July 2008

Saab 9-X Biohybrid: Green Hatch

What it is: Fuel-friendly minicar.

Details, details: White pearl metallic paint and dark tinted glass. Four-cylinder BioPower turbo with 300 hp. Push-button turn signals. Turbinelike alloy wheels. Automatic rear spoiler. Solar panel on roof recharges batteries.

Pros: A green MINI contender.

Cons: Ethanol concerns.

Will it hit U.S. showrooms? Perhaps, though maybe not as a biofuel car.

—Joe Phillips