Saab's revamped 9-3 now runs on ethanol and, says Conor Twomey, together with tax savings, it makes quite a useful sales pitch
It seems the Irish punter isn't very fond of the tax man. Saab Ireland told us at the recent 9-3 press conference that a whopping 90 per cent of all the cars it now sells are BioPower which, in Saab-speak, means cars capable of running on E85 fuel (normally 85 per cent plant-derived ethanol, but in Ireland's case the ethanol is actually derived from milk whey).
Because of this, customers are entitled to the same 50 per cent VRT rebate as a hybrid car, but business customers can claim back the VAT on fuel, just as they could with diesel. Add in a veneer of environmental consciousness, and it's understandable why the allure of the BioPower Saab is so strong.
The only problem was that you weren't exactly buying a class-leading product. The only BioPower Saab on offer was the 9-5, and while it isn't a bad car, it is a bit lacking in terms of handling and interior quality, compared to more polished rivals.
Saab Ireland is understandably gleeful that the revised Saab 9-3 is also going to be available with BioPower engines, so much so that only cars driven by BioPower engines were available to test-drive at the Irish launch. The availability of these tax-busting engines, combined with a raft of other important revisions, should see Saab sales jump in Ireland next year.
Indeed, if you're thinking about scraping yourself into a BMW 316i or a Mercedes C180K you, too, might want to consider adding the Saab 9-3 to your shopping list.
Unlike the other E85 engines on the market, the Saab 9-3 shows no loss in power compared to its unleaded-powered siblings. In fact, the higher octane rating of E85 is ideally suited to turbo-charged engines, which means they actually have a higher output when powered by E85.
Don't try putting ethanol in a car not specially prepared for the fuel, however. Ethanol is highly corrosive, so BioPower cars have lots of corrosion-resistant components and a specially calibrated engine-management unit designed to deal with any combination of ethanol and petrol in the tank.
To drive, there's no difference between it and an ordinary Saab 9-3, except that there's more grunt. Output jumps from 150hp to 175hp in BioPower guise, and there will eventually be a 200hp version of the same engine, if that's your thing.
The standard Saab 9-3 1.8t BioPower (it's actually a 2-litre) takes just 8.4 seconds to sprint from 0-100km/h and tops out at 220km/h, but because it's a turbocharged engine, there's plenty of mid-range overtaking torque (265Nm between 2,500 and 3,500rpm). Not bad for a car costing as much as the basic 122hp 1.8i.
The downside of all this performance is that the 9-3 isn't the most fuel-efficient car in the world, and even though the company claims that the BioPower models produce 80 per cent less CO2 than a conventional 9-3, it doesn't elaborate on how it arrives at this figure. Does anyone actually know exactly how much CO2 is produced during the entire E85 manufacturing process in Ireland? I can't help but be somewhat sceptical of the claim that the 9-3 BioPower releases only 40g of fossil-fuel CO2 per kilometre.
The engines aren't the only major changes to the Saab 9-3. Firstly, the new front-end spruces up the looks and makes it much more distinctive than before, while a host of minor changes elsewhere help it to look cool and contemporary from other angles too, if a little familiar at this point.
Inside, the revised cabin from last year remains, so you get the same excellent seats and fine ergonomics, blighted by a cheap stereo and too-large steering wheel courtesy of GM America. However, the most significant changes have been to the chassis - Saab has quickened the steering, improved front-end grip (good job, too, with all that extra power) and improved chassis refinement, making it a more enjoyable car to drive than many of its supposedly superior German rivals.
If faced with a choice of driving a Saab 9-3 BioPower or a similarly-priced BMW 316i or Audi A4 (leaving the 9-3's higher specification to one side for a moment) for the next few years, then the Saab 9-3 would definitely be the more amusing companion.
When you factor in the added satisfaction of getting one back on the tax man and showing off to the neighbours how ecologically aware you are, then the Saab 9-3 BioPower becomes almost irresistible.
Factfile
ENGINE:2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo, 175hp, 265Nm
TRANSMISSION:Five-speed manual
ACCELERATION 0-100km/h:8.4 seconds
TOP SPEED:225 km/h
ECONOMY:8.3 L/100 km
CO2:199g/km
BOOT CAPACITY:421 litres
WEIGHT:1,500kg (approx)
PRICE:€42,280. Price with VRT rebate: €36,573
SPECIFICATION:Linear: 16-inch alloys, six airbags, dual-zone climate control, cruise control. Linear Sport: 17-inch alloys, park sensors and leather trim. Vector Sport: sport chassis. Aero: bi-xenon headlamps, bigger brakes, sport seats