Saab 99 Reviews

With the local car industry now at the halfway point in the 2007 sales race, it is easy to see who's winning and who's losing.Toyota is basking in the glory of not only being No.1, but also cementing its sales lead so convincingly that — barring a catastrophe — it will take out the sales crown this year.The Altona-based Japanese company is 40,404 vehicles clear of its nearest rival, Holden. It is also relishing the positive spin of the Corolla knocking off the Holden Commodore last month.But apart from Toyota, other players are also revelling in the good times.Of the importers, Mazda, Subaru, Suzuki and Peugeot managed strong June sales.Mazda sold 6932 cars, with the Mazda3 being the strongest seller on 3037.The company experienced the biggest market share gain of any importer.Its record half-yearly result is 20.3 per cent up on the same time last year, lifting market share from 6.7 per cent in 2006 to 7.5 per cent, a gain of 0.7 percentage points.Subaru's tally was 4085 for the month, with the Forester, Impreza and Liberty all breaking through 1000 sales.Suzuki, like many importers, was buoyed by keen end-of-financial year deals.It sold 2368 cars for the month, bringing its year-to-date tally to 10,910 vehicles, a 43 per cent lift over last year.Of the French, an ever-expanding Peugeot line-up continues to bolster sales, but Renault flops around due to a lack of new product.Peugeot sold 1016 vehicles last month, bringing its year-to-date run-rate to 4549, a 13 per cent lift over last year. The 307 continues to be Peugeot's best seller.By contrast, Renault has a year-to-date total of 1431 vehicles, 32 cars fewer than last year.Even Saab experienced some solid growth, albeit off a low base, as the 9-3 turbodiesel helped lift the marque's appeal.Saab sold 336 cars last month, its best month for 10 years, taking its year-to-date tally to 1148, a 170 per cent lift over last year.The X-Trail, Tiida and Navara continue to drive Nissan sales. The Japanese importer sold 5845 vehicles last month with 31,176 year-to-date, a 20 per cent lift over last year.The Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries monthly Vfacts figures show that most of the extra volume last month was generated by the light, small and medium car segments.A breakdown of large car sales shows that Holden sold 5588 Commodores last month, Ford 3206 Falcons, Toyota 2626 Aurions and Mitsubishi just 877 380 V6s.All three were eclipsed by the new four-cylinder Corolla, which secured 5890 sales.But a finer look at the figures shows that much of the Corolla's success was down to fleet purchases and pent-up demand for the new car, which spiked figures.But a sale is a sale. Holden's own figures point out that 29 per cent of VE Commodores are bought by private buyers, as opposed to 18.6 per cent for the VT Commodore.Apart from the Corolla, other small car stars were the Mitsubishi Lancer with 2143 sales, Holden Astra 1763 and Ford Focus 1550.Of the tiddlers, Toyota again ruled last month. The Yaris managed 2926 sales against 2486 for the Hyundai Getz, 1361 for the Kia Rio, 1351 for the Suzuki Swift and 1392 for the Honda Jazz.Despite the dominance of the light, small and medium segments, large cars were up 3.7 per cent in June and, in year-to-date terms, are running 5.1 per cent ahead of last year.However, Ford's overall market share has slipped 2 per cent and Holden's by almost 1 per cent, despite its Korean strategy, which was hoping to deliver an increased share.Mitsubishi is a bit stronger, experiencing a 0.6 per cent overall drop in share and, despite Toyota's increasing sales, its share has increased by only about 0.6 per cent.One of the more interesting results was for the Ford Fairlane.Ford sold 149 Fairlanes, bolstered by the news that the long-wheelbase sedan will be axed at the end of the year.Dealers are also reporting a slight pick-up in interest for the car from fleets.Overall, the year-to-date sales figure of 524,376 means that a record 1 million market is likely by December.   Top 10 makes  1 Toyota 24,5392 Holden 14,2563 Ford 10,3044 Mitsubishi 81945 Mazda 69326 Nissan 58457 Honda 57508 Hyundai 50239 Subaru 408510 Volkswagen 2848 Top 10 models1 Toyota Corolla 58902 Holden Commodore 55883 Toyota HiLux 42494 Ford Falcon 32065 Mazda3 30376 Toyota Yaris 29267 Toyota Camry 26458 Toyota Aurion 26269 Hyundai Getz 248610 Mitsubishi Lancer 2143 

Saab has changed more than 2000 things about the new model range to meet massive sales expectations. While the platform remains, the biggest news is the addition of all-wheel-drive.Given Saab's ability and penchant for loads of torque and front-wheel-drive. There are a number of models in the brand's history that could have warranted AWD; involuntary lane-change in a Viggen anyone? but it's here now.Destined for our shores early next year, the XWD Saab's designation for the latest-generation Haldex 4 system will hopefully lead the model range back to the forefront of buyers' minds.Australia's GM Premium Brands director Parveen Batish is aiming for continued sales improvements in 2007, he says the 9-3 will further improve the brand's performance next year."We did 1650 last year and this year we're tracking 16.5 per cent up on that. We're aiming for June 30 to be over 20 per cent up. It's been a great start,'' Mr Batish says."We've made lots of changes to the way we go to market. We've gone from giving allowances to dealers to customer offers instead. We're trying to be more customer-focused.''The brand's stated priorities are the new 9-5 and an SUV (which appears to be destined for a 9-4 badge), with a compact car built off the next-generation Astra platform all set to transform the sales tables.Mr Batish says the only way Saab can compete with the rest of the premium brands in Australia is with a car below the 9-3 and an SUV."The only way we'll really compete is going in both directions. It would be great to have those (the smaller car and SUV), we don't have them -- discussions are happening all the time and we're looking in those directions."The new 9-3 will help boost sales and you've got to make money to invest in products,'' he says.The new 9-3 range is expected on sale in Australia during November this year, with the flagship Aero XWD and the TTiD arriving in the first quarter of 2008.The base model still gets the 1.8l 110kW/167Nm powerplant, with the 129kW/265Nm or 155kW/300Nm models also on offer in the new 9-3.The Aero gets 188kW (up by 4kW) and 350Nm (or 206kW and 400Nm in the XWD model) and the existing 110kW/320Nm diesel is joined by the 132kW/400Nm two-stage turbo that's particle filter-equipped.Those tech-heads who've trawled through German spec sheets before will know the Haldex name from some Audi and Volkswagen product, but Saab is claiming all-new first use of the fourth system. Chief among the attributes is a pre-emptive set-up that lays claim to superior response to a lack of traction, with the in-car electronics and traction aids used to determine which wheel is best served with drive torque.The system also incorporates a rear electronic limited slip differential for added traction as well as a yaw control task, helping to stabilise the Aero XWD under heavy braking and cornering forces.The AWD system is for now an Aero-only feature, teamed with the 2.8-litre turbocharged V6 -- expect a price premium of several thousand dollars -- along the lines of its German competition's AWD price hike.Set to wear the Aero badge in its home market of Europe, the second newcomer to the Saab 9-3 range is a second turbodiesel model -- the TTiD two-stage turbodiesel.Still displacing 1.9 litres, the turbocharger has two turbines -- one small, one large -- which tag-team depending on engine revolutions to provide best-response for outputs.The new diesel offers 132kW and 400Nm, with sub-6.0 litre per 100km fuel consumption claims.The new model is easily picked as a Saab. The new snout, which adopts the old clamshell bonnet from Saab's history books, and the inherited face of the Aero X concept car offer ample DNA for identification.The new headlights with bi-xenon on the top-spec models gain a LED eyebrow, which works along the same lines as BMW's corona rings in supplying daytime running lights as well as a character trait for the new look.The bumper profiles on the Aero have been tweaked, the door handles have a more integrated look, the rear light lenses are now clear, the flanks of the SportCombi have lost the rubbing strip for a cleaner look, says Saab.The basic platform remains the same, albeit re-engineered particularly with a view to the rear-drive apparatus, with work being done to quieten the 9-3.A six-speed manual or automatic are the transmissions on offer, the latter gaining a Sport mode that offers more aggressive gear-changing habits.Pricing is still far from set but Saab Australia is aiming to get the new model's price tag close to the current range.With aims of 3000 units per year, the 9-3 will be critical to Saab's plans. A competent, capable and swift machine it is, but only time will tell if the brand can win back the not-so faithful.The DriveWith memories of the Viggen still strong, it was almost a relief to be settling in behind the wheel of an all-wheel-drive Saab.Not the somewhat-cynical 9-2X -- which the Saab hierarchy is adamant was a mistake and would not be repeated -- but the new 9-3 XWD.The Aero V6 turbo version, which offers 188kW and 350Nm, and its recent predecessors are far better controlled than the scintillating and scary Viggen.The prospect of all four wheels doing clever things electronically to get all that Swedish grunt to ground was plenty to anticipate, with the Swedish staffers putting on a handful of pre-production test cars for some driving on loose dirt, dry bitumen and a long, ultra-slippery skid pan drenched in water.Our chaperones were riding shotgun;  these were rare test cars after all, but there was no dire warnings of imminent doom for misbehaviour.Flinging the first car through the U-shaped dirt course certainly kept the minders alert, but the grip, poise and general ability of the all-wheel-drive system felt considerable.The electronic stability control's threshold felt a little less intrusive, allowing the driver to play a little with the tail on the dirt or wander across the skidpan in varying states of sideways but with decent levels of control.Repeated laps did little to diminish the first impression, with the turbo V6 getting plenty of grunt to ground and building speed quickly down the short back straight between the dirt and the skidpan, despite the presence of three chicanes.The other models were available for road drives and while the two-litre BioPower ethanol-slurping engine has plenty to offer, the new diesel is a big step forward for Saab.Although the Australian sales of the diesel SportCombi have been plentiful, according to the Australian arm of the company, the current powerplant has been accused of excessive noise.The new 9-3 has been fitted with more engine-bay insulation and the new turbodiesel is much quieter as a result, although you're still aware of its design at idle.The power delivery has been improved considerably, offering a broad spread of torque and power delivery in the upper rev ranges; most un-diesel like and more like a petrol engine than ever.In-gear acceleration is ample and the fuel use is frugal.Time in BioPower 2-litre turbo shows the engine has plenty of output to offer, as well as a thirstier demeanour.The engine note takes on a harder edge under full throttle but, aside from that, the powerplant behaves as the rest of the Saab engine range does; good torque and power, and not unpleasant engine note. 

Audi was 123% more likely to be stolen than the average vehicle, followed by BMW (117%).However, the other German luxury brand, Mercedes-Benz was up only 19% on the average.The 2006 Suncorp statistics do not provide actual numbers, type or age of vehicle, only proportions stolen.Vehicles below the average were Volkswagen, Ford, Mitsubishi, Mazda, Kia, Peugeot, Daewoo, Nissan and the least likely to be stolen was Daihatsu.The research showed that the more expensive the vehicle, the more likely it was to be stolen.The most stolen vehicles were those in the $60,000 to $100,000 bracket, despite the fact that these have better theft protection.Suncorp also released claims information on crash frequency which shatters the theory that the better the car, the better the driver.Claims where the driver was at fault for the accident were 10 per cent more likely for cars that were worth $60,000- $100,000. Alfa drivers were 58% more likely to make an at-fault claim than the average driver.Suncorp motor insurance general manager Daniel Fogarty said the results could suggest that drivers of prestige motor vehicles may feel safer in their cars, which could lead to over-confident attitudes, resulting in more accidents occurring.“On the other hand, drivers of new prestige vehicles may feel slightly more nervous on the roads than if they were driving a mid-range car, which might potentially cause more accidents, as the financial implications of accidents are higher,” he said.One of the most common types of claims that Queensland drivers made was for a single-vehicle accident.Holden Special Vehicles drivers were 50% more likely to make a single-car accident claim, followed by Audi (49%) and Chrysler (44%).Least likely to make such a claim were Daihatsu drivers at 30% less than the average.The statistics also show that if you lend your new car to a friend or relative there is a 12% chance that they will scratch or damage it, but a 93% chance they will also own up to it. Frequency of thefts1. Audi 123%2. BMW 117%3. Jaguar 100%4. Alfa Romeo 89%5. Saab 74%Frequency of at-fault accidents1. Alfa Romeo 58%2. Proton 19%3. Mazda 13%Frequency of not at-fault accidents1. Audi 102%2. Alfa Romeo 94%3. Proton 75%Frequency of single-vehicle accidents1. HSV 50%2. Audi 49%3. Chrysler 44% Source: Suncorp claims statistics for 2006 

As Australia's new car juggernaut rolls on towards the magic million sales mark, the number of available models continues to swell. Already recognised as one of the most diverse and competitive car markets in the world, Australian importers continue to add to the mix.With half the year nearly gone, buyers have taken almost 500,000 new vehicles into their garages with some of the traditional biggest selling months still to come.At least three new marques will arrive in Australian showrooms in the second half of  the year; Hummer, Mahindra and Skoda,  testament to the vibrancy of what is, in world terms, a minor market.However, it is the expanding model range within existing brands that will drive the Aussie market over the million mark for the first time.Over the next six months more than 50 new or revised models will arrive in Australian new car showrooms. Here's a look at what's coming soon:ASTON MARTINDip your lid in style in September with the V8 Roadster, a gorgeous extension of the Vantage. AUDI Audi starts its end-of-year program in September with the R8, the biggest, baddest Audi in the garage The Supercar looks with enough performance to keep most on their toes. Also on the cards for October is the A5, Audi's first coupe since the TT. An all-new platform which comes as a front-wheel-drive and quattro. In November the V8 4.2 TDi may answer some questions for the Q7, including on fuel economy. BMW You'll have to wait until October for the new M3, but the latest offering from the M garage has something special. It's the first V8 for an M3. CHRYSLER A Sebring convertible, topless cousin of the sedan launched in early 2007, arrives in December. DODGE The Nitro SUV joins the Caliber for Dodge next month and the US marque backs that up with its Avenger sedan in August. FIAT The baby Ritmo, sold as the Bravo in Europe, will be Fiat's second passenger offering in Australia when it lands in October. Expect petrol and diesel. FORD The rush to oil-burners continues with the Focus getting the honour of being Ford's first passenger diesel next month before the Focus CC, the drop-top concept that set hearts aflutter at Frankfurt two years ago lands in October. The other big news for Ford is the return in November of the Mondeo for a third tilt at Australia. HOLDEN The key second-half model from the General is the VE Ute, bringing all the developments in the VE sedan to the working man's Holden. HONDA The Civic Type-R is razor-sharp styling built around a high-revving fun package. Next month. HUMMER The iconic offroader from the land of the large truck opens its Aussie account in October, a couple of months later than anticipated as a result of production delays for the H3. Surprisingly agile with real offroad ability. HYUNDAI An important second-half for the Korean marque. It starts with the popular Santa Fe SUV finally getting the 3.3-litre V6 from the Sonata to give it some extra punch. In October, the new Elantra hatch joins the sedan in the Aussie line-up after a wait of almost 12 months. JAGUAR An October styling refresh for the marque's luxury sedan, the XJ, is all from the Big Cat this year before a big 2008. JEEP The second of Jeep's non-Rubicon Trail-rated soft-roaders arrives in August to join the Compass for duty around town. KIA The Carens compact people mover has never really taken off here. The new generation is a little bigger and more stylish. It will be powered by a four-cylinder petrol or diesel engine with five- or seven-seat capacity. On sale in October. LAND ROVERThe baby Freelander gets a complete makeover for this generational change. New engines and a new family look all go on show in July. MAHINDRAIndia's workhorse ute, the Pik-Up, starts to roll out to Australia in July. MAZDA A new generation and a new look for the little Mazda2. Sharper styling is the key to this one's October debut. At the same time Mazda will add a diesel option to its top-selling Mazda3 range. MERCEDES-BENZThe key model for Mercedes this year is the meat-and-potatoes C-Class. Bigger, brighter and ready to meet the masses it is available from July. Also on Mercedes' new-model list is an upgraded ML500 and R-Class in September, both getting the 285kW V8 engine. October is a big month for the three-pointed star with the crackingCL65 AMG (a bi-turbo V12 with 450kW and 1000Nm) and the more sociable S320 CDi, which marries diesel with uber-luxury. MITSUBISHI You have to love a fighter. Australia's “other” family car, the 380, wins a minor refresh with some interior updates from next month. In August the automatic turbo diesel, traditionally the model's top seller, completes the Triton range while in October the point guard for the red-hot Evo X (due late in the year), the new Lancer, promises look-at-me-styling and more punch than the current model. NISSANThe baby Micra finally gets the green light for Australia with an October date with sales. In November the X-Trail, a core model for Nissan and the compact SUV that set the benchmark for those who actually can go off-road, gets a full generational change. The Dualis arrives in December. A softer option to the X-Trail, it sits on a similar platform but is more plush. PEUGEOT It's all about size for the French manufacturer. In July the 207CC, the previous generation of which set the standard for accessorising small cars, is back and promising to reclaim the crown. Its far more focused and athletic sibling, the GTi arrives in August with its turbocharged 1.6-litre engine. The station wagon derivative of the base 207 goes on sale in October. PORSCHEThe 911 turbo cabriolet proves Porsche's belief that if you can go fast in a sedan you should be able to go just as fast in a cabriolet. In September you can prove it for yourself. RENAULT August sees the Megane diesel join the Renault fleet, while the Clio Sport returns in November in an all-new guise. SAAB The new 9-3 will highlight Saab's first all-wheel-drive system in a completely renewed model range. All models arrive in November. SKODA Launches into Australia with a two-pronged attack in October. The Octavia medium-sized hatch and the quaintly named Roomster compact MPV will carry the flag initially. SMARTIn September the next next-generation smart ForTwo arrives, a little bigger and a little smarter. SUBARU The new Impreza is one of the most polarising styling departures of the year. In basic and WRX fettle the hatch arrives in September. A cult car heads mainstream and the jury is out. SUZUKIIf it ain't broke ... A freshen-up for the car that put punch back in Suzuki's local range, the brilliant Swift is in showrooms in October with the sedan version of the SX4 “tall hatch” joining the stable in September. TOYOTA The first product from Toyota's new “hot shop”, the Aurion TRD, arrives in August with a 3.5-litre supercharged V6 with sports manners and a load of plastic kit. Also in August is the generational change for Kluger with the SUV getting a substantial facelift and the 3.5-litre V6 from the Aurion. November brings the Landcruiser 200 Series and a TRD version of the HiLux. VOLVO The highlight for the Swedes in the second half of the year is the all-new generation of the XC70 due in November. About the same time the C30 will get the in-line five-cylinder diesel. VW A hot version of the Passat, the R36, is heading Down Under in November. 

The Royal Automobile Club of Victoria has just completed its annual cost of ownership survey of a range of current models.The survey looks at total running cost and is based on vehicles travelling 15,000km a year, which is the Australian average.It factors in the cost of a typical car loan, depreciation, registration, club membership, comprehensive insurance plus servicing, fuel and tyre costs.Fuel costs were calculated on an unleaded petrol pump price of $1.26 a litre, $1.31 for diesel and 47c for LPG.Fuel prices have risen significantly since the survey was finished so true running costs will be even higher.The survey results show the cheapest car costs about $6000 a year to run, compared to $18,500 for the most expensive.The most affordable car was Hyundai's Getz at $116.54 a week, followed by Holden's Barina ($120.85) and the Toyota Yaris ($125.88).Go up a size and Toyota's Corolla was the winner at $154.49, followed by the Ford Focus ($156.49) and Holden Astra ($158.12).The medium class sector was won by Toyota's Camry at $193.05, followed by the Mazda6 at $197.85, and Honda Accord Euro ($218.07).Large cars are, as expected, more expensive to run but, surprisingly not that much more.The best was Mitsubishi's 380 at $200.44, so it is cheaper than the Honda Accord. Toyota's Aurion was next best ($217.60), followed by Ford's Falcon ($229.13).For large families, the Kia Carnival people mover at $216.68 beat the Honda Odyssey ($228) and Toyota Tarago ($267.61).Diesel and hybrid cars were cheaper to run but don't forget diesel cars initially cost more and replacement batteries for hybrids are hellishly expensive and have a short lifespan.The cheapest was the Honda Civic hybrid at $175.29, beating the Toyota Prius at $200.63. A VW Golf diesel was better than the Prius on the wallet at $187.93.A Ford Falcon running on LPG cost $211.43 a week, while the dual-fuel Commodore came in at $225.10.The popular compact SUV market was headed by Honda's CRV at $203.86, followed by Nissan's Xtrail ($207.36) and Subaru's Forester ($208.52).Medium SUVs had the Holden Captiva out in front at $225.16, followed by the Ford Territory ($234.47) and Toyota Prado ($286.16).At the expensive end of the running cost spreadsheet were the big four-wheel-drives.The cheapest was Nissan's Patrol at $269.53, while the Toyota LandCruiser cost $357.51 a week.

Saab this week released photos of the new 9-3 range with much of the styling cues from the Aero X concept car.Outside, it is a much shapelier and curvy character with a “face” up front and no ugly black rubber strips on the bumper or doors.The front grille has much more impact, being bigger and curvier with a three-piece air dam and fog lights, rather than one horizontal strip.The headlights now wrap around and slope up at the outside like cats' eyes.The new 9-3 also returns to the Saab tradition of a clamshell hood, a tradition that started with the '67 Saab 99.GM Premium Brands communications manager Emily Perry said Australia would get all three 9-3 models — Sport Sedan, SportCombi and Convertible — all at the same time, in the last quarter of this year.“We will get petrol and diesel initially just as we have now,” she said.“We are interested in 9-3 BioPower for Australia, but we will launch BioPower in Australia in 9-5 this year and see how it goes.“So we don't have a 9-3 BioPower launch date just yet.”The new 9-3 range will come in three trim levels — Linear, Vector and Aero.“I don't have any further news on the interior at this stage,” she said.Although there are no details about the car's interior yet, it would be good if they broke away from the cliched fighter aeroplane cockpit theme.Perry doesn't hold out much hope for that: “It would be fair to assume that it would be very similar, or unchanged, to the current recently launched interior which is fresh into 9-3 this year,” she said.“Saab interiors still remain the `cockpit' styled interior and driving position but it has been simplified, giving it a clean modern look.”We hope so.

Called the 9-3 TiD, it comes with a six-speed manual as standard or optional six-speed automatic. The auto has sequential manual change mode.Prices start at $44,990 for the manual sedan, subject of this review.The twin cam engine is a lift from General Motors Opel operation in Europe and can be found in the Holden Astra manual diesel.It is good for 110kW/320Nm output – plenty to push the sedan along at a rapid clip.It will do this while consuming a meagre 5.8-litres/100km making it possibly the most fuel efficient premium vehicle of its size on the market.Nothing on the outside or inside of the diesel is any different from the petrol models except badging.The TiD is well equipped with leather upholstery, heated seats, climate and cruise control and 16-inch alloys.It is a great drive, engaging, semi-sporty, smooth and relatively quiet and is blessed with impressive acceleration across a wide engine rev range – not common in turbo diesels.The manual is easy to use and not too shabby off the mark. Comfortable around town and out on the highway, the car is also practical and easy to live with – a well-rounded package that should be cheap to run.We wanted a second opinion and asked school teacher Adam Hendry for his thoughts on what was the first diesel car he had driven.He liked the styling and said the Saab was an unconventional beauty epitomised by the unique key and ignition system.“The leather interior is spacious and comfortable although austere,” he said.“Considerable room in the cabin is freed up by the transverse engine that also allows for a good-size boot.“The dash is not overcomplicated and everything is easily deciphered and functional.” He particularly liked the cruise control and position of the audio controls and other control buttons on the steering wheel.“Despite the driver’s seat being fully adjustable it felt like an instrument of torture until I found a comfortable driving position,” he said.“In first gear at under 2000rpm, I found the Saab a little sluggish but after that it responded well.“The six-speed gearbox helps overcome this slow start by its close ratios and smooth shifting.” The most appealing quality of the Saab from Mr Hendry’s point of view was its fuel economy.”

They’ve been running cars on ethanol for years without incident in South America. But apart from adding a small quantity of the stuff to our unleaded petrol it really hasn’t taken off here yet.And even this small quantity has not been without controversy, with claims that it can damage engines.That could all change, however, with the arrival of Saab’s BioPower cars, designed to run specifically on ethanol – led by the Saab 9-5 BioPower.We’re not talking about 10 per cent, but E85 or 85 per cent pure ethanol, which is combined with 15 per cent unleaded petrol.While some engineering changes are required to run E85, Saab says it does not require any special technology. BioPower vehicles will run happily on either petrol or ethanol, but some modifications are required before you go sticking ethanol in the tank because of its corrosive nature.They include the addition of more durable valves and valve seats and the use of ethanol compatible materials in the fuel system, including the tank, pump, lines and connectors. In return you get a more environmentally-friendly fuel and one that delivers better performance, because of its higher octane rating. The trade-off is that you burn more of it.Ethanol is alcohol distilled from grain, cellulose or sugar cane. It has been produced from sugar cane for many years in Brazil and also from corn in the the US Mid-West.In Sweden, it is produced from wood pulp and forest residues, with feasibility studies to see whether it can be produced from lignocelluloses.As a fuel, the most important difference between petrol and ethanol is that ethanol does not add to global carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.This is because CO2 is removed from the atmosphere during photosynthesis by the crops grown to produce ethanol.The main thing, of course, that ethanol is renewable and oil isn’t.Currently Saab offers BioPower versions of its 2.0 and 2.3-litre turbocharged four cylinder engines.Our test vehicle was a 2.0-litre wagon with “Saab BioPower” emblazoned on the side. Normally this engine would produce 110kW of power and 240Nm of torque, but with E85’s higher octane rating of 104RON this figure is boosted to to 132kW and 280Nm.The wagon certainly has plenty of zip, but at the same time seemed to chew through a full tank of E85 quickly.We had barely travelled 170km before the 68-litre (not standard 75-litre) tank was reading half empty and at 319km the low fuel light came on.By 347km the trip computer was demanding we refill the car. If you are planning any long distance trips this could be an issue, as there only half a dozen fuel outlets in NSW that offer E85. At the time we refilled the tank, the trip computer was proclaiming fuel consumption of 13.9 litres/100km.However, the tank only took 58.4 litres of E85, which working out the maths put our consumption at 16.8 litres/100km – about the same as a hoary old V8.There are no official fuel consumption figures for the 9-5 BioPower, but in comparison the same car with a 2.0-litre petrol engine delivers a claimed 10.6 litres/100km.Of course this needs to be weighed up against the cost of E85 (85.9 cents a litre when we filled up), compared to unleaded which was selling at the same servo for 116.9 cents – 26.5 per cent less. However, as we were burning 58 per cent more fuel, that in fact puts us 31.5 per cent behind the eight ball.Saab meanwhile claims fuel consumption for the BioPower is about the same as a petrol model at constant cruising speeds. But in mixed driving conditions it is uses about 25-30 per cent more E85. Carbon emissions for the petrol engine are 251 grams, but there are no figures on ethanol.

Generally, I’m in favour of trying the local delicacies in a foreign country, but a plate of hair-rings (sometimes spelled “herrings”) or some briney kippers is enough to turn anyone’s gills the colour of mushy peas.The Swedes are also very Green people, as in so environmentally aware that if they ruled the world we’d all live in flatpacked houses made out of recycled Ikea packaging and there’d be so little global warming we’d all have to wear black skivvies.Of course, we’d all have to drive Volvos or, for the slightly luckier, Saabs.Fortunately, you don’t have to wait for the meek Swedes to inherit the earth before you can use their know-how to do your bit for the planet.The Saab 9-5 BioPower is the company’s current future vision, and the best news about it is that, finally, someone has delivered a clean, green machine that doesn’t accelerate like a snail with chronic fatigue.In fact, the BioPowered 9-5 has more power and torque when it runs on ethanol than it does when chewing nasty old petrol, which pretty much makes it the great leap forward those of us who love driving and trees equally have been waiting for.The 2.0-litre turbocharged engine produces 132 kW and 280 Nm when running on E85, (a mix of 85 per cent ethanol and 15 per cent petrol). That’s up from 110 kW and 240 Nm, or a 20 per cent increase in maximum power and a 16 per cent increase in torque over the equivalent petrol model.To put that in terms teenage boys will understand, the Bio version will do 0 to 100km/h in 8.5 seconds, compared to 9.8 seconds on petrol.It should come as no surprise that the Swedes have been snapping up BioPower vehicles the way they normally Hoover up salted fish, with 12,000 sold since they were launched in July, 2005 – accounting for 80 per cent of all 9-5 sales in Saab’s home country.Obviously, it helps having ethanol widely available, but the struggle to find the stuff shouldn’t put off Australian buyers because, ingeniously, the car’s “flex-fuel’’ system means it can run - without any LPG-style flicking of switches - on any combination of E85 fuel and/or petrol.Of course, if you have to fill it up on normal unleaded, you’ll notice the lack of zip. The 9-5 we tested had the words BioPower written in 30-foot-high letters down both sides of the car (and if I had a dollar for every time someone asked me whether it ran on laundry powder, I could have bought one) so I was too embarrassed to drive it very far.But, late at night, I did do enough kilometres to note that it really did have considerable, tweaky-turbo-style get up and go.Unlike some Saabs, though, it had plenty of off-the-line grunt to match the top-end turbo rush.It’s not a sports car, by any means, but for a family sized vehicle it was a more than honest performer, with plenty of overtaking ability.The steering and dynamics didn’t seem too poor, either, but the 9-5 does fall down slightly on the interior front – which used to be a Saab strong point.Some of the fit and finish didn’t seem to be as good as we used to expect from the Swedes, and a cynic would point to the fact that the company is owned by GM these days and thus not quite master of its own destiny.The car also feels a little dated, but this could be because I can vaguely remember going to the launch of the original 9-5 in 1997 (and being forced to starve because there were only 53 types of herring on the menu), and things don’t seem to have changed much.The exterior design has at least been tweaked a little, though, and it’s undeniably a classy looking vehicle, with plenty of prestige presence and a svelte nose.So, alternative fuel issues aside, it’s not a bad car, but is turning to ethanol a worthwhile investment, or just a worthy one?The bad news is that, because it has less energy than petrol, you need to burn more ethanol to go the same distance – about 30 per cent more, according to Saab.We were seeing slightly scary figures – like 22 litres per 100km – on the trip computer. So, that loss of economy is going to take out any price advantage.On the plus side – and anyone whose seen An Inconvenient Truth will appreciate this – ethanol is a renewable and carbon-neutral fuel.This is because emissions from the exhaust pipe are balanced by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere, through photosynthesis, when the crops that the ethanol is harvested from are grown.Saab Australia estimates that you can cut your carbon emissions by 80 per cent with a BioPower vehicle.And ethanol really can work as a fuel source. Nearly all of Brazil’s domestic road transport needs are met by bioethanol, which is produced from sugar cane.The bad news is that E85 is not readily commercially available in Australia yet, but a company called Manildra owns a number of service stations which have ethanol pumps.Despite this fact, Saab is taking orders for the BioPower vehicles, and expects to have them on sale here by June.Unlike some alternativeish cars (think the Toyota Pious), the price premium won’t be huge, with Saab Australia tipping just a $1000 to $1500 sting on top of a base 9-5, which sells for $57,900.The company is determined to take the moral high ground, with a pledge to become the country’s first carbon-neutral marque.Saab is buying a one-year ‘offset’ from Greenfleet for every one of its vehicles purchased.Under the agreement, Greenfleet will plant 17 native trees for each car sold, which will absorb the greenhouse gas emissions produced by those vehicles in one year.

Where manufacturers have previously pursued one environmental solution, most are now embracing multiple strategies to the high-profile problem.GM chairman and CEO Rick Wagoner best summed up the industry's new multi-pronged environmental strategy as energy diversity.He referred to alternate energy sources such as electricity, ethanol, biofuels, compressed natural gas, hydrogen and combinations of these working happily together in the same vehicle.Wagoner says GM will also continue to seek improved efficiency from internal combustion petrol and diesel engines and expand its commitment to electric power.GM will introduce a test fleet of 100 hydrogen-powered Chevrolet Equinox fuel cell vehicles in the US this year and 10 in Europe, he says.Other car companies working on alternate powertrain solutions, such as Kia, also pledged to introduce test fleets, particularly for government evaluation.The first of GM's new energy strategies to be introduced in Australia could be the extension of the Saab Biopower range from the 9-5 to the 9-3 model range, including vehicles running on 100 per cent biofuel.GM has also developed a new cleaner turbo diesel V6 engine which could power the new Holden VE Commodore.Wagoner confirmed that the 184kW 2.9-litre Italian-made engine would be compatible with the VE chassis, but he could not confirm its application in the Australian market. A GM Holden spokesman says the company will consider the engine.Mercedes-Benz has started its push to clean up diesel emissions with a detox system called BlueTec. It is claimed to reduce nitrous-oxides (NOX) from the exhaust by up to 90 per cent compared with previous diesels.The German firm has introduced BlueTec in its upper-luxury E320 sedan in the US market and will follow that up with three more models next year. The E320 and the follow-up R320 people mover, ML320 SUV and GL320 4WD will be released in Europe in 2008 and are expected here later in 2008 or early 2009.Volkswagen showed a Passat and a Polo with the technology, the latter capable of a low 102g of CO2 and greatly reduced NOX.Japanese makers are aggressively pushing hybrids. They are led in this by Lexus, which announced it is making more hybrids combining electric motors with petrol engine models than conventional petrol-fuelled vehicles.Geneva launched the Lexus LS600h luxury saloon that it claims has the power of a V12 with the economy of a V6. It has a V8 petrol engine combined with an electric motor to deliver 327kW. Yet Lexus claims the lavishly-equipped saloon will get an average fuel consumption of only 9.5-l/100km while having a CO2 emission level of less than 220g.Toyota showed a hybrid concept sedan, the Hybrid X, that is more a styling exercise than a mechanical marvel. Then there is the Toyota FT-HS hybrid sports car that combines a 3.5-litre petrol V6 with an electric motor; a car that doesn't ignore performance or style.But while Europe is going diesel and Japan is leaning towards hybrids, there is some blurring of technologies.Honda announced a NOX-depleting system similar to BlueTec and says it will be fitted to its diesel-powered cars. It plans to launch its new diesels within three years, first in the US and later in Europe and Australia.At the same time, Honda says it will make its fuel-cell electric car available to selected buyers by next year, making it likely to be the world's first car maker to make a production fuel cell passenger car.The new Honda, which uses hydrogen gas and air to produce electricity to power electric motors, is based on its long-standing FCX concept vehicle.To keep its feet in all camps, Honda plans to introduce a small-car hybrid that is currently in concept form.The Small Hybrid Sport shows that even hybrids can be fun and sexy.Subaru unveiled its 2-litre turbo-diesel engine that will go into European models later this year but won't come to Australia until at least late 2008. It is Subaru's first diesel and has been devised to improve sales in diesel-crazy Europe.Meanwhile, BMW and DaimlerChrysler have announced they will join forces to create a new hybrid system for the premium car segment.Both companies plan on introducing the new technology into rear-wheel-drive models within the next three years.A BMW spokesman says the technologies will be tailored to fit the specific character of the different vehicles.And, two battery city cars were among the show oddities, including the Zebra which was painted like animal fur.