What is it?
Saab 9X Concept
What's special about it?
With a shape that had showgoers ogling it for hours on end, not to mention numerous trick functional components, the 9X concept was easily one of the most intriguing vehicles at this year's show.
Although the car is designed as a look into the future of vehicles in general, Saab Executive Director of Design Michael Mauer made sure to point out that this was no cardboard cutout. "We have designed and built the show car as a fully working, entirely feasible prototype which could go into production with very little modification. I regard it as very much a statement of intent."
With its sports car-like proportions, the 9X might seem like nothing more than a weekend playtoy, but a closer look reveals surprising functionality. There are four "dimensions" to the 9X: 2 + 2 coupe, open top roadster, wagon and pickup.
As a standard sport coupe, the 9X promises thrilling performance with a 300-horsepower turbocharged V6 under its long, pronounced hood. A low center of gravity combined with all-wheel drive and excellent weight distribution ensures that the 9X would live up to the performance expectations of even the most demanding enthusiast. Removable roof panels allow the 9X to transform instantly into an open-air roadster, further enhancing the 9X's visceral appeal.
Unlike most sports cars and roadsters, however, the 9X can provide more than just high-speed thrills. Both rear seats as well as the front passenger seat can be folded completely flat to provide considerable room for varying amounts of cargo. If that's not enough, just activate the electro-hydraulically powered tailgate and watch as it folds down flat and the cargo floor extends to transform the 9X into a mini-pickup of sorts. A non-slip, waterproof fabric covers the entire load space for all-weather protection and removable tracks can be clipped into the floor to provide adjustable tie-down points.
Why should you care?
Saab's designers obviously took the idea of the practical sportscar very seriously. The 9X's blends head-turning looks and extreme performance with everyday usefulness, a trait that very few current production cars offer. The fact that it represents a very buildable car is even more exciting. Even if it never enters production, it at least signals a new and exciting direction for Saab that could turn this perennially small-market car company into a brand with true mass appeal. — Ed Hellwig
Saab 9X Concept
What's special about it?
With a shape that had showgoers ogling it for hours on end, not to mention numerous trick functional components, the 9X concept was easily one of the most intriguing vehicles at this year's show.
Although the car is designed as a look into the future of vehicles in general, Saab Executive Director of Design Michael Mauer made sure to point out that this was no cardboard cutout. "We have designed and built the show car as a fully working, entirely feasible prototype which could go into production with very little modification. I regard it as very much a statement of intent."
With its sports car-like proportions, the 9X might seem like nothing more than a weekend playtoy, but a closer look reveals surprising functionality. There are four "dimensions" to the 9X: 2 + 2 coupe, open top roadster, wagon and pickup.
As a standard sport coupe, the 9X promises thrilling performance with a 300-horsepower turbocharged V6 under its long, pronounced hood. A low center of gravity combined with all-wheel drive and excellent weight distribution ensures that the 9X would live up to the performance expectations of even the most demanding enthusiast. Removable roof panels allow the 9X to transform instantly into an open-air roadster, further enhancing the 9X's visceral appeal.
Unlike most sports cars and roadsters, however, the 9X can provide more than just high-speed thrills. Both rear seats as well as the front passenger seat can be folded completely flat to provide considerable room for varying amounts of cargo. If that's not enough, just activate the electro-hydraulically powered tailgate and watch as it folds down flat and the cargo floor extends to transform the 9X into a mini-pickup of sorts. A non-slip, waterproof fabric covers the entire load space for all-weather protection and removable tracks can be clipped into the floor to provide adjustable tie-down points.
Why should you care?
Saab's designers obviously took the idea of the practical sportscar very seriously. The 9X's blends head-turning looks and extreme performance with everyday usefulness, a trait that very few current production cars offer. The fact that it represents a very buildable car is even more exciting. Even if it never enters production, it at least signals a new and exciting direction for Saab that could turn this perennially small-market car company into a brand with true mass appeal. — Ed Hellwig
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