Saab's recent obsession with ethanol-based fuel has produced a range of European cars it brands BioPower. In the United Kingdom alone, the Scandinavian automaker builds four versions of the 9-5 with E85 credentials. The BioPower 100 takes the form of a 9-5 SportCombi wagon, but it can run on E100, or 100 percent ethanol.
Thanks to increased airflow and higher compression ratios made possible by the octane-rich E100 (equivalent to 106-octane gasoline), the BioPower 100 cranks out 300 horsepower and 295 pounds-feet of torque from its turbocharged 2.0-liter engine. That's double the output of the gas turbo that runs in the European 9-5 2.0t. The concept car can run from zero to 60 mph in the low six-second range; it would easily dust its mild-mannered twin, which makes the run in a leisurely 9.6 seconds.
Combined city and highway gas mileage is about 25 mpg. That represents a 20 percent drop from gas mileage in the 9-5 2.0t, though it's marginally better than that of the E85 9-5 BioPower on sale in Europe. Credit the engine, which is optimized to run on E100, Saab says. It can use E85 or regular gas, but with either one it loses considerable chutzpah.
Changes to the SportCombi's exterior include new headlights and taillights, as well as 19-inch alloy wheels similar to those on last year's Aero X concept. Inside, white leather seats sit behind a dashboard trimmed in black leather and carbon fiber. Saab's AlcoKey, which incorporates a breathalyzer into the key fob, is supposed to ward off drunken driving — although if you're on the fence about getting behind the wheel in the first place, you shouldn't need a breathalyzer to tell you not to.
Saab says BioPower is coming to the States, but only in E85 form. As infrastructure is minimal for E85 and virtually nonexistent for E100, don't expect to see this concept BioPower its way here anytime soon. |
— Reported by
Kelsey Mays, Cars.com;
images courtesy of the manufacturer |
