And there is even more to this 'green deal'. When you drive the BioPower Saab on E85 bioethanol fuel the engine power output goes from 150 bhp to 180 bhp. This is an increase of 20% for using a fuel that costs about 20 cents a litre less than petrol and which gives an ultra clean emission rating. It is worth noting while the fuel is cheaper it takes more of it to power the car so the savings here are reduced significantly although this is compensated by a VAT-free regime for those registered.

Bio-ethanol comes from whey, a bi-product of the cheese making operation of the Carbury Group in West Cork, and is very low in C02 emissions, the reason for the government's half-price VRT policy.

There is no obligation to use the E85 fuel (85% bio-ethanol with 15% petrol) and if you are out of range of an E85 filling station the engine will work equally well on a petrol-only fillup. Initially there were very few outlets for the E85 but the number is growing constantly throughout the country.

The real winner is the environment where emissions are reduced from 218g/km for a petrol-driven 9-5 two-litre to 214g/km for the BioPower version.

It is encouraging for companies such as Saab, Ford and Volvo which have led the way with the E85 fuel that there is now a growing demand for it.

Hopes are high that the new minister for the environment, John Gormley, may give bigger concessions in this year's budget to the green motorists. Most drivers make the changeover because of their commitment to lowering C02 levels but even those drivers who initially bought to gain the 6,000-plus cashback will be impressed by the extra power and savings.

In terms of performance the BioPower version beats petrol power by 10kms on a top speed measurement and in the 0-100 km sprint by almost two seconds.

The extra punch is evident and it is good to know that even when accelerating hard you are not adding to the greenhouse effect.

It's quiet and relaxed behind the wheel. All essentials are well positioned. The suspension works well on country roads, cornering is even and firm and the steering keeps the driver in touch with changing road surfaces very well. Tyre noise is not too intrusive even with the big tyres on the Linear Sport version.

There is good space as the car was designed for executive travel and the test model had leather seats, climatic air conditioning controls, cruise control and good seat adjustment for the driver.

Safety features include a full range of braking aids, including ESP to help reduce skidding and improve steering ability on slippery surfaces.

Saab cars are engineerd to be safe for all aboard and there are plenty of airbags and areas of high tensile steel to keep occupants from serious injury.

Special head restraints are designed to eliminate whiplash in a rear impact situation. An NCAP crash test for occupant safety gave the 9-5 a five-star rating. The styling of the 9-5 is a very traditional Saab look with the clamshell bonnet configuration giving the frontal areas a rounded sweeping look.

The absence of sharper styling lines compared to many rival models has led to some criticism that the design is beginning to look a bit dated but the Saab people defend the look as being distinctive and "very traditional Saab."

The design is indeed distinctive and one suspects that when changes come they will be more evolutionary than revolutionary.

VITAL STATISTICS
Model Saab 9-5 saloon
Engine Two-litre BioPower 180bhp
Length 4836 mm
Width 1792 mm
Height 1448 mm
Wheelbase 2703 mm
Acceleration 0-100km . . . 8.5secs
Top speed 225 km/h
Transmission six-speed manual
Economy 7L - 11L/100km
Price 42,939
C0 2emissions 214g/km