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Opel Trixx concept for the Geneva Motor Show

Opel/Vauxhall has released first details of the Trixx small car concept to be shown at the Geneva Motor Show next month. Martin Smith, Opel/Vauxhall executive director of design, says: "Trixx shows our vision of an innovative, ultra-compact car in the three-metre-class, with an expressive, exciting design, and meets a variety of mobility requirements with its clever, highly versatile interior concept." Trixx has an inflatable rear seat, sliding electric doors, and a push-button roof hatch that allows it to carry extra-long objects upright. The versatile car can carry up to three adults and a child, and as a one-seater it turns into a substantial load carrier.

'Talking cars' in US safety drive

NEW CARS and light trucks may be fitted with technology that lets vehicles communicate with each other in a bid to avoid deadly crashes. A radio beacon would continually transmit a vehicle's position, heading, speed and other information. Cars would receive the same information back from other vehicles, and a vehicle's computer would alert the driver to an impending collision.

The AutoWeek list: Foolish cars we should never have bought, but did

2001 Pontiac Aztek Our take: The most recent black eye to the General's style department. A car equivalent of the ubiquitous camel design, put together by a committee whose members obviously didn't speak to each other. 1999 Isuzu VehiCROSS Our take: We don't doubt this Japanese ute's off-road prowess, but its goggle-eye front and corrugated steel door ripples were enormous design miscues.