Saab has been further absorbed into the GM family, with Saabs being built outside Sweden and non-Saabs being built in its factory (Cadillac BLS). To stem the criticism that the company is losing its character, GM has opened a Saab Brand Center in Sweden. This is the first design from that center, the Saab Aero-X concept. Like traditional Saabs, including the Sonnets I, II and III, it's a front-wheel-drive-based sports car, but it's got all-wheel-drive to handle a 400-horsepower twin-turbo V-6. And to be eco-friendly, it operates on 100-percent bio-ethanol fuel. Its body has a cockpit canopy in place of conventional doors (shades of early '60s American "dream cars"). The rear stowage features a "twin floor" for better-than-sports car cargo space. The Aero-X is a surprise, unquestionably the best car of the 2006 Geneva Motor Show. If Saab can translate this general design into production cars, it could save itself from GM anonymity.
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