At the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January, for example, Saab debuted its innovative 9-4X BioPower Concept, a four-cylinder, 2.0-liter turbo engine optimized for E85. “This concept is a clear statement of what our brand is about,” says Jan Åke Jonsson, automobile managing director at Saab. “It is also an important next step in our plans to enter new market segments with distinctive product offerings.”
Saab’s current BioPower models are the top-selling flex-fuel vehicles (FFVs) in Europe. The new concept demonstrates Saab’s commitment to “rightsizing,” or achieving sufficient levels of performance with a smaller, more efficient engine. To that end, the BioPower concept uses direct injection to deliver fuel to the combustion chamber to increase power and enhance engine efficiency, and continuously variable valve timing to enhance turbo response at low engine speeds, which contributes to an even wider spread of torque. On E85, the engine gives 300-horsepower and 400 Newton meters (295 foot-pounds) of torque, and produces more power and less carbon dioxide emissions compared with gasoline. In addition, the 9-4X is the first model in which Saab has partnered its BioPower technology with the all-wheel-drive feature.
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In early March, the editors of AutoWeek, a North American automotive enthusiast’s magazine, voted the Saab 9-X BioHybrid, which was unveiled at the 2008 Geneva International Automobile Show, the “best concept.” It combines the E85-optimized BioPower turbo engine with General Motors’ next-generation hybrid system.
A second GM subsidiary, Hummer, which already announced that all its models would be available with a biofuel power train in 2010, also debuted an environmentally friendly FFV concept at the Detroit show. The HX Concept was conceived by three GM designers fresh from the College for Creative Studies in Detroit. David Rojas, Min Young Kang and Robert Jablonski designed an efficient E85-capable concept that still embodies the off-road capabilities that Hummer is known for.
Finally, Ferrari chose Detroit as the venue to present its E85-powered F430 Spider. The Italian car manufacturer has made a commitment to cut the fuel consumption and emissions of its cars by 40 percent by 2012. The new concept represents one effort to reach this goal. Modifications to the fuel feed system and the engine central processing unit allow for the use of two fuels, and result in an increase in maximum power and torque, as well as a 5 percent decrease in carbon dioxide emissions.
