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Tuesday, September 29, 2009
No more hiding and trick camouflage for the new Meriva as our spies finally managed to snap Opel's new small MPV with its rear-hinged back doors open wide confirming once and for all that the production model will indeed keep the 'FlexDoors' of the 2008 Geneva Show concept car. Both rear doors of the five-seater MPV will open a full 90 degrees away from the body but unlike most models with suicide style back doors, the Meriva maintains a central B-pillar.
It is expected that like the concept model, passengers can open the rear doors even when the front doors are closed but only when the vehicle is stationary.
A closer look at the spy photos reveals that the 2010 Meriva, which will be sold in Great Britain with the Vauxhall logo, will be fitted with three individual seats at the rear that can be separately folded down to increase luggage capacity or/and pushed inwards and backwards to create more legroom.
Albeit toned down, the production model's exterior styling remains close to that of the 2008 concept. Even the unusual kink in the rear window line that promises to improve the view of the rear passengers has been retained. The Meriva also incorporates plenty of design cues from both the new Astra and Insignia.
Earlier spy shots suggest that the Meriva will get a dashboard similar in design to the one found in the latest Astra with four deeply placed gauges in the instrument cluster.
Based on a slightly larger platform with a longer wheelbase and wider tracks than the current model, the new Meriva will benefit from the 2010 Astra's revised engine lineup.
The gasoline range will include 1.4-liter and 1.6-liter naturally aspirated engines with outputs of 100HP and 115HP respectively as well as GM's new 1.4-liter turbocharged producing 140HP. A sporty OPC version with a 1.6-liter turbo pushing out 180HP or more will also be offered at a later stage.
As for the diesel lineup, the initial range is expected to include 1.3-liter, 1.7-liter and 2.0-liter CDTIs.
With the Frankfurt Motor Show long gone, the world debut of the Meriva will most likely take place at next year's Geneva Salon in March, before going on sale across Europe at the end of Spring.
