Switzerland: Saab to debut 9-3 BioPower 1.8t at Geneva show
Friday, March 02, 2007, AutomotiveWorld.com
Saab says it will launch 1.8t BioPower (gasoline/ethanol) versions of its 9-3 sedan, wagon and convertible at the Geneva motor show on 6 March.
Despite the badging, all 9-3 BioPower 1.8t variants are powered by a (turbocharged) 2.0-litre engine. Power output is 172hp (129kW) with torque of 265Nm while running on E85, which is 17% more power and 10% more torque, with 50-70% fewer carbon dioxide emissions, compared to the existing 1.8t gasoline-only version, according to Saab.
Saab claims the 9-3 BioPower 1.8t sedan accelerates from 0-100km/h in 8.4 seconds compared to 9.5 seconds for the 9-3 1.8t sedan. As E85 has a higher octane rating than gasoline, Saab has given the BioPower engine higher boost pressure and altered the ignition timing without the risk of 'knocking' or pre-detonation.
The OEM says that more durable valves and valve seats are the only hardware modifications it has made to the all-aluminum Saab 9-3 engine. Ethanol-compatible materials are, however, used in the fuel system, including the tank, pump, lines and connectors.
Saab claims that its engine's Trionic software monitors fuel quality after every refuelling and automatically makes the required adjustments to run on E85 and/or gasoline in any combination. This means the vehicle can run on gasoline if E85 is not available.
Saab launched its BioPower flex-fuel technology in 2005 in Sweden and sold close to 10,000 units of the 9-5 BioPower in 2006. It markets 2.0- and 2.3-litre BioPower 9-5s in several European markets. Sweden has over 650 E85 fuel pumps. A total of 800 pumps, covering 25% of the country's refuelling stations, is expected to be in place by the end of 2008.
Dealers began accepting orders for Saab's 9-3 BioPower sedan, wagon and convertible in Nordic markets plus the UK and Ireland on 1 March. Sales in other European markets will start later this year, the company says.
Published on Friday, March 02, 2007
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