The Opel Meriva Concept was unveiled two days ago at the Geneva Motor Show. At the unveiling GM announced that new small hatchback could be included in the Saturn lineup in the United States.

The Opel Meriva is a four-seat, front-wheel-drive hatchback intended to replace the current Meriva, a top seller in Europe. The concept car unveiled here is built on a derivative of two of GM's small-vehicle architectures.

Kempf declined to comment on whether the car would be the basis for a future small car for Saturn. Saturn now shares several products with Opel -- including the newest car to Saturn's lineup, the compact Astra.

GM executives familiar with Saturn's lineup say the vehicle is being considered for the United States. But GM first must assess whether a business case can be made to bring a hatchback to the United States, where hatchbacks typically have not been big sellers.

Jon Lauckner, GM's vice president of global program management, says, " These vehicles have a role in the European market because there is not a big crossover segment there. In the U.S., it's a different story."

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