“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects”, said Håkan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year.
The Giulietta came in second with 248 points, while the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva took the bronze, with 244 points.
Read more »“The jury acknowledged today that the Nissan LEAF is a breakthrough for electric cars. Nissan LEAF is the first EV that can match conventional cars in many respects”, said Håkan Matson, President of the Jury, Car of the Year.
The Giulietta came in second with 248 points, while the Opel/Vauxhall Meriva took the bronze, with 244 points.
Read more »
The German tuning firm starts by upgrading the small MPV's exterior with a new radiator grille that's available in silver or black carbon fiber trim, a new roof spoiler and a choice of 16-, 18- or 19-inch alloy wheels.
The practical five-seater model with suicide rear doors will be offered with six turbocharged diesel and gasoline engines, spanning from 75HP to 140HP. Watch both videos after the break.
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.
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.
