Saab 9-5

Saab doubles up on biofuel sizzler

All the performance of a 4.0-litre petrol from a 2.0-litre unit

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BioPower 100

By Chris Thorp

23rd February 2007

The Swedish company will pull the covers off its hi-tech 9-5 estate-based BioPower 100 Concept at next month's Geneva Motor Show. Under the bonnet is the firm's first production-based powerplant to run exclusively on pure bioethanol. Until now, engines have run on standard E85 biofuel, which contains 15 per cent petrol.


	Delivering an impressive 150bhp per litre, the technology will also be used on smaller engines, theoretically allowing an efficient 1.5-litre powerplant to offer a hot hatch-beating 225bhp

With modified internals and re-mapped engine management, the BioPower 100 removes the need for fossil fuels altogether. This not only makes it more environmentally friendly, but allows the turbocharged engine to produce 300bhp and 400Nm of torque. That's enough to get the Saab from 0-62mph in 6.6 seconds.

Delivering an impressive 150bhp per litre, the technology will also be used on smaller engines, theoretically allowing an efficient 1.5-litre powerplant to offer a hot hatch-beating 225bhp. As well as putting the finishing touches to its latest green performance machine, Saab has been testing its new facelifted 9-3, which will go on sale in the UK later this year.

Both saloon and estate versions of the revised model will get a heavily restyled front end which echoes the changes made to the larger 9-5 last year. The new model will also get revised doors, while a fresh high-performance diesel flagship will be added to the line-up, too.