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.
The development of the next-generation Opel Meriva is moving ahead as planned with the German automaker removing more and more camouflage off the prototype models. In these latest scoop photos, the prototype Meriva has lost the confusing chequered black and white taping revealing many details on its design. Even though Opel has attempted to mislead us with a pair of fake rear-door handles, the new Meriva will retain the 2008 Geneva Show car's rear-hinged suicide doors called FlexDoors.
While the front doors are conventionally designed with front hinges, the Meriva's rear doors swing open towards the back of the car to a 90-degree angle. Another feature of the FlexDoors is that the front and rear doors can open independently of each other. GM's people support that the patented FlexDoors will make the Meriva more comfortable, versatile and safer than the current model.
The new Meriva will borrow several design cues from the Insignia including the front-end styling and the delta-wing blade on its flanks. While it won't be as exciting as the concept study, Opel's second-generation mini-MPV looks like it will be far more stylish than today's Meriva.
Same goes for the interior that is stylistically inspired from - you guessed it- the Insignia. Even though the car's design was a high-priority, GM did not forget about the Meriva's functional and practical side. Among other features, the 2010 Meriva will be equipped with Opel's variable FlexSpace rear seating system that allows the transformation of the vehicle from a five-seater to a four, three, two or even single seat vehicle without the need to remove seats.
The 2010 Meriva will adopt the latest version of GM's Gama platform sharing many of its underpinning with the new Corsa. It is expected that the new Meriva will grow in size offering improved space for passengers and their luggage.
While we don't have the full Monty on the powertrain options, it is anticipated that apart from the usual gasoline and diesel engines found in the Corsa, the new Meriva will also be available with GM's brand-new 1.4-liter turbocharged 4-cylinder petrol unit with outputs ranging from 120 hp to 140 HP.
Unlike its chief rivals that include the Honda Jazz and Citroen C3 Picasso, the Meriva's range will also feature a high-performance OPC version powered by a turbocharged 1.6-liter gasoline unit with an output of around 180-horsepower.
Sales of the new Meriva will begin in Europe in 2010. As for any chances seeing the Meriva in the U.S., for the time being, your guess is as good as ours.
