Opel Releases New Photos of the 2010 Meriva Small MPV Including First Shots of the Interior

It won't be long before we see the new Opel Meriva with its rear suicide doors in the flesh as the 2010 Geneva Salon is just around the corner, but to keep consumer and media interest alike on the boil, Opel went ahead and released a new batch of photographs of the small MPV that include the first shots of the interior.

If you have ever sat in or even seen the cockpit of the new Opel Astra or the Insignia a.k.a. the 2011 Buick Regal in North America, then the Meriva's dashboard styling will look very familiar.

Being a model that is aimed at a somewhat younger crowd, the Meriva does get more trendy color options and upholstery patterns as well as some unique design cues like the styling of the air vents, but other than that, an Astra driver will feel right at home.

Aside from the rear doors that are hinged at the back opening to almost 90 degrees, the second generation of the Meriva also gets an improved Flexspace seating system that allows the rear seats to be mounted back independently to create more boot, leg or shoulder room, or folded down completely optimal cargo-carrying flexibility.

New for the Meriva is the so-called FlexRail lower center console concept between the seats that provides adaptable storage for a variety of everyday items from handbags and magazines to iPods, CDs and tissue boxes for both the front and rear passengers.

Other new features include the optional, full panorama sunroof that's almost two-meters long and the FlexFix bicycle carrier that slides in and out of the rear bumper like a drawer making

The new Meriva will be offered with a total of six turbocharged diesel and gasoline units with outputs ranging from 75 to 140 horsepower.

New Opel Corsa Color Race Harks Back to 1970s Rallye Kadett B Sprint [with Video]

Chevrolet isn't the only brand in the GM Group playing around with vivid colors and special editions that hark back to models of the 60s and 70s. So is the firm's European division Opel that has released a new exclusive edition of the Corsa supermini called 'Color Race' inspired from the late 1960s - early 1970s Rallye Kadett B Sprint.

However, unlike the sporty Kadett that combined exclusive styling cues with performance enhancements, the Corsa Color Race's upgrades are limited to cosmetic upgrades.

The three-door Color Race is available with a choice of three exterior finishes - Sunny Melon Yellow color, Casablanca White and Magma Red- and comes with a standard black hood as well as side and tailgate appliqués with a checkered flag motif, black painted roof and black 17-inch alloy wheels.

The special edition model's interior features matching color highlights such as special seat stitching and vent bezels, a Panorama sunroof and a leather-clad steering wheel.

The Corsa Color Race is offered with the same range of engines as the other 2010 Corsa models including the new 1.4-liter gasoline unit with 87HP or 100HP and the 130HP 1.7-liter CDTI turbo diesel that returns a combined fuel consumption of just 4.5-liter per 100 km or 52.3 mpg US.

Pricing in Germany starts from €15,560 or at today's exchange rates, approximately US$22,500.

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New Opel Meriva MPV Spotted Out in the Open

True, GM's European arm has officially revealed the new Opel Meriva but we couldn't pass the opportunity to share with you these 'real-life' photographs of the small MPV that was bagged by our man with the long lens in Germany. You can read the full story on the 2010 Meriva here, but as a reminder, Opel's Citroen C3 Picasso rival that features rear-hinged back doors will make its first public outing at the Geneva Motor Show in March.

At launch, it will be marketed with six engines offering a power bandwidth from 75 HP to 140 HP and a choice of 5 and 6-speed manual transmissions (depending on the engine) as well as a 6-speed automatic gearbox

According to Opel, fuel consumption has been reduced by an average of 15 percent compared with the current generation Meriva.

Designed and developed at Opel's engineering center in Rüsselsheim, Germany, the new Meriva will be built at GM's plant in Zaragoza, Spain and is scheduled to go on sale across Europe this summer.