A preview of the next generation of this popular multipurpose vehicle.
These days, we are presented with a remarkable batch of cars and crossovers touted as urban vehicles, most of which present a rather grim view of urban life, decked out as they are with four-wheel drive, powerful multicylinder engines, and menacing styling seemingly designed more for urban warfare.
But automotive city life doesn’t need to be all power and competition. One of the most successful small one-box cars outside North America is GM’s Meriva, which is sold globally under the Opel, Vauxhall, and Chevrolet monikers and which offers buyers a compact, cheerful, and competent choice.
Built on a dated Corsa platform, the Meriva needs a successor. The concept on display at the 2008 Geneva auto show provides a pretty accurate idea of what the next-generation Meriva multipurpose vehicle, to be launched in 2010, will look like.
The pronounced drop in the sill line and a dramatic low swage line create some visual drama and should make the Meriva one of the most forward-looking choices in its class. The large windows mark a departure from current styling, which aims to encase passengers to create a sense of security.
The Meriva concept showcases some elements that might not make it into production, such as the FlexDoors, a patented system that includes rear-hinged rear doors. We will continue to call them suicide doors, GM’s claim that they can only be opened “when there is no risk to the passengers” notwithstanding.
GM says there are no plans to bring the next Meriva to the U.S., but with the Opel and Saturn vehicle lineups converging, there might eventually be a case for this compact monospace in North America.
For Europe, we are hoping for a successor to the 177-hp European Meriva OPC (Opel Performance Center) for serious urban warfare.
Sourse: Automobile Car Blog
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