Less than a year
after the launch of
the Saab
9000, Saabs small but efficient design department in Trollhättan
had something else to show: the Saab 900 Turbo 16 EV-1, a 2+2 seater
sports coupé based on the
Saab
900 Turbo. It was built so that
Saab could test interesting future components and study them in detail -
not as a prototype for subsequent production. Despite that, the EV-1
(Experimental Vehicle No. 1) is unique as a future design study in that
is fully functional and roadworthy. One of the characteristic features of
the Saab EV-1 is its futuristic styling - the work of Björn Envall.
The upper part is entirely of glass and mounted in the roof are a number
of solar cells. These produce electric power for a fan which
automatically ventilates the passenger compartment when the car is parked
in the sun - thereby doing away with the greenhouse effect. Further, the
headlamps are of a new, high-efficiency type which illuminate the road
better in spite of their small dimensions.
The front and rear parts of the body are of aramid fibre reinforced
plastic which has the ability to absorb impact and then resume its
original shape. They are extremely light. Side collision protection of
glass and carbon fibre fitted inside the doors meets the most stringent
safety regulations. The rear window is kept from misting up by invisible
electric wires, which also melt away ice in the winter. The seats are of
injection moulded plastic with electrical operation of the fore-and-aft
adjustment, height and tilt (the front seats also feature electrically
operated adjustment of seat angle and side supports). They are only half
the weight of conventional seats.
The 16-valve Turbo engine has been tuned to deliver 285 bhp and its
maximum speed is 270 km/h. Acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 5.9
seconds, 0 to 400 metres 13.9 seconds. This performance - fully
comparable with that of the most extreme sports cars - is obtained with
components taken directly from the Saab 900.
The chassis unit with front wheel suspension and rear axle are
Saab 900
Turbo components which have been modified accordingly.