The Saab 9-X was a concept car shown in September 2001 at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Its designers set out to combine the qualities of a coupé, a roadster, a station wagon and a pickup truck in a single body, and the car carried a 300 hp turbocharged V6 with all-wheel drive.
Saab 9-X at a glance
| Type | concept car |
|---|---|
| First shown | September 2001, Frankfurt Motor Show |
| Also shown | Tokyo Motor Show |
| Design team | ten Saab designers, project leader Anthony Lo |
| Including | Michael Mauer |
| Built by | Bertone, Italy |
| Idea | coupé, roadster, estate and pickup in one car |
| Engine | 3.0-litre turbocharged V6, 300 hp |
| Transmission | six-speed manual |
| Drive | all-wheel drive |
| Wheels | 19-inch |
| Details | fibre-optic headlights, keyless ignition |
History of the Saab 9-X
The 9-X was conceived at the Saab Advanced Styling Centre by a team of ten designers, with Anthony Lo as project leader and Michael Mauer among the team. It was designed entirely in Sweden and then built in Italy by Bertone. The car was first shown in September 2001 at the Frankfurt Motor Show and later appeared at the Tokyo Motor Show.
The idea behind the 9-X was versatility: the same car was meant to work as a coupé, a roadster, a station wagon and a pickup. That ambition was expressed in the body rather than in a folding roof or removable panels, and the result was a low, wide study with a long glass area and a load area at the rear.
Underneath, the 9-X used an all-wheel-drive system and an all-aluminium 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 producing 300 hp, matched to a six-speed manual gearbox and 19-inch wheels. The car also featured fibre-optic headlights and a completely keyless ignition system, both unusual in 2001.
The 9-X was a pure show car and never entered production. Saab returned to the name later in the decade with other concept cars, but the original 9-X remained a one-off design study from the last years of Saab’s independence under General Motors.
Design and features
- Four cars in one: the body was meant to serve as coupé, roadster, estate and pickup.
- 300 hp turbo V6: an all-aluminium 3.0-litre unit.
- All-wheel drive: with a six-speed manual gearbox.
- Fibre-optic headlights: and a fully keyless ignition system.
Saab 9-X versions
- 9-X (2001): the single concept car shown at Frankfurt and Tokyo.
The 9-X explored ideas that later appeared on Saab production cars such as the Saab 9-3, and it sits alongside the Saab Aero-X and Saab PhoeniX concepts. More cars are in the Saab collection.
Video: The new Saab 9X Air Concept
Video by the uploader on YouTube.
Sources
- Saab 9-X, English Wikipedia: design team, engine, equipment
- Saab 9-X, German Wikipedia: shows, Bertone, drivetrain
