Born From Jets

2006 Saab Aero-X Concept

This car would've saved Saab if they had given it a chance. This is the Saab Aero-X, and although it was made 5 years ago, it's still one of the best looking concept cars I've ever seen. Saab has always used the phrase "Born from Jets" to emphasize their cars as being precise, powerful, and refined for the common man's take. And this car? No exception. Especially, when you get into the cockpit.

Rising Roof

Supercars such as the Lamborghini Aventador, the McLaren MP4-12C, or the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG always provide the driver with a fancy way of getting into his car. When it comes to the Aventador or the McLaren, there are scissor doors that fold up rather than out. When it comes to the SLS, those enticing Gullwing doors makes it look like its flying. Even some luxury cars like the Rolls-Royce Ghost or the Phantom provide the driver/passenger with suicide doors to make people realize that he is a man of power. Saab want their drivers to feel like their flying, and they go by doing so with the Aero-X. You see, instead of the doors folding up, opening out, or going straight up, the whole roof plus the doors open and move towards the nose of the car, making it easy and fascinating for a driver to get in. And when you're in, the cabin seals shut, and you take off. It's like being in an F-15 Fighter Jet.

Concept Car Showroom

Now since it's inspired by a Jets, you would imagine that the Aero-X would be very fast, and it is. Under the hood is a 2.8-liter Twin-Turbocharged V6 that runs on E85 Ethanol producing 400 horsepower. 0 to 60 is done in 4.9 seconds and it will go on to a top speed of 155 MPH. The power from the jet-like engine is sent to all 4-wheels through a 7-speed sequential manual transmission operated from flappy paddles on the steering wheel. So yeah, it's a fast, good-looking, common man's sports car. And it would've made Saab drivers more exciting as well.

The Front Face

Alas, Saab refused point blank to put this road rocket into production. Why? It wasn't their cheap priority. Pity, it would've saved their company. Now, it's going bust with Spyker being sold to U.S. firms. If the Aero-X were to be sold as a production car now, it would've saved Saab from totat destruction. Why? Everyone loves a cool sports car, and Saab was becoming a reputable manufacturer with unique drivers driving them now. Unfortunately, all we can do now is dream. Dream that one day, this car will show up at an auction for us to at least drive it. Anyway, the Aero-X: built from Jets.

Look out Hatchbacks!

2012 Opel Astra GTC

Saturn may be gone, but Opel and Vauxhall still live, and they're cooking up something interesting to compete with some top notch hatchbacks. Say hello to the all new Astra GTC, due for official unveiling in Frankfurt, Germany at the Frankfurt Motor Show. Opel and Vauxhall say that this new hatchback will make room for their new 300 horsepower hot hatch due to take on the VW Golf R and Audi's turbo-boosting RS3. It's a shame Saturn shut down, though. Not that they produced really good cars, but if they were still alive and brought this here, people would be buying it. This might just be a rendering, but Opel and Vauxhall say that the final product will look almost exactly like it. It looks good. This could take GM somewhere. The car is scheduled for internet debut on June 7 when the pre-order books open. Check back here to see the hot hatch's greatest threat.

Malibu Express

2013 Chevy Malibu

The Chevy Malibu wasn't always the best looking midsize sedan out there, but Chevy's done some tweaking and now, I think it looks great. This is just a leaked photo from GM. The real thing will be unveiled on Chevy's Facebook page tonight at 8:30 p.m., with its live debut happening at the Shanghai Motor Show this week. Chevy's only putting four-cylinder engines into this thing so expect either a 2.4-liter inline-4 or a 2.0-liter turbo-4 to come in the near future. As for now, this is Chevy, once again getting under the Toyota Camry's nose, and possibly licking it. Gross, but it's somewhat true.