February 26, 2002

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Preview:
Saab 93-X
by Greg Wilson

So called 'crossover' vehicles are the latest craze to enchant automakers – there were no less than six new models shown at the recent North American International Auto Show in Detroit – everything from Chrysler's almost-production-ready Pacifica to Mercedes' Vision GST luxury concept.

Crossover vehicles are similar to station wagons, but they're taller, more stylish, more functional and usually feature all-wheel-drive and a taller ground clearance for off-road excursions.

Saab's entry is the new 93-X (pronounced 'nine-three-X'), a handsome, sporty crossover coupe with a turbocharged 280 horsepower 2.8 litre V6 engine, five-speed semi-automatic transmission with steering-wheel-mounted manual gear shifters, an AWD system with an integral anti-skid system, a fully independent suspension, and 20 inch tires and wheels.

The 93-X is built on General Motors' "Epsilon" mid-size vehicle platform, and the model shown in Detroit looked very close to production quality. Saab's Executive Director of Design, Michael Mauer confirmed this, "The 93-X design and its components are close to production standard and I am confident we could accommodate such a car within our current product program," he said.

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From their floor-mounted ignition switches to their dimming night-time instrument displays, Saab automobiles have always been different from other automobiles. The 93-X appears to carry on this tradition. "An all-wheel-drive cross-over product from Saab must, naturally, be a little different, "said Saab Brand Director, Knut Simonsson at the vehicle's intro. "Here we have a sporty coupe concept that is multi-dynamic: it can be adapted for different uses. The 93-X offers enhanced on-road stability for everyday driving, while also providing extra traction when needed for the occasional off-road experience, and, above all, it's great fun to drive either way!"

"For Saab to be true to its heritage, we wanted to go off-road in a slightly different way," said Mauer. "If you want a large, heavy sort of mud-plugger, there are plenty of products already out there. But if you want something truly distinctive with a strong sporty ethos, we think the 93-X coupe format provides quite a unique solution."

The Saab 93-X project team was led by the head of Advanced Design, Anthony Lo. His task was to ensure that the coupe format did not conflict with the "real world" requirements for such a vehicle. "The car had to look desirable as a sporty coupe for the road," Lo said. "But this is not a cosmetic exercise - the looks had to be backed up with true functionality."

"We wanted to create a look that clearly links the two concepts," Lo added. "The lines of the 93-X are extremely clean and uncluttered and, despite the relatively high ride height required for this type of vehicle, we wanted to disguise the higher stance. Having a relatively long 270-cm (106.3-inch) wheelbase helped."

Saab made an early decision not to use body cladding, bumper bars or roof bars, features common to sport utility vehicles. The 93-X's high stance is disguised by sporty, 20-inch alloy wheels shod with relatively low-profile tires. The increased wheel movement required for off-road driving is accommodated by the carefully shaped, flared wheel-arches. These are body-coloured with a satin paint finish.

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Inside, there is seating for four adults, and a feeling of spaciousness is enhanced by twin glass panels that extend the entire length of the roof. The open feel is enhanced by pale green leather upholstery for the sports seating and interior trim, contrasted with dark seat inserts and upper surfaces of the dashboard fascia and doors.

Ventilation and soft interior lighting are provided through narrow openings in the dashboard and door trims, a theme first seen on the 9X concept. This contributes to the clean interior layout, eliminating the need for separate air-vent mountings and light fittings. There are few visible knobs or buttons, because one of the design team's priorities was to eliminate "visual clutter" from the interior, consistent with the clean lines of the exterior styling.

The dashboard breaks from Saab tradition by eliminating a wraparound, integrated centre console. The twin-dial instrument display is set in a gently curving, relatively narrow fascia panel flanked only a by a rotary lights switch and the main display screen. The speedometer and tachometer dials, illuminated in light blue, are digital but use an analogue-style presentation. A small oval display for warning information also sits atop the dashboard, close to the natural line of sight.

The aluminum and leather-trimmed steering wheel features buttons on its twin spokes that control the entertainment system, phone, and gear changing mechanism for the semi-automatic transmission.

A long console over the transmission tunnel accommodates a starter button set in the side of a small pop-up tower as well as the selector lever for the transmission. The four electric window controls are located immediately aft of the starter button between what appear to be two grab handles. The one nearest the driver is, in fact, an electrically powered handbrake with a disguised button. A second display screen, for rear-seat passengers, is located at the back of the console.

The advanced "infotainment" functions of the 93-X are based on a powerful electronics network using fibre-optic technology with a capacity of 25 Mbits per second. This system already leads the automotive industry and will serve as a platform for use in the next generation of Saab cars.

A large, three-position knob - an "automotive mouse" - is positioned alongside the gear selector and provides access, via the main display screen, to the entire "infotainment" system.

The menu for the first position covers settings for all in-car comfort features, such as the automatic climate control, front seat positioning, and interior illumination. The second position activates "media" functions, including satellite navigation, radio, CD, TV, and DVD systems. The third position governs "office" functions, such as e-mail and other Internet facilities.

A large storage box at the rear of the console includes an outlet for connecting a hand-held PC, allowing the driver to access information, such as calendar, schedules, and addresses, via the main screen.

A small, drawer-like panel can be pulled out from the lower dash fascia to allow extensive custom programming of many systems such as default settings for the automatic climate control, anti-theft alarm, rain sensing wipers, clock/radio, and other information displays.

The Saab 93-X offers flexible load-carrying abilities and plenty of useful storage. An innovative refinement is the ability to store and charge up a mini camcorder and batteries in a customized pack mounted in the driver's door pocket. The Saab 93-X even includes an instant playback facility through both front and rear screens.

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The Saab 93-X also features further developments of the sliding floor and cargo-securing tracks, which first appeared on the Saab 9-5 Wagon. Both front and rear seatbacks fold down into the seat cushions, giving flat, level surfaces for easy load carrying. In addition to four cargo-securing tracks running longitudinally down the rear floor, all four seatbacks are each equipped with a pair of tracks. This increases the options for securing loads safely when the seats are down, even allowing a custom-designed rucksack, for example, to be easily mounted for additional stowage when the seats are up.

The floor-mounted door of the split tailgate features a neat, mechanical linkage that automatically extends the rear floor when it is lowered. This facilitates loading bulky items and allows for an easy return of the floor before the tailgate is closed.

As an alternative to a roof rack, the Saab 93-X further extends the use of cargo-securing tracks. A pair of tracks is mounted in the central roof spine between the two glass sections so that custom-designed roof boxes, ski holders or bicycle carriers can be securely located when needed.

Saab 93-X technical specifications and performance

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Body: Two-door cross-over coupe with floor-mounted rear tailgate, steel body

Engine: Lightweight "Ecopower 2" 2.8-liter V6 turbo engine with 60-degree configuration, double overhead camshafts, four valves per cylinder, direct ignition and variable valve timing. Saab Trionic engine management. Front, transversely mounted.

• Maximum power is 280 bhp at 5,500 rpm.
• Max torque is 400 Nm (available from 1,700 to 5,500 rpm).
• Performance (projected): Top speed: 250 km/h (limited)
• 0 - 100 km/h: 6.2 sec. (figures are projected).

Greg Wilson is a Vancouver-based automotive journalist and editor of CanadianDriver