First look: BioPower hits Saab's 9-3

SAAB flexed its flex-fuel muscle again at the Geneva motor show last week, introducing a 1.8-litre BioPower engine that will be used across Europe's entire 9-3 model range including sedan, wagon and convertible.

Paired with either a manual or automatic transmission, the engine is claimed to emit 50 to 70 per cent less CO2 than its 1.8-litre petrol engine equivalent, but produce 17 per cent more power and 10 per cent more torque when running on bio-ethanol (E85) fuel.

In the UK market, where it becomes available this month, the clean and green 9-3 will become the Swedish marque’s third BioPower engine alongside the two current 9-5 BioPower variants.

As GoAuto previewed prior to the show, Saab also unveiled in Geneva the 9-5 BioPower 100 concept (pictured above), which features a new 2.0-litre flex-fuel engine that runs on pure bio-ethanol (E100) and is claimed to have the same power as a petrol engine twice its size.

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