especially the notable wrap-around windscreen and white body colot. The irony if this character is chosen to embody the Aero-X concept car,"wheeljack", was apparently a LANCIA vehicle, harkening back to Saab's history. One can base the car's amazing speed on the saying "Born from Jets" a tagline adopted by Saab Aero-X.

An Insight on the Saab Aero X

More about the car, in Geneva, February 27, 2006 - Saab broke the ice tonight on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show by creating a Scandinavian atmosphere to reveal its stunning Aero X Concept car at the GM Premiere Night.

The Aero X is an exciting sports coupé that harnesses the power of Saab's aircraft and Scandinavian design roots. Its innovative features include an aircraft-style cockpit canopy, eliminating the need for doors, and a 400 bhp, twin-turbo, V6 BioPower engine fuelled by pure bioethanol, giving zero fossil CO2 emissions.

This two-seater sports coupe breaks with design convention both outside and inside. First, there are no doors or windshield pillars. That's because the Saab Aero X adopts a cockpit canopy, just as you would see on a jet aircraft. It offers the Aero X pilot full 180 degree vision. Inside, the cabin utilizes techniques derived from Swedish glass and precision instrument making to display data in graphic 3-D images on glass-like acrylic 'clear zones', eliminating conventional dials and switches. Thrust for the all-wheel-drive Saab Aero X also comes from a powerplant with a difference. The 400 bhp, twin-turbo, BioPower V6 engine is fueled entirely by bioethanol, a sustainable energy source that is kinder to the environment by cutting fossil CO2 emissions. For more information; About Saab Aero X

Story by Saab

Disadvantages and Advantages

The Advantages are;

* Normal car doors open out of the car's wheelbase, so they can obstruct the road or pavement when opened. This is not an issue with canopies as they open vertically.
* A-pillars aren't necessary as there are no side doors, so the windscreen can extend from the front to the back of the car, giving the driver a field of vision of more than 180 degrees and minimising blind spots. A-pillars are sometimes still added, like with the Sterling Nova, to give the car a more conventional look. * Entering and exiting the vehicle can be hard with a high sill and awkward roof positioning. However,this problem was overcome with the Saab Aero X, which has a 3 part canopy to fully open the interior.

The Disadvantages are;

* Air-conditioning or climate control is necessary with an all-glass canopy or with a wrap-around windscreen because the canopy provides substantial 'glasshouse effect'.
* If the car rolled over during fast cornering, exiting the vehicle would be impossible, short of breaking the glass.
* In situations of bad weather such as snow, rain, or hail, it is impossible to enter or exit the vehicle without getting the interior wet. The Concept Car or not?