December 2006
www.saab.com | Issue 07
Saab-i Digital Newsletter

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 Request a testdrive Send to a friend
Saab at the Embassy
Saab Aero X wins top design award
Sir Richard goes green with Saab
Saab makes it three out of three
First trials for the Saab AlcoKey
Find the ideal gift

Hi  

Welcome to the final edition of Saab-i for 2006 — and may I take this opportunity to wish you Season’s Greetings from everyone here at Saab. In this issue we have news of two high profile Saab 9-5 BioPower customers, prestigious awards for the Saab Aero X and Saab 9-3 Sport Sedan, as well as details of the first user trial program for the Saab AlcoKey. You’ll also find some handy gift ideas from the Saab Expressions range.

In the meantime, I hope you enjoy the festive period, and we look forward to what promises to be a very exciting 2007.

Best regards,

Knut Simonsson,
Executive Director, Global Brand and Sales Operations
Saab Automobile AB

Upon taking up his position this summer as US Ambassador to Sweden, Michael Wood decided that he wanted to find a big idea — “One big thing”, as he describes it, that would define the Embassy, and that he could devote his personal time and energy to.

After discussing the topic with many Swedish people, he had a shortlist of three, and he asked his friend and Commander-in-Chief George W. Bush for his advice. He encouraged him to pick US co-operation with Sweden on alternative energy as his theme, saying “I think it’s the most valuable contribution you could make.”

So with this in mind, the choice of car he drove would have real significance. A friend back in the States had already been praising Saab’s BioPower technology, and while attending a technological conference on behalf of the King of Sweden, he heard a professor from Lund University say that the world’s best bioethanol engine was made by Saab. So his mind was made up, and he ordered his new Saab 9-5 2.3t BioPower model through the Saab International and Diplomat Sales team. And he certainly seems very impressed by it:

“On (E85) bioethanol it has a surprising amount of pick-up; the car is low and it handles very well. The CEO of Saab Jan-Åke Jonsson together with the IDS sales representatives were at the dealership when I took possession of the car. He explained that it gives 25 bhp of additional performance when it runs on ethanol. Certainly, it’s interesting to know that it actually performs better when it runs on bio-ethanol.”

We’d like to thank Ambassador Wood for his time, and wish him all the best with his alternative energy mission.

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The stunning Saab Aero X seems to have a habit of winning awards. When it was first unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year, the concept car was awarded the coveted ‘Best of Show’ honour by US magazine Autoweek. Now it has been crowned ‘Concept Car of the Year’ by Autocar, the UK’s longest-running car magazine.

At the ceremony in London, the Saab Aero X was praised for its dynamic stance and the designers’ thoughtful references to the company's aircraft heritage, including its innovative wraparound windscreen, turbine wheels and canopy-style cockpit. 

Presenting the award, Autocar editor Chas Hallett said: “The Aero X takes familiar Saab design cues and shows how they can be incorporated into modern architecture and plausibly extended even to a 400bhp super-coupé.”

Not only does the car reflect our design aspirations for the next generation of Saabs, but it also serves as a testament to our commitment to fossil fuel-free motoring — the outstanding driving performance matches the car’s looks thanks to a 400bhp turbocharged V6 BioPower engine that can run entirely on pure E100 bio-ethanol. 

Take a tour of the Saab Aero X by following the link below.

  The Saab Aero X | Go to top  


We’ve recently delivered a new Saab 9-5 BioPower to an ambassador of a different kind — Sir Richard Branson, the UK’s most famous entrepreneur. Taking delivery of his keys last month, Sir Branson made it clear that he is a firm believer in Saab’s approach to a future of more environmentally-friendly energy sources:
“I am convinced that bio-fuels are the way forward, both for the car and aviation industries, which is a vision we share with Saab. Now we need to extend that vision to others,” he commented.

Mr. Branson and his companies are taking pioneering steps to fight the causes of global warming. In fact, earlier this year, the Virgin Group announced that all profits and equity realisations over the next 10 years from the group’s worldwide transport companies, including Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Trains in the UK, would be invested in the renewable energy sector.  The amount invested is expected to be some £1.6bn.

And with his new Saab 9-5 BioPower, running on the eco-friendly and renewable fuel source bioethanol E85, we’d like to congratulate him for his excellent investment!

  Saab BioPower | Go to top
 
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has handed its prestigious Top Pick Safety Award 2007 to the Saab 9-3 SportSedan.

This is now the third year in a row that Saab has been honoured with this important accolade.

To win the award, vehicles must achieve the highest rating in each of a series of tests that study the car’s performance in high-speed front, side and rear crash tests, and evaluate the seat/head restraints for protection against neck injuries.

Announcing the results, IIHS president Adrian Lund had high praise for Saab: "Considering the criteria are tougher this year than last, the 9-3's accomplishment is impressive."

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Sweden may have one of the best road safety records in Europe, but drink-driving still remains a serious hazard, accounting for about 35 per cent of all crash fatalities last year. Now Saab is ready to begin field trials of the innovative Saab AlcoKey - a simple, reusable device that measures the alcohol in the driver’s breath and prevents those over the legal limit from starting the car.

As compact as a small mobile phone, the AlcoKey contains a tiny radio transmitter which sends a signal to the car’s electronic control unit. If the driver is clear to drive, the car can be started. If they are over the legal limit, the car remains immobilized.

Saab AlcoKey meets an increasing demand in Sweden among car fleet operators and public service providers for an effective means of reducing drink-driving. It may also be offered as an option in Saab 9-5 and 9-3 models sold in the Swedish market. The user trial will take place over the next six months using around 100 cars, driven by senior Saab executives and local car fleet and taxi operators.

Announcing the user trial program, in which he will take part, Saab Automobile Managing Director Jan-Åke Jonsson said: “Car crashes and personal injuries due to drinking and driving remain a great concern and Saab wants to do what it can to help prevent such behaviour.

“We have listened to car fleet operators in Sweden, particularly those running public or taxi services,” Jonsson said. “They want to demonstrate their social responsibility and provide some public reassurance by giving drivers access to a device such as Saab AlcoKey.” 

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If you’re searching for gift ideas for the festive season, look no further than Saab Expressions. We offer a superb range of high quality Saab products, with something to suit all the family.

 

The radio-controlled Saab 9-3 Sport-Combi will prove popular with both children and grown-up kids alike! Powered by AA alkaline and 9V batteries (not included), this pocket rocket will provide hours of exciting action. And with three adjustable frequencies you can race three different cars against each other.

 

Pick up a real winter warmer with the Saab Sport Hat. This comfy, functional cap is made from moisture-wicking microfleece, which draws moisture away from your body to keep you snug in the coldest temperatures, whilst remaining thin enough to wear under a ski helmet and to pack away tidily.



 

The stylish Saab Calculator is a must for every desktop. In addition to the standard calculator functions, it also features a world time clock, calendar, alarm temperature gauge and a handy currency converter.

Explore the full range of Saab Expressions products online by following the link below.

  Visit Saab Expressions online
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