Auto car sports

The BMW Group and Saab-owner Spyker Cars N.V. have come to an agreement for the use of the German automaker's petrol engines in Saab's vehicles from 2012 onwards. The long-rumored deal, which will ultimately help Saab further reduce its reliance on previous owner General Motors, currently the firm's only supplier of gasoline powerplants, was signed on Wednesday by Ian Robertson, member of the Board of Management of BMW AG, and the CEO of Saab Automobile, JanÅke Jonsson, in Trollhättan in Sweden. Under the agreement, BMW will supply Saab with 4-cylinder 1.6 liter turbocharged petrol engines, which will incorporate the Bavarian automaker's fuel-saving and emissions -cutting stop-start and regenerative braking tech. Saab said the engines will be adapted to meet the firm's specific requirements. "We look forward to integrating this technology into our next-generation vehicles in a true Saab way," said Saab Automobile CEO Jan Åke Jonsson. Though the two automak...

The next generation of Saab models may very well be powered by BMW engines if negotiations between the two automakers are successful. Following widespread media speculations on the matter, Spyker N.V., the parent company of the Swedish carmaker confirmed talks with BMW. Here's the official statement: "Spyker Cars N.V. ("the Group"), a holding company that owns subsidiaries which produce and sell premium automobiles under the Saab and Spyker brands, has noted recent press speculation about the possible supply relationship with BMW. The Group confirms that talks are ongoing and will give further details once a final agreement has been reached." A report from Bloomberg citing an unnamed person with direct knowledge of the matter said the first Saab to benefit from the proposed deal would be the next 9-3 model, due for release in 2012. According to the source, Saab will make use of a new 222-horsepower that BMW is developing and has not yet been introduced in any o...

This month's Paris International Motor Show will host the world premiere of Saab's first ever EV , the 9-3 ePower. Based on the SportWagon variant of the current 9-3 , the prototype model will lead to a test fleet of 70 vehicles that will participate in field trials in Sweden early next year. The car is motivated by a 184HP electric motor driving the front wheels through a single-speed transmission. Energy is provided by a compact 35.5 kWh lithium-ion battery pack located in a modified floor-pan, in a space occupied by the exhaust system and fuel tank on the standard 9-3 SportWagon The Swedish automaker says the EV can accelerate from zero to 100km/h (62mph) in a respectable 9.5 seconds and continue on to a top speed of 150km/h or 93mph. The projected driving range on a full charge is approximately 200 kilometers or about 124 miles. Saab said the battery can be fully recharged from a domestic mains supply in three to six hours, depending on depletion status. However, the compa...

The 2011 model year brings another round of enhancements for Saab's long overdue for replacement, 9-3, comprising mostly of tweaks to the diesel engine range. In particular, all three diesel models benefit from more advanced twin turbocharging technology, which not only helps reduce fuel consumption and lower CO2 emissions, but also adds a few more ponies. The 1.9-litre turbo diesel range now includes a 130HP TTiD unit that replaces the previous 120HP engine, a 160HP version that takes the place of the 150HP engine, and a range-topping 180HP variant. Saab said with these updated diesel engines and manual gearbox, the 9-3 saloon returns a combined cycle fuel economy of 4.5 lt/100km (62.8 mpg UK or 52.3mpg US) and 119 g/km CO2 emissions. For the SportCombi, the respective figures are 4.6 lt/100 km and 122 g/km, and for the 9-3 Convertible, which is available with the 160HP and 180HP diesel engines, 5.1 lt/100 km and 134 g/km. To further optimize emissions and fuel consumption, Saab a...