Geneva 2011: Saab Phoenix revealed

Think of this Saab as the T-1000 of concept cars, only with less duplicitous pointy-metal-finger death and more economy. It is the Phoenix, and it has just been revealed at the 2011 Geneva motor show.

Design director Jason Castriota reckons this concept ‘establishes a new reference point for the future of Saab product design', which if it does, means good things, partly because it comes with butterfly doors and looks kinda' hard.

See more pics of the Saab Phoenix concept car

A ‘liquid metal' style surface a-la-Terminator 2 houses a 2+2 cabin (sitting on the new 9-3 production car platform), BMW's 200bhp aluminium 1.6-litre turbocharged petrol engine used in the Mini (they're buying it from Bee-Em) and even a 34bhp electric motor powered by a small battery attached to the rear axle (itself charged by regenerative braking).

No word on performance, but the Phoenix sends the power to the front wheels via a six-speed ‘box and is projected to return 56.5mpg and emit just 119g/km of CO2. This hybrid system will find its way into the next 9-3 too. 

It comes with three operating modes - Eco, Sport and Traction - and Saab's IQon, a communications platform using Google Android as an operating system. When you turn the ignition, it connects to the Internet and, via a touch-screen, allows entertainment streaming, audio, online navigation, music storage and smartphone-style apps.

The new 9-3 will come as a hatch, estate and cabrio, sans batwings, sadly. Of course, should this concept suddenly morph into an ass-kicking exoskeleton and mercilessly gun down future rebel leaders, well, you've been warned...