Concept car of the month - Saab Aero X

|THE DEN|

A Saab concept vehicle known as the Aero-X was unveiled at the 2006 Salon International de l'Auto. In order to unveil its beautiful Aero X Concept car at the GM Premiere Night, Saab

broke the ice the night before the Geneva Motor Show by creating a Scandinavian environment.

The Aero X is a thrilling sports coupé that makes use of Saab's background in aviation and Scandinavian design. It has several cutting-edge features, such as an aircraft-style cockpit canopy that eliminates the need for doors and a 400 horsepower, twin- turbo V6 BioPower engine that runs on 100% bioethanol with no emissions of fossil fuels.

The interior of the cabin uses Swedish glass-making and precise instrument-making skills to show data in graphic 3-D pictures on glass-like acrylic "clear zones," doing away with traditional dials and switches. Both inside and out, this two-seat sports coupe defies conventional design.

The Aero-X was designed to be a design experiment from the beginning. When opening its new design centre in Sweden at the time, General Motors' parent corporation desired a

beautiful concept to showcase Saab's most recent design language. Anthony Lo, who was in charge of creating the actual prototype, led the design team.

A seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission with paddle shifters sent power to all four wheels. Performance-wise, the front-mid engined sports car could reach top speed of 250 km/h electronically limited and accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds.

With a long bonnet, short overhangs, and prominent wheel arches, the concept automobile featured the proportions of a traditional grand tourer. However, the cockpit canopy with its

one-piece wraparound windshield and side windows and lack of A-pillars, which allowed for 180-degree view for both occupants, was possibly its most distinctive feature.