Okay after everyones handy advice and me walking around the car scratching my head I may have a solution. After some input on this one. The plastic floor in the front boot that holds the spare tyre is damaged.

I am thinking of cutting it away with an angle grinder or whatever it takes to cut it easily, letting the spare drop out under the car and trying to access the latch from there.

Anyone see any problems with this before I do it? Besides the obvious replacement boot floor.

Cheers
Jim Davis

Hold on there buddy! I just designed a tool to open the latch. I sucessfully opened it but it will take some time to document it. DON'T cut anything yet.