Saab took another look at potential designs for a compact car the size of a VW Golf with the Saab 9-X Air – designed in conjunction with the 9-X biohybrid, the Air was a convertible with a retractable black fabric hood, but otherwise the 2 cars were identical.
The car was first shown at the 2008 Paris motor show, the concept used a 1.4 litre turbocharged engine that could run on bioethanol, and could have reached production in hardtop form based on the Vauxhall / Opel Astra platform and using similar engines, but the recession put a stop to that and Saab’s new owners are reviewing all models slated for production.
Saab 9-X Air Concept
Saab 9-X Air Concept Side
Saab 9-X Air Concept Rear
Saab 9-X Air Concept Interior
The Saab 9-4X was showed at the 2007 North American Motorshow and signalled Saab’s intent to enter into the compact crossover 4×4 marketplace. “This concept is a clear statement of what our brand is about,” said Jan Åke Jonsson, Saab Automobile Managing Director. “It is also an important next step in our plans to enter new market segments with distinctive product offerings.”
As Saab had the Vauxhall/Opel Antera chassis to work with this could easily have happened, unfortunately the recession happened first and plans were shelved, which is a shame as this car was pretty much production ready.
Saab 9-4X Concept Side
Saab 9-4X Concept Side
Saab 9-4X Concept Interior
The Saab Aero X Concept car was first shown in 2006 as a flagship model that could potentially lead the brand. It featured a 400 horsepower V6 twin turbo engine that runs on 100% ethanol fuel as a BioPower engine reducing emissions.
The concept was far to outlandish to ever make production as Saab doesn’t develop its own platforms and had no big rear drive chassis it could use, and the pivoting canopy would be incredibly difficult and expensive to manufacture on a large scale. Rather the Aero X helped identify future styling directions, and got the brand a huge amount of attention as any good looking sports car does.
Saab Aero X Concept Front
Saab Aero X Concept Side
Saab Aero X Concept Rear
The Saab 9-3X Concept car was first shown in 2002 and was the first Crossover design shown by Saab, a mix of coupe, hatchback and 4×4, it was the first template set out for the possible design of a small car to compete against the likes of the VW Golf.
With Saab models being built on European GM platforms, Saab had a ready made chassis in the form of the European Vauxhall / Opel Astra model.
Saab director of design Michael Mauer said: “The 9-3X is the next step in the establishment of Saab’s new design language, which started last year with the 9X concept. I am confident this car will be an important inspiration behind future Saab products.”
Saab 9-3X Concept Front
Saab 9-3X Concept Side
Saab 9-3X Concept Rear
Saab 9-3X Concept Interior