World premiere Saab PhoeniX: The future is here

• Aeromotional design” inspired by Saab’s flying heritage
• Design and technology for upcoming Saab models
• Minimalist interior with Saab’s groundbreaking IQon infotainment system based on AndroidTM
• Efficient turbo engine and electric four-wheel drive with Saab eXWD
• New technology in brand new vehicle architecture

Elegant, innovative and efficient: The concept car Saab PhoeniX gives a clue about the design and technology of the next generation of cars from Saab.

Saab PhoeniX is based on a brand new vehicle architecture that also forms the basis for the next Saab 9-3. It has a design language that can be described as “aeromotional design” – a visual interpretation of aerodynamic design thinking and the passion for innovation and innovation that inspired the men behind Saab’s first car, the Ursaaben.

Saab PhoeniX’s design features both drop forms and a feeling of liquid metal. The aircraft-inspired cockpit hood that extends all over the passenger compartment is a new interpretation of Saab’s typically continuous curved, continuous glass surfaces front and rear and the ice-block-like design found in today’s cars.

The clean, dynamic shape gives the car an air resistance coefficient of just 0.25 and also shows the aerodynamic possibilities provided by the wing structures on the sides of the roof.

Doors that open upwards and forwards give a smooth entrance to the 2 + 2 compartment, which is a mixture of simplicity and advanced technology. The right-hand part of the dashboard swings toward the driver at a 45-degree angle and in it sits Saab’s new infotainment and communication system, Saab IQon. The IQon system makes it possible to download various applications directly to the car in the same way as with a smart mobile phone. True Saab spirit also has a surprisingly flexible cargo space.

• PhoeniX is a new reference point for Saab’s future product design, says Saab’s design manager Jason Castriota.
• It symbolizes a renaissance for the will and the pioneering that led Saab to build its first car. We develop the purely visual DNA with something we call aeromotional design, a mixture of emotion, power, movement and aerodynamics. This design will characterize the cars in Saab’s future model program.

Saab PhoeniX has an advanced powertrain with eXWD, electric rear-wheel drive, and a 200-horsepower 1.6-liter turbo engine that powers the front wheels. Together, they create a smart hybrid four-wheel drive that provides both driving pleasure and reduced fuel consumption. Consumption and CO2 emissions are calculated at 5 l / 100 km and 119 g / km respectively.

Aeromotional design

The design language “Aeromotional” has been inspired by Saab’s flying heritage and uses design expressions from Ursaaben, Saab’s first car prototype developed by aircraft engineers and became the forerunner of the first generations of cars from Saab.

PhoeniX has a shape that seems to be created by a wind. The drop-shaped cockpit hood rises from the center of the body like a dark block of ice enclosed by a liquid metal membrane. Two marked but soft folds run along the bonnet into the hidden door pillars.

At the back, the cockpit hood slims off, giving a drip shape similar to that of the Ursaab. The opposite end of the stern flirts in turn with the shapes of Saab’s first sports coupe Sonett II.

The low front is a reinterpretation of Saab’s typical three-hole grill. A body-colored wing dominates and in line with the car’s other minimalist design, the LED headlights are virtually invisible. The shapes of the grill and hood are examples of design elements in future cars from Saab.

The doors give easy access to the low cabin. No visible handles or rear-view mirrors interfere with the aerodynamics along the side of the car, instead there are small cameras that give the driver a rear view.

The aerodynamic wing structures along the sides of the roof control the airflow from the side of the car to the stern. They thus help to reduce the lifting forces over the rear axle without increasing the air resistance.

Peeled interior

In the Scandinavian design tradition, the 2 + 2 compartment has a minimalist look. It has the same stripped-down feel as in a racing car, with shell chairs and parts of the metal interior that should give the feel of the pipes in a safety cage.

The driver’s seat contains a new interpretation of Saab’s classically angled, driver-oriented dashboard. All relevant data is displayed in front of the driver in both a circular instrument, designed as the afterburner chamber on a jet engine, and in a head-up display in the windshield.

Part of the dashboard is angled 45 degrees to the driver and contains Saab’s latest infotainment and communication system, IQon. An 8-inch touch screen sits as close to the driver’s fingertips as the steering wheel.

Saab IQon (see separate document with full details) is a groundbreaking communication platform for cars that use Google’s AndroidTM operating system and connect to the network as soon as the ignition is turned on. It is based on open innovation with third-party vendors that develop services and applications that can then be downloaded directly to the car in the same way as a smart mobile phone. Through a touch screen in the dashboard, everything is handled from sound system and climate system to download and use of applications.

The red instrument and interior lighting gives a warm feeling. The floor has small red LEDs that glow through small holes in the black carpet. Everything is part of the new design language “aeromotional design” which also includes an element of contrast effect between “fire and ice”.

The luggage door opens large and gives access to a cargo space that is flat and lightly loaded. The rear seat backrest can be folded and the floor has rails with adjustable loading eyes.

Efficient driving

Under the PhoeniX sculpted bonnet sits an efficient 1.6-liter turbo engine made entirely of aluminum. It has an output of 200 hp (147 kW) and is equipped with valves with variable opening times and lift heights, as well as start / stop function and fuel shut-off.

The internal combustion engine works together with Saab’s eXWD, Saab’s electric four-wheel drive system, which provides hybrid function through an electrically driven rear axle. A 34-horsepower (25 kW) electric motor drives the rear wheels and gets its power from a small battery pack and the car’s braking energy regenerates charging to the batteries.

The hybrid operation is under development and will give Saab’s future models the advantage of a four-wheel drive that results in lower fuel consumption. With a six-speed manual box, fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are calculated at mixed driving of 0.5 l / km and 119 g / km respectively.

The driver can choose from three modes of eXWD. The Eco mode is standard and provides the most efficient fuel consumption and least emissions. The electric motor helps reduce the load on the gasoline engine at low speeds. The Sport mode provides maximum power in the rear axle for more driving pleasure and better grip, and the Traction mode provides better accessibility and attachment to slippery surfaces.

The fuel tank is made of stainless steel, which makes it both lighter and cheaper than a conventional plastic tank.

Both on the outside and under the shell, Saab PhoeniX presents design ideas and technology solutions that will be available in the future