The Saab Combustion Control (SCC) system is a new engine control system developed to lower fuel consumption while radically reducing the exhaust emissions, but without impairing engine performance. By mixing a large proportion of exhaust gases into the combustion process, the fuel consumption can be reduced by up to 10 percent, at the same time lowering the exhaust emissions to a value below the American Ultra Low Emission Vehicle 2 (ULEV2) requirements that will come into force in the year 2005. Compared to today's Saab engines with equivalent performance, this will almost halve the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon emissions, and will cut the nitrogen oxide emissions by 75 percent.

The SCC system is based on a combination of direct injection of petrol (gasoline), variable valve timing and variable spark gap. Unlike the direct injection systems available on the market today, the SCC system puts to use the benefits of direct injection, but without disturbing the ideal air to fuel ratio necessary for a three way catalytic convertor to perform satisfactorily.