The roundels align - Saab to use BMW Engines
Saab are to use BMW’s 1.6 petrol engine – as fitted to MINIs & PSA cars – from 2012, probably in a new compact car – the Saab 9-2.
As we reported on Monday, Saab are to use BMW engines. Which is very good news for Saab. And not exactly bad news for BMW.
The statement from BMW says that “The 4-cylinder engine with latest fuel savings technologies is intended for a new Saab model series” which we can probably assume is the wish-list Saab 9-2. The statement from Saab says the engines will “…be used in the next-generation Saab vehicles” and that “…engines will be adapted to meet Saab’s specific requirements”.
Which seems to point two slightly different ways. We’ll see. So what is the engine BMW are supplying to Saab? It’s the ubiquitous MINI turbo lump which seems to see service in every third car on the planet (well, every third PSA car, anyway). But its ubiquity is because it’s so good.
So this is good for BMW & Saab, but also for the UK as the engine is built at BMW’s Hams Hall Plant in Warwickshire. It will feature Start-Stop and other measures designed to reduce emissions and fuel consumption.
All of which seems to point quite firmly towards the Saab 9-2 hitting the market by 2012. But what we have no news on is the platform for the 9-2. We’d half expected an announcement that Saab were going to use the next MINI platform for the 9-2, as it seems extremely unlikely Saab would want to embark on developing a platform of their own.
Maybe the platform announcement will come soon.
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