2001-03 Dodge Durango Brushed Gold Finish Dash Accent Kit on 2040-parts.com

Vauxhall Meriva (2010): first news and pictures

By Tim Pollard First Official Pictures 05 January 2010 00:01 The new Vauxhall Meriva is opening up entry to the suicide door club – previously the preserve of Rolls-Royces and Mazda sports cars. Unveiled today, the new Meriva mini-MPV premieres GM’s FlexDoor technology, designed to make it easier to climb in and out. Or just show off in the car park (delete according to your personal scepticism).Although available on one side of the Mini Clubman, the Meriva promises to democratise the suicide door, with prices from around £14,000 when UK sales start in June 2010.The rear-hinged back doors open to nearly 90deg and are claimed to help ease access to the Meriva – a promise we’ll check out when we sit in it at the 2010 Geneva motor show.

BMW's quirky new i3

The side view of the new BMW i3 electric vehicle takes some getting used to, with no two windows the same size or shape. The i3 is high-waisted through the front door and then there's a notch for a taller rear-passenger window and the rear-hinged rear door and a narrow, tapering window at the rear quarter. Yet when you look at the underlying structure -- made of carbon-fiber-reinforced plastic -- an innovative choice for a mass-produced car -- there's a giant side opening from front to rear.

Ian Callum meets graffiti artist Mr Kaves and his one-off Jag [w/video]

A backstreet garage in Brooklyn, New York, is home to the company that preps Jaguars and Land Rovers for films and TV product placement. Hidden in the rear is a full-sized Thomas the Tank Engine, the presence of which no one can explain. Nearer the front is an XKR, delivered a couple of days ago for a unique paint job.