Arias Pistons 12.5:1 Compression 82mm Bore Honda B-series 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.

Ford Mondeo/Fusion unveiled at 2012 Detroit show

Ford unveiled its new 2013 Mondeo at the Detroit auto show - the new Mondeo is in fact now a Fusion in Euro drag. Under the One Ford rules, most major car projects are in fact global affairs, so the Mondeo follows in the footsteps of the Focus, also unveiled in Detroit two years ago and brought to Europe a year later. We'll have a similarly long wait for the Ford Fusion to make the leap to the European Mondeo, with a launch slated for spring 2013.

Peugeot 308 GT THP 200 (2010): a quasi GTI

Peugeot is 200 years old this month, so what better way to celebrate than launching a 200 horsepower warmed-up hatch. The new 308 GT THP 200 five-door pictured costs £21,995. Not quite as much sparkle as the RCZ, but that's why it's not badged GTI, in the UK at least.