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Vauxhall will unveil not one, but two
cars at this year’s Geneva Motor Show on March 2, with world premieres
of the all-new Meriva compact MPV and a futuristic concept car, which is
set to boost the company’s credentials as a leader in environmental
vehicles.
Bolstering this message still further
at the show will be the groundbreaking Ampera extended-range electric
vehicle and Vauxhall’s most economical production car to date, the
latest Corsa ecoFLEX.
‘Vauxhall is covering all bases at
Geneva,’ said Duncan Aldred, Vauxhall’s Managing Director. ‘With the
Meriva, we have a unique and innovative take on family motoring, but the
concept car and Ampera prove that we are truly at the forefront of
environmental technology. These vehicles also show that their
versatility and efficiency doesn’t come at the expense of stunning
design.’
Meriva – the flexibility
champion
Vauxhall’s new Meriva is set to turn
the conventional concept of family-car usability on its head with a
combination of clever, rear-hinged back doors which radically improve
access/egress, and a raft of unique cabin features that boost interior
versatility.
The Meriva’s FlexDoors are rear-hinged
back doors which swing open towards the back of the car at an angle of
nearly 90 degrees, vastly improving the ease with which occupants enter
and leave the cabin – a major benefit for both parents with young
children, as well as older people.
But this isn’t the Meriva’s only
innovation. FlexRail transforms the conventional centre console into a
convenient and adaptable storage area for a wide range of everyday
items, from handbags and colouring books to iPods and sunglasses.
Complementing FlexRail is the Meriva’s
clever FlexSpace seating system, which offers a range of cabin
configurations without having to remove any of the seats. Both its outer
rear seats can be moved fore and aft individually, and also slide
inwards to provide more shoulder width and leg room.
The Meriva’s flexibility is enhanced by
an expressive and dynamic silhouette to its basic cab-forward design.
Like the Astra and Insignia, a ‘blade’ features down the side of the
body, complementing a window line with a distinct ‘wave’ accentuating
the FlexDoors.
Six turbocharged powertrains with
outputs ranging from 75-140PS will be available when the Meriva hits UK
showrooms in June this year, with a high-mpg/low-CO2 ecoFLEX
model joining the range, too.
Concept car gives clues to
Vauxhall’s future environmental direction
Vauxhall will premiere a concept car
that embodies much of the company’s future thinking in terms of design
and engineering.
Using green innovation and alternative
propulsion, the concept is proof that size and comfort do not need to be
sacrificed for a vehicle to be environmentally efficient.
More details on the concept car will be revealed in due course.
Vauxhall Ampera showcases E-REV
technology
The five-door, four-seater Vauxhall
Ampera is on schedule to go into production late next year. It carries
the same design DNA as the new Astra and Car of the Year-winning
Insignia, yet it uses groundbreaking extended-range electric vehicle
(E-REV) technology.
Unlike other conventional propulsion
systems, E-REV uses electricity as its primary power source,
supplemented by a small engine to generate electricity for its motors
when electric power runs low. This helps the Ampera overcome the ‘range
anxiety’ issues associated with pure electric cars.
Revised Corsa range – now
featuring Vauxhall’s most economical model ever!
While E-REV tech forms a crucial part
of Vauxhall’s green game-plan, developing highly efficient – but
exceptionally driveable – cars powered by conventional engines is still
important, something which the latest mid-life improvements to the
big-selling Corsa range illustrate perfectly.
Thanks to the Corsa, Vauxhall is set to
sell more sub-125g cars than any other model range in the UK this year
due to significant efficiency gains in its engine line-up. The
ultra-economical units – all of which, bar the VXR model, exceed 50mpg
combined when fitted with a manual gearbox – are joined by a raft of
improvements to the Corsa’s chassis, boosting its driver appeal still
further.
The economy star of the range is the
latest ecoFLEX model, which not only gains 20PS of power, but also
achieves a combined 76.3mpg and emissions of just 98g/km.
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