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Saab - a company whose model range has been worryingly stagnant for a few years - is promising a "product offensive" of cutting-edge new cars.
The 9-4X biopower concept points the way as a "vital next step in an accelerating new product offensive that will see the Swedish premium brand represented in all major segments of the market", says Jan ke Jonsson, managing director of Saab Automobile.
"This concept is more than a statement of our intent to enter the crossover segment. It also represents our commitment to take the Saab brand to new customer groups, offering a premium alternative choice they have never had before."
The global crossover segment has trebled in size in the past seven years, but Saab has so far been absent from the market.
The General Motors-owned brand plans to launch a production car using the 9-4X as a base. The concept has been built around what Saab calls the philosophy of "rightsizing", with a 2.0-litre turbo engine that runs on biofuel, and compact exterior dimensions.
The 9-4X also mates a Saab biopower engine with all-wheel-drive (Saab XWD) for the first time.
The lightweight, aluminium, four-cylinder engine is optimised for E85 fuel (85 per cent bioethanol) and gives 400Nm.
E85 has a higher octane rating than petrol, making it more resistant to harmful pre-detonation, or "knocking", when the fuel/air mixture is compressed in the cylinder.
The engine has a raised compression but retains "flex-fuel" capability because the management system adjusts the ignition timing and turbo boost pressure to ensure there is no pre-detonation with standard petrol - albeit with reduced outputs.
The Saab XWD features active management. This not only splits torque delivery between the axles, but also between the rear wheels via an electronically controlled rear limited-slip dif- ferential. This can transfer up to 40 per cent of the torque between the rear drive shafts, to the wheel that has more grip.
