Opel Flextreme gets a makeover for the US

Saturn got its own version of the innovative Flextreme concept car at this year's New York Motor Show. Painted a vivid red, the car was virtually identical to the Opel badged Flextreme, first shown at last year's Frankfurt spectacular.The reveal was important, because it shows how serious Opel and Saturn parent firm GM is about sharing the very best of European design and engineering with its US subiduary companies. As well as a new livery and revised badging, the Saturn Flextreme also gets extra chrome, and tinted windows over the European version in a nod to this car's more luxurious character.

Under the bonnet, the diesel electric hybrid engined Flexstreme gets a 1.3-litre turbo diesel, plus lithium-ion batteries, capable of propelling the car 34 miles without the intervention of the fossil fuel engine.There's no word on when the car will make production, however, and Saturn bosses were remaining tight lipped over whether or not the firm's next step would be to receive an evolution of the Meriva concept car, shown at the recent Geneva Motor Show - saying simply they were gauging public reaction