Saab unveiled the 9-X BioHybrid Concept hatchback last March at the Geneva Motor Show, and it will be joined next month at the Paris Motor Show by this: the 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept. Both vehicles are said to herald the coming of a production Saab 9-1 small car, but the 9-X Air goes a step further and replaces the original concept's closed roof with a flat-folding canopy top that's said to celebrate the brand's history in the convertible building business. Aside from that, the concepts appear to be almost identical right down to sharing the same turbocharged 1.4L Saab BioPower engine producing 197bhp. We'll bring you more pics and info of the Saab 9-X Air BioHybrid Concept straight from the show floor in Paris next month.
The Opel Meriva concept's high belt-line and hatchback shape looks like it could double as a Pontiac Vibe of the future, but recent history tells us it could one day find its way into a Saturn dealership. Automotive News quotes unnamed GM execs saying that the next generation Meriva is "being considered" for the U.S. market. The dreaded "business case" has to be made in order for the little MPV to land stateside, but the Meriva, already successful in Europe, has plenty going for it. The concept that previews the next production model was built with parts from two of GM's small car architectures that will be shared with other vehicles, and the Meriva's turbocharged 1.4L engine also rested under the hood of the Saab 9-X concept. The Meriva would also supply Saturn with a fuel-efficient family hauler, at least more efficient than the VUE CUV, another European import from Opel. Heck, it's not our money, we say build it, slap on a Saturn badge and call it a day.
The Geneva Motor show promises to have plenty of green products on display, and Saab intends to join the fun with its 9-X BioHybrid concept, which we previously thought would be called the 9-1X. We already know the 9-X BioHybrid will draw heavily from the styling cues of the Aero X and the 9X concepts, and now we're getting the scoop on the eco-friendly powerplant of the wagon/hatch.
World Car Fans Finland is reporting that the 9-X BioHybrid will draw motivation from a turbocharged 1.4L BioPower engine. As was the case with the 9-4X from Detroit, the 9-X will be E85-capable, and even though the engine's four cylinders have the collective volume of a Super Big Gulp, it will still deliver 200 hp. If a small powerplant and corn power doesn't deliver enough oil relief, the 9-X BioHybrid will also receive assistance from some form of a hybrid battery pack. We'll deliver more details on the 9-X BioHybrid on Monday, so stay tuned.
