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| Saab wins coveted award for anti drink-driving device |
As the perennial problem of drink-driving rears its ugly head all over Europe again this Christmas time, Swedish premium car maker Saab has been awarded a coveted prize for its contribution to tackling the issue. The Swedish Automobile Association's Arets Hjulklapp award (meaning this year's Christmas present) has been given to Saab in recognition of its AlcoKey device, which is now being trialled on a widespread basis in Sweden.
Smaller than a mobile phone, the slim Saab AlcoKey module incorporates a flip-top cover with a mouth piece where the driver provides a breath sample before starting the car. A radio transmitter then sends a signal to the car's electronic control unit. This will either allow the car to be started, or keep it immobilised if the breath sample is found to contain alcohol above the permitted legal level.
Such alco-lock devices have been recognised around the world for their effectiveness in lowering re-offending drink driving rates. The UK Government's Department for Transport (DfT) is currently running a pilot alco-lock programme for repeat drink drivers, whilst alco-locks are already enforced in many US states and Canadian provinces.
In the UK, after more than two decades of success in lowering drink-driving rates, the number of road deaths involving excessive consumption of alcohol began to
rise again in the first half of this decade. Despite the fact that Saab's home market of Sweden is at the forefront of Europe when it comes to traffic safety, drink driving is also still a serious problem there. In 2005, drink driving accounted for approximately 35 percent of all road fatalities in Sweden.
During a lengthy development programme with the Swedish Government, Saab Automobile AB has worked on solutions to the problems surrounding alcohol consumption and car driving. Saab AlcoKey is a product that, thanks to its user-friendly operation, has the potential to become the first such device in mass production for everyday use.
Announcing the award, a spokesperson for the Swedish Automobile Association commented: One of the most efficient measures to reduce the number of traffic accidents is the incorporation of alco-lock devices as standard in newly-produced cars. To achieve reasonable cost levels, create optimum user friendliness and provide technical quality, the car industry must push forward the development process of this safety installation. Saab's development of - and ongoing field trials with - Saab AlcoKey, will have strategic importance for safer traffic conditions and will, at the same time, contribute to a beneficial development of competition in the car market as a whole.
This is the seventh year that the Swedish Automobile Association has given its annual award, which is designed to encourage individuals, organisations or companies that are innovative and outstanding within the fields of traffic safety, car safety and the environment.
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| Saab launches anniversary edition models to celebrate |
Saab will celebrate its 60th anniversary by launching special editions of its 9-5 and 9-3 model lines, featuring unique exterior and interior detailing, worth up to £3,000, all at no extra cost to the customer. The Anniversary Editions will go on sale from January 2007.
Initially founded as a manufacturer of military aircraft, Saab surprised the automotive world in June 1947 when it revealed the prototype for its first production car, the Saab 92. With streamlined bodywork, unitary construction and front wheel drive, it owed little to the conventional design wisdoms of the time, establishing a tradition for innovative and independent thinking that has characterised the Saab brand ever since. In 2007, 60 years on from the unveiling of the timeless Saab 92, Saab's clean bold lines testify to a Swedish design ethic which is as apparent today as it ever was.
Anniversary Editions of the Saab 9-3 range will all feature DVD Satellite Navigation and Bluetooth phone systems as standard (with a value of £2,580), whilst externally they are available with a choice of colours, including a unique optional Ice Blue Metallic paint finish, colour-keyed door handles and special Anniversary five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels, all at no additional cost. Internally, features will include black sports seats with grey inserts, contrast stitching and the word 'Saab' embossed on the front seat facings.
The Saab 9-5 Anniversary Edition models will benefit from an equally attractive package. Externally, the cars will be offered with a choice of six metallic colours plus the unique optional Ice Blue metallic paint finish and special five-spoke, 17-inch alloy wheels. Estate models also include optional roof rails finished in matt chrome.
Inside, all Anniversary Edition 9-5s will come with a DVD Satellite Navigation system, worth up to £2,200. The 9-5 Anniversary Edition trim includes black sports leather front seats with a Saab logo embossed on the upper backrest. All seats include contrasting inserts in grey leather, together with grey contrast stitching, which is also adopted for the door armrests. The Saab 9-5 Estate also features a chromed aircraft-shaped handle in the cargo floor and chromed air vent control knobs, similar to that on the 9-3.
The introduction of the 2007 Saab 60th Anniversary Edition models is the first step in a series of initiatives that Saab is planning in recognition of a rich heritage founded in aircraft design, Scandinavian culture and a tradition for independent, forward thinking. |
| Saab new high-performance 2.3t BioPower engine |
Saab Great Britain is delighted to announce the world premiere of the 210 bhp 2.3t BioPower engine in the new-look Saab 9-5 Saloon and Estate range. This car will be unveiled at the British International Motor Show which will be held in London in July. The addition of another BioPower variant, delivering 14 per cent more power and 11 per cent more torque whilst substantially cutting fossil carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions when running on bioethanol E85 fuel, will extend Saab's leadership of the premium 'flex-fuel' segment.
The new Saab 9-5 2.3t BioPower model goes on sale in the UK, Ireland and Nordic markets later this year, with other European countries to follow. Available in a choice of Saloon and Estate bodystyles with manual or automatic transmission, it is being offered in addition to the current 2.0t BioPower model which is already established as Sweden's best selling environmentally-friendly vehicle.
First deliveries of the Saab 9-5 2.0t BioPower began in the UK in March 2006, the same time as Morrisons supermarket opened the country's first bioethanol E85 refuelling pump. Morrisons now sells bioethanol E85 at several of its sites in the East and South West of England, retailing the eco-friendly fuel for two pence per litre less than petrol.
Both cars combine the benefits of 'going green' through substantially cutting fossil CO2 emissions, with the enjoyment of even sportier driving performance. A further practical advantage of the BioPower formula allows customers to run on petrol and/or bioethanol E85 fuel in any proportions without any adjustment needed by the driver.
Running on bioethanol E85 the new Saab 9-5 2.3t BioPower engine delivers maximum power of 210 bhp and 310 Nm of torque, compared to 185 bhp and 280 Nm when using unleaded petrol. In terms of increased performance, the manual saloon accelerates from zero to 62 mph in 7.9 seconds, compared to 8.5 seconds when running only on petrol.
Saab's powerful Trionic engine management system monitors fuel quality after every visit to the filling station and automatically makes any adjustments necessary for running on bioethanol E85 and/or petrol in any combination.
Bioethanol E85 has a much higher octane rating (104 RON) than petrol (95 RON), and turbocharging allows the use of a higher boost pressure and more advanced ignition timing - giving more engine power than is possible on petrol without risk of harmful 'knocking' or pre-detonation. The only hardware modifications necessary are more durable valves and valve seats and the use of bioethanol-compatible materials in the fuel system, including the tank, pump, lines and connectors.
Bioethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops, such as corn, grain, sugar beet and sugar cane. Unlike petrol, its consumption does not significantly raise atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), which some scientific research suggests is a major contributor to global warming. This is because emissions during driving are balanced by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops for conversion are grown.
The launch of a 2.3 turbo model is the logical next step in the roll-out of our highly-successful BioPower concept, says Jan-Ake Jonsson, Saab Automobile's Managing Director. It is being offered in response to customer demand for an eco-friendly vehicle that delivers even more performance and is the first in a number of future BioPower initiatives that we have under development.
Saab 9-5 2.3t BioPower performance figures are provisional pending homologation. |
| Morrisons opens the UK's first bioethanol E85 fuel pump |
Morrisons supermarket will today open the UK's first BioEthanol E85 filling pump, tying in with the first deliveries of the Saab 9-5 BioPower flex-fuel car. The fuel will be branded as Harvest BioEthanol E85, with the environmentally-friendly pumps featuring a new butterfly logo and a blue filling hose.
Morrisons, which is the UK's fourth largest supermarket chain (with 274 petrol forecourts across the UK), will locate the UK's first BioEthanol E85 pump on the forecourt of its Albion Way, Norwich site to be immediately followed by supplies of Harvest BioEthanol E85 at another four of its sites in the East of England - those of East Dereham, Lowestoft, Diss and Ipswich - plus at five sites in Somerset, in the South West of England. Furthermore, Morrisons has already earmarked several other sites across the UK, where Harvest BioEthanol E85 could soon be sold, according to consumer demand for it.
Phil Maud, Petrol Director at Morrisons, commented on today's news: Morrisons is proud to be the country's first petrol retailer to open a BioEthanol E85 refuelling pump, reinforcing our position as the UK's largest forecourt retailer of alternative fuels. We believe that by encouraging the use of BioEthanol E85 we can contribute to a reduction in the harmful effects to the environment caused by the burning of fossil fuels. Mr Maud went on to comment: Furthermore, creating demand for this product will, in the medium to long term, present major opportunities for UK farmers, who have always had strong support from Morrisons, to supply their excess cereals capacity to supply BioEthanol manufacturers.
Harvest BioEthanol E85 will retail for 2 pence per litre less than petrol. In Norwich, this means that, at the time of launch, it will sell for 84.9 pence per litre compared to 86.9 pence per litre for unleaded petrol. Morrisons has chosen East Anglia for the launch because of the region's role in spearheading the fast-emerging UK biofuels industry.
The availability of BioEthanol E85 on the first UK forecourts has been timed to coincide with the first customer deliveries of the Saab 9-5 BioPower, which was officially launched in the UK in November 2005. Saab is leading the premium sector in being the first manufacturer to offer this innovative solution. Saab BioPower technology enables its cars to run on either the potent yet environmentally-friendly fuel BioEthanol E85, which is a blend of 85% BioEthanol and 15% petrol, or on pure petrol, without any adjustment required by the driver. When running on BioEthanol E85, the fossil CO2 emissions of the Saab 9-5 BioPower are typically between 50-70% cleaner than when running on petrol. Furthermore, as its name suggests, the Saab 9-5 BioPower not only offers purer power, but more of it. Because Saab's turbocharging technology and engine management systems make it possible to take advantage of bioethanol's higher octane rating, an impressive 20 per cent gain in brake horse power and 16 per cent growth in torque can be enjoyed when the car runs on BioEthanol E85 compared to when running on regular unleaded petrol.
Jonathan Nash, Managing Director of Saab Great Britain, said: Biofuels can play a crucial role in reducing CO2 emissions from passenger cars, and as the Government itself said when it announced plans for a Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) in November, a 5% use of biofuels today would be equivalent to taking one million cars off the road. Although I welcome the positive steps that the British Government has taken so far in its introduction of a 5% RTFO and the 20 pence-per-litre tax rebate on biofuels, our experience in other markets shows that the Government needs to take a more strategic approach. Government should show genuine joined-up thinking, by introducing an integrated package of long-term incentives to give consumers the confidence to make the switch to greener fuels, including BioEthanol E85.
Mr Nash went on to point out that: In Sweden, central and local government financial incentives to encourage BioEthanol-fuelled cars - including a reduction in company car tax, exemption from Stockholm's congestion charges and free city parking - have resulted in over five and a half thousand Saab 9-5 BioPower cars already being delivered to Swedish drivers since last summer. Here in the UK, Morrisons has demonstrated its commitment to the fuel - now let's see the Government do the same.
Futura Petroleum will supply Morrisons with the Harvest BioEthanol E85 in an initiative supported by the Energy Saving Trust and Renewables East.
Simon Davis, Head of Sales at Futura Petroleum, the supplier of Harvest BioEthanol E85 to Morrisons, commented: We are delighted to be working with Morrisons and Saab to provide Harvest BioEthanol, the first E85 available to the UK public. This launch reinforces Futura's position as the leading supplier of renewable motor fuels to British motorists.
Also commenting on the arrival of BioEthanol E85, Tim Curtis, Director of Operations at the Energy Saving Trust, which is a not for profit organisation funded by the Department for Transport, Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government, added: Today's opening sends an important message to both businesses and consumers that retailers and manufacturers are taking the carbon challenge seriously and finding real solutions to reduce increasing CO2 emissions from road transport. What's more, the Energy Saving Trust is pleased to announce that projects of this type can receive grant support via its infrastructure programme, providing further incentives for industry to develop alternative refuelling options to deliver a more sustainable transport future.
James Beal, Managing Director of Renewables East, the public-funded renewable energy agency for the East of England which is pioneering the development of biofuels and other forms of renewable energy in East of England, said: I congratulate Morrisons for its proactive action in launching Harvest BioEthanol E85. Developing this market has the opportunity to create and secure up to 10,000 jobs in agriculture and fuel production in the UK, thereby providing an important market opportunity for the East of England given its position as the cereal-growing capital of the UK.
BioEthanol E85
BioEthanol is produced from a wide variety of agricultural produce, including forest residue, sugar cane, sugar beet and grain, making it a totally renewable and sustainable fuel source. When mixed in high volumes with low volumes of petrol, a potent yet environmentally friendly fuel, known as BioEthanol E85 is created.
Unlike traditional fossil fuels such as petrol and diesel, the consumption of BioEthanol E85 does not significantly raise atmospheric levels of Carbon Dioxide (CO2), which is the greenhouse gas that, according to some scientific research, contributes to global warming. This is because the emissions that are released during driving have already been cancelled out by the amount of CO2 that was removed from the atmosphere, through nature's photosynthesis process, when the crops for conversion to BioEthanol were grown. |
| Saab sales soar in 2005 to a record high |
For the second consecutive year, Saab enjoyed its highest ever sales and market share in the United Kingdom in 2005, enabling the Swedish premium car maker to maintain its title as the UK's fastest growing premium car brand. Never in Saab's 45-year history in Britain have sales soared so high.
Whilst the overall UK new car market limped through 2005, seeing total registrations decline by over 6 per cent compared to the previous year, with a 3 per cent drop in the premium segment, Saab continued to make enormous strides, enjoying a year-on-year sales growth of over 35 per cent. In volume terms, this equated to a total of 27,465 new Saabs sold in 2005, compared to 20,292 in 2004, taking its slice of the UK new car market to a record 1.14 per cent. This achievement becomes even more impressive, considering that that 2004 was itself a record year for Saab, with sales growing by 39 per cent compared to 2003.
A sterling performance from Saab's established model range, as well as the more recent introduction of new models such as the 9-3 SportWagon and revised 9-5 has contributed to this growth. For example, the 9-3 Sport Saloon enjoyed a massive 43 per cent growth in 2005 compared to 2004, with over 14,000 of those cars sold during the last 12 months.
Demand for the enduringly-popular 9-3 Convertible, meanwhile, zoomed upwards by 16 per cent to 5,900 cars, whilst sales of the 9-5 range grew by over 1 per cent year-on-year, despite the phasing out of the previous-generation 9-5 towards the tail end of the year.
The September arrival of the acclaimed 9-3 SportWagon brought several thousand incremental sales for Saab in 2005, whilst demand exceeded supply all year for the sought-after 9-3 1.9 TiD turbo diesel models. The October introduction of the award-winning new 2.8 litre V6 turbo engine has also seen demand for the performance 9-3 Aero outstrip availability.
A jubilant Jonathan Nash, Managing Director of Saab Great Britain remarked: 2005 was the year of Swedish design, and judging by Saab's success during the year, the Great British public is as enamoured as ever with great Swedish design. This, together with Saab's celebrated aircraft heritage has proven to be an unmissable combination for those car buyers wanting something highly competitive and a little different.
Nash went on to bullishly forecast yet another record year for Saab sale in 2006: With the introduction of yet more new engine variants in key models, such as the forthcoming new Convertible 1.9 TiD and innovative 9-5 BioPower, I have no doubt that 2006 will be the third consecutive year of record growth for Saab, he said.
Nash added: The new Saab 9-3 Convertible Cerulean edition, which will soon be launched to celebrate two decades of success for our iconic soft-top, is another example of the type of car that will drive our growth this year. Saab's first full year of sales for new models such as the 9-3 SportWagon and revised 2006 9-5 will also see more premium car buyers choosing Saab over more commonplace premium brands. |
| Saab celebrates 20 years of open-top motoring |
Saab is raising the roof, celebrating two decades of Convertible sales success by introducing an eye-catching 20th anniversary model, the Saab 9-3 Convertible Cerulean edition.
The concept of a practical, all-year-round, 'four season, four-seater' soft top was pioneered by Saab in the premium car segment when sales of the first Saab 900 Turbo Convertible began exactly 20 years ago, in January 1986. A limited production run of 400 units for the US market, powered by a 175 bhp, 2.0-litre turbo engine was an immediate success, and the following year the Saab Convertible was taken into full global production, prompting a two year waiting list.
Now, more than 240,000 Saab Convertibles later (over 34,000 of which have been sold in the UK), the new 9-3 Cerulean edition is unveiled as the latest expression of an iconic product that combines sporty Swedish design with surprising functionality, the core appeal of the Saab brand.
On sale in the UK from late February 2006 in Vector and Aero specifications, the 9-3 Convertible Cerulean edition will be distinguished by a unique blue metallic paint finish, and offered with a full choice of engines, including the acclaimed 150, 175 and 210 bhp turbocharged petrol engines, plus a newly-introduced 150 bhp 1.9 TID turbo diesel (full details will follow shortly). The high performance 250 bhp, 2.8 V6 turbo engine, with a lowered sports-tuned chassis, remains unique to Aero variant.
The Cerulean specification adds just £775 to the on-the-road price of the Vector models (Vector 1.8t Cerulean from £27,979), and only £625 to the Aero (Aero 2.0T Cerulean from £31,214). The Cerulean edition includes the following unique features:
- Colour-keyed blue tonneau cover, door trims and door handles
- Unique 'double five-spoke', 17-inch alloy wheels
- Parchment leather sports interior with pale blue upholstery trim inserts
- Colour-keyed rear lip spoiler (standard for Aero, optional for Vector)
All 9-3 Convertibles include a fast-acting, fully automated hood that can be operated on the move at speeds of up to 22 mph, plus Saab's innovative CargoSET space-saving flexible boot storage, DynaCage integrated safety system, including pop-up rear roll bars, plus a five-star EuroNCAP crash safety rating. Other Saab 9-3 Convertible features include:
- Front seats with integrated seat-belts for ease of use/ convenient rear seat access.
- An airy cabin ambience with light parchment-coloured interior headlining.
- Profiler instrument/function customisation for personal driver preference.
- Saab ComSense functionality to minimise potential driver distraction.
- Bluetooth wireless communication with optional driver's head set.
- Soft-top lowering by remote control (optional).
- 'Intelligent' automatic climate control with heat settings when soft-top is down.
- Saab ReAxs passive rear wheel steer characteristic for optimum handling.
- Active front head restraints to help prevent neck injury in rear-end collisions.
- DynaCage rollover protection system with pop-up rear roll bars, strengthened A-pillars, sills and automatic seat-belt pre-tensioning.
- Standard electronic chassis systems include Saab-tuned stability control; EBD (Electronic Brake force Distribution), CBC (Cornering Brake Control) and TCS (Traction Control System).
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| SAAB 9-5 biopower cleans up in Sweden |
The launch of the Saab 9-5 BioPower has taken the Swedish market by storm this year, outselling its full-year 2006 sales target in just four months. More than 9,000 of the eco-friendly model are now expected to be sold next year.
The Saab 9-5 BioPower, a flex fuel car that is capable of running on the environmentally-friendly yet potent fuel, bioethanol, or on pure petrol or any combination of the two, has taken the Swedish market by storm in 2005, smashing all of its original sales targets to become one of the most successful launches in Saab's - and Sweden's - history. Despite the fact that deliveries didn't start until late August - and that BioPower technology is only available on one engine variant in the 9-5 range - Saab expects to take more than 5,500 orders for the BioPower by the year end - equivalent to the original sales forecast for the whole of 2006!
We expect to deliver 3,900 Saab BioPowers this year, says Bengt Nilemo, Managing Director, Saab Sweden. And next year's forecast is now about 9,000 cars, which we have increased to reflect the growing awareness among our customers of the issues surrounding CO2 [carbon dioxide] emissions and global warming. Our 9-5 BioPower model has the potential to reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 80 per cent, without compromising safety, performance or comfort.
The 5,500 BioPower cars include variants for both model year 2005 and 2006 (the major redesigned version introduced in October). The ability to sell so many cars so quickly in the relatively small premium large car segment says a great deal about Sweden's concern for the environment. It also says something about the nation's affection for the Saab 9-5, a car that has been identified as Sweden's safest several times in surveys by the leading insurance company Folksam.
Current financial incentives, such as a reduction in car benefit tax and projected city congestion and parking charges, have, of course, also contributed to our success, Bengt Nilemo adds. These initiatives from the government were far-sighted and the market has reacted just as everyone expected, choosing eco-friendly cars that cut CO2 emissions.
And the 9-5 BioPower is not the only eco-friendly initiative from Saab. In addition to offering a maintenance-free particulate filter on new turbo diesel 9-5 models, development work on an advanced hybrid continues within the GM cooperation. A driveable prototype is planned for the spring, including solutions that in one way or another may appear in a Saab or other GM products within the next few years.
Because Saab is part of a huge global company, we have access to resources and competences that make us second to none, Bengt Nilemo adds. GM today has a strong focus on eco-friendly cars with low fuel consumption and the BioPower bioethanol concept is just one part of this. BioPower's major advantage is its simplicity and this is one of the reasons we are now introducing the car in Great Britain, France and Germany, followed by Norway, Finland and Denmark. At the Detroit motor show in January we will also show a concept for a 9-5 Aero BioPower with 310 hp. |
| Honour for Saab |
The Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon is a Gold Award winner in the first-ever Top Safety Pick award by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.
This finding confirms the high level of occupant protection provided by the Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon, which has also received an industry-best five-star rating in the Euro NCAP crash testing.
The 'Top Safety Pick - Gold Award' is a best-of-the-best distinction that recognises car designs that provide the best occupant protection in front, side and rear crashes based on Institute testing.
IIHS crash tests result in ratings from good to poor with top performers receiving a good and Best Pick designation. The 9-3 Sport Saloon received a Best Pick in both front and side crash tests.
The IIHS frontal impact test is carried out at 40 mph against a deformable fixed barrier, with a 40 percent driver's side offset.
A deformable barrier constructed to resemble a full-size sport utility vehicle, is propelled at 31 mph against the driver's side of the car to measure side impact protection.
The rear-end test simulates a 20-mph rear impact into a stationary car, during which the front seat/head restraint performance is assessed. The Saab 9-3 Sport Saloon received a 'good' in this test.
These results are further evidence of the dedication and skill of the engineers who work with the safety development of Saab cars, said Stig Nodin, Director - Engineering Center, Sweden, General Motors Europe. However, the priority is always to protect real people in real crashes through the implementation of our Real-life Safety strategy.Saab Real-life Safety involves the use of computer simulations and crash tests designed to replicate what happens in real collisions on real roads, based on the findings of a database covering more than 6,100 real-life crashes involving Saab cars on Swedish roads.
During the Saab 9-3 product development program, the 9-3 Sport Saloon's structural design and occupant protection systems were evaluated in consumer and legally required crash tests as well as a large number of in-house configurations taking occupants of different sizes into consideration. Prototype tests were carried out in the laboratory and outdoors in a range of speeds and configurations. |
| Top safety ratings for Saab active head restraints |
All Saab 9-3 and 9-5 models have been awarded top marks following the latest round of rear-end collision tests conducted by the Thatcham insurance research centre. All models are fitted as standard with Saab's pioneering anti-whiplash Saab Active Head Restraints (SAHR), first introduced on the 9-5 range in 1997.
The Thatcham test classifies the performance of a car's front seats and head restraints in offering neck injury protection as 'Poor', 'Marginal', 'Acceptable' or 'Good'. The Saab 9-3 Convertible, 9-3 SportWagon and 9-5 models have all been awarded the highest-possible 'Good' rating, as achieved last year by the 9-3 Sport Saloon in the first round of tests.
A static evaluation of seat design is carried out first, where the position of the head restraint relative to an occupant's head is measured on a crash test dummy representing a mid-sized, male adult. A dynamic test is then performed with the seated dummy mounted on a sled, which is accelerated to 16 km/h (10 mph) in 0.1 seconds to simulate the effect of a typical low speed rear-end collision.
Announcing the results, Thatcham Crash Research Manager Matthew Avery said: Saab has been a benchmark for designing seats to help prevent whiplash injury. Real world data from insurance claims shows that the Saab 9-3 with active head restraints has produced a 42 per cent reduction in whiplash injuries, compared to the previous model which did not have them.
The 'best practice' approach from Saab was a fundamental part of the International Insurance Whiplash Prevention Group's test procedure and it encourages all manufacturers to fit similar systems.
Saab's pioneering SAHR has been developed to reduce relative movement between the head and lower back. The restraint is mounted at the top of a frame, inside the seat-back, which is designed to pivot at its mid point. In a rear-end impact, the occupant's lower back is forced rearwards by inertia against the bottom portion of the seat-back. A mechanical linkage in the frame then forces the upper half, carrying the head restraint, upwards and forwards to catch the occupant's head and help minimise the amount of whiplash movement. After activation, the SAHR immediately returns to its passive position, ready for further deployment.
Although rear-end collisions are seldom life-threatening, they are a common type of accident which can cause long-term injury and discomfort, says Per Lenhoff, head of crash safety at Saab Automobile. The Thatcham results are in line with our own research and the findings of similar organisations in other countries, such as the USA and Germany. They all confirm the value of our pioneering work in developing the SAHR.
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| Saab 9-5 Biopower |
The Saab has now been honoured with a 'Best of What's New' award from the US magazine Popular Science in an annual ranking of 100 breakthrough products and technologies that represent a significant leap in their categories.
The award-winning Saab 9-5 BioPower will be placed on display at the Popular Science Best of What's New Winners Exhibition in Grand Terminal Central Station in New York in mid-November.
We're pleased and honoured to be named Popular Science's Best of What's New, said Jan-Ake Jonsson, Saab Automobile AB Managing Director. Near term, bio-ethanol provides an effective first step to our energy challenges. It's a bridge that can lead us from fossil fuels toward new, sustainable technologies that are still under development.
Saab leads the premium vehicle segment in offering an ethanol-fuelled vehicle, an eco-friendly renewable energy source. The Saab 9-5 BioPower combines the benefits of 'going green' with sporty performance, offering 20 per cent more horsepower and 16 per cent more torque than its 150 bhp 2.0t petrol equivalent.
Bio-ethanol fuel is produced commercially from agricultural crops or forest residues. Unlike petrol, its consumption does not raise atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), the 'greenhouse' gas that contributes to global warming. This is because emissions during driving are balanced by the amount of CO2 that is removed from the atmosphere when crops for conversion are grown.
Best of What's New is the ultimate Popular Science accolade, representing a year's worth of work evaluating thousands of products, said Mark Jannot, editor of Popular Science. These awards honour innovations that not only influence the way we live today, but that change the way we think about the future.
Best of What's New awards are presented to 100 new products and technologies in
12 categories: Auto Tech, Aviation & Space, Cars, Computing, Engineering, Gadgets, General Innovation, Home Entertainment, Home Tech, Personal Health, Photography and Recreation. |
| 2006 Saab Aero models make debut |
A single example of the distinctive new 2006 9-5 Aero Saloon will grace the Saab stand at the NEC 11th - 13th November. This revised 9-5 features a dynamically-enhanced chassis, a radical redesign, improved interior, plus a more powerful 260 bhp fully-blown 2.3-litre turbo engine. UK deliveries are due to commence on 17 November.
In the Live Action Arena, a pair of 9-3 Aero SportWagons, powered by Saab's all-new
2.8-litre V6 turbocharged engines, will entertain the crowds with their agile chassis, sporty styling and 250 bhp power.
Once MPH at the NEC is over, Saab's Aero road show will move south to the MPH Show's first home, Earls Court in London , to wow the show goers in the Capital. |
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