Rod Holder on 2040-parts.com

Vauxhall Meriva (2010): first news and pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 05 January 2010 00:01 The new Vauxhall Meriva is opening up entry to the suicide door club – previously the preserve of Rolls-Royces and Mazda sports cars. Unveiled today, the new Meriva mini-MPV premieres GM’s FlexDoor technology, designed to make it easier to climb in and out. Or just show off in the car park (delete according to your personal scepticism).Although available on one side of the Mini Clubman, the Meriva promises to democratise the suicide door, with prices from around £14,000 when UK sales start in June 2010.The rear-hinged back doors open to nearly 90deg and are claimed to help ease access to the Meriva – a promise we’ll check out when we sit in it at the 2010 Geneva motor show.

Skoda Rapid & Rapid Spaceback GreenLine from £17,195

Skoda Rapid & Rapid Spaceback GreenLine (pictured) cost from £17,195 With the Skoda Rapid already on the market, and its sibling with a hatch – the Rapid Spaceback – about to launch, Skoda is introducing the emissions-friendly GreenLine versions of both cars. Both the saloon (liftback) and the Spaceback (hatch) get the same 89bhp 1.6 litre diesel driving the front wheels through a five-speed manual gearbox. Despite differences in dimensions and weight, Skoda are claiming the same 99g/km emissions and 74.3mpg for both saloon and Spaceback, practically perfect if you’re a company car driver.

Porsche considers North America, China production to grow sales

Porsche may launch production in North America and China as part of a plan to double annual global sales to 200,000 units, CEO Matthias Mueller said. Mueller said the sports car maker's current German assembly plants in Zuffenhausen, near Stuttgart, and Leipzig, were too small for the brand to reach its ambitious goals. "We will consider this year whether to start production in Asia or North America," Mueller told the German magazine Focus in an interview published Monday.