Saab 9-5
It might look like any other Saab load-lugger, but do not be fooled. There is nothing ordinary about this workhorse. With the latest alternative fuel engine under its bonnet, this version of the 9-5 Estate delivers amazing performance and has a 155mph top speed. The ethanol-powered unit is still in prototype form, but offers a massive 300bhp.
The ethanol-powered Saab is not only green, but also has breathtaking pace to go with its low emissions. Just a nudge on the throttle sends the trailblazing load-lugger accelerating like a high-performance machine. The most powerful car yet from Saab turns ethanol into a sexy subject!
It might look like any other Saab load-lugger, but do not be fooled. There is nothing ordinary about this workhorse. With the latest alternative fuel engine under its bonnet, this version of the 9-5 Estate delivers amazing performance and has a 155mph top speed. The ethanol-powered unit is still in prototype form, but offers a massive 300bhp.
Yet it is a car that will also be popular with conservationists when it goes into production next year, as its 2.3-litre engine uses a renewable fuel. The car will be built in small numbers by Saab to persuade Europeans to drive on ethanol - the fuel made from agricultural crops such as sugar cane.
A new range of 2.0-litre 9-5 BioPower models reaches Swedish showrooms in June, and orders are already being taken. They will cost no more than conventional 2.0-litre petrol cars, and provide improved performance.
What's more, the government there has made ethanol 15 per cent cheaper than petrol, decided the cars using it are exempt from congestion and parking charges, and lopped 20 per cent off the tax paid by business drivers. Let's hope the UK authorities follow suit in future.
