18 Sep 08
Our on-the-road experience was limited to a passenger ride around Saab's windswept test track in Sweden at 50mph but even this was enough to confirm that the 9-X Air is something very special indeed.
The concept uses a new 1.4-litre hybrid-electric turbocharged engine that felt smooth and responsive even though it was mated to an old-school five-speed automatic gearbox.
Inside, it is a place of relative calm: the handsome C-pillars do a great job of restricting interior airflow and as such there's a lot less buffeting than you'd expect from a convertible with its roof off.
From the driver's seat you are well able to appreciate the aesthetic qualities of the interior. Saab used an ice and snow theme used to create the 9-X's stunning multi-layer dials and because designers have used the structure of a snowflake as a (sort of) template the A-pillars are wonderfully slim and they offer fantastic visibility.
As in the 9-3 Cabrio, the rear seats are only big enough for kids or occasional adult use and those hefty buttress-style C-Pillars provide a welcome feeling of security in the rear, especially when you know the rollover hoops located behind will automatically pop up in the event of an accident.
