Next 9-3 cabrio takes to the Air

By Conor Mills

19th September 2008

SAAB has revealed an all-new model – and it’s a breath of fresh air! Called the 9-X Air, it marks a radical reinvention of the traditional convertible.

The concept is set to debut at the Paris Motor Show, and sources at the Swedish firm say it gives a good indication of what the successor to the
9-3 convertible will look like.

It has been created under GM Europe’s Director of Advanced Design, Anthony Lo. The roofless stunner’s exterior is uniquely styled, with raised C-pillars at the rear allowing the flat canvas roof to be easily mounted on the back. On the production car, once the hood has been stowed, the
rear screen will move back into position, leaving all occupants surrounded by glass and eliminating wind disturbance.

Under the bonnet, the 9-X Air will use the same 1.4-litre engine which featured in the 9-X BioHybrid concept revealed at the Geneva Motor Show earlier in the year. This runs on a blend of 85 per cent bioethanol and 15 per cent petrol. The 200bhp unit will allow the drop-top to complete the sprint from 0-62mph in just 8.1 seconds, while emitting only 107g/km of CO2.