Comments on: 9-5 Biopower wins award

By: SaabKen

SaabKen — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 12:55:06 +0000

Here’s a reference to E85 9-5 from GM FastLane Blog:

http://fastlane.gmblogs.com/archives/2005/11/an_eye_toward_t.html#more

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 09:41:06 +0000

Swade, I agree with your sentiment and am an advocate of SAAB focusing BioPower sales on the states with high-concentrations of E85 stations to get a foothold in the U.S.

However, it still wouldn’t make sense for someone like me, for example, who lives in an area with NO E85 stations, to buy a BioPower in anticipation of the day when E85 stations do become available. The BioPower takes a power “hit” when running unleaded gasoline because it’s tuned for ethanol. Why should I have to drive an underpowered SAAB for many years until a decent infrastructure exists in my state? Why not just buy a gasoline-powered SAAB until E85 stations exist, THEN buy a BioPower?

I think that’s the catch-22. If the demand isn’t there, we won’t have stations. If there are no stations there will be no growing demand. It shouldn’t be on the shoulders of do-gooder early-adopters to get the market going, IMHO.

By: Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott — Fri, 11 Nov 2005 08:38:55 +0000

For what it’s worth, Minnesota (where I live) has by far the largest number of E85 stations, approx. 200. Iowa, to our immediate south, has the next largest number. But the national total of E85 stations is still only like 500.

Saab has very good penetration in the Minneapolis/St. Paul metro area, but very poor penetration in the rural areas (where most of the E85 stations are located).

There used to be a Saab dealer in Albert Lea, Minnesota, a small town in southern Minnesota, but it was closed in 1993. There is still Meyer Garage, a Saab dealer right across the border in northern Iowa, which tends to serve the Rochester, Minnesota area (that’s where the Mayo Clinic is located, for reference purposes).

The long-winded point of this is — Saab has a presence in the midwestern corn belt, but it’s all in the urban areas. (this is also very true in Illinois — lots of Saabs in Chicago, but nowhere else in the state). And it’s the rural areas that are pushing the E85.

Toyota and Honda have now made great strides in dealer penetration of the rural and semi-rural American markets. And Saab needs to do the same thing.

By: Swade

Swade — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:36:26 +0000

I wouldn’t write it off that easily. The Biopower model’s already in production and I’m sure it wouldn’t be that much of a stretch to bring it to the US. Esp if there’s a growing market for e85, which there is.

Why not get in on the ground floor? Those that can’t get e85 can run it on regular until such a time as when it becomes more readily available. It could also open up some more access to the midwest corn states, not a traditional Saab market.

It’s just my opinion (that they’ll bring it there) If it’s virtually cost-neutral, then why the heck not? If they don’t, someone else will.

By: 1985 Gripen

1985 Gripen — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 22:02:47 +0000

I’ll be at the L.A. Auto Show this year (like every year) so I’ll take photos and report what I find. I’m happy just to see that we’ll be getting something unique in L.A. from SAAB for once. Usually we are second-banana to the North American Auto Show, which is presented at the same time in Detroit. Detroit got both the 9-3X and 9X concepts while we got NOTHING in L.A. except production models. Nothing you can’t see at a SAAB dealer. Last year we did get to see the 9-7X though. I think it’s because they had more than one and already had another one at Detroit. The year before we got the 9-2X on a rotating podium (like the 9-7X) where we couldn’t get inside or really even see inside. Now I know why…

I wouldn’t get too excited about getting the BioPower in the States though. Just because PopSci gave it an award doesn’t mean squat. They’ve given SAAB several awards in the past, and one never even saw production. Here’s a list of the Popular Science awards of which SAAB was the recipient:

1993/94 “Best of What’s New” SAAB 900
2000 “Best of What’s New in Car Technology” SVC
2001 “Vision Zero” Reducing Incidence of Human Injury Related to Vehicular Accident

Just because PopSci gave SAAB an award doesn’t make it any more likely to see the light of day in the U.S. Remember, here in California (site of the debut of the 300 horsepower 9-5 concept) we have exactly ONE E85 fueling station. In the bordering states, I think there’s maybe five others, MAX.

By: Greg Abbott

Greg Abbott — Thu, 10 Nov 2005 18:23:42 +0000

“eventually” – doesn’t sound like Saab is in a big hurry to get the BioPower over here. And, of course, the reason they’re going to do it in the 9-3 is that they don’t want to take the 9-5 down market with a smaller 2.0 L engine.

How much do you want to bet that the 300 hp BioPower concept car for the LA show is simply a 260 hp 2.3 T, with the boost turned up because of high octane of E85?

All of this should be happening much quicker than it is.