Vauxhall Meriva opens up

At first glance these appear to be run-of-the-mill shots of a camouflaged Vauxhall Meriva. But take a closer look and they confirm a massive revelation about the upcoming compact MPV.

Fake handles on the rear doors, designed to throw our spy photographers off the scent, prove that the back door will actually be hinged at the rear – creating a suicide door setup! The new arrangement, until now associated with more premium products like the Rolls Royce Phantom and Mazda RX-8, will provide a huge and more practical opening for loading up the car and mark a first for a model in this segment. Expect a grab handle to be integrated into the B-pillar for easy access.

This setup, known as the FlexDoor system, remains faithful to the Meriva Concept, which made its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in 2008. The new Meriva will go on sale in early 2010 priced from around £9,000.