Awesome car doors!

Stupot_ · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:31

Yes I know, youtube thread, etc etc.

But is this not a pretty good idea?! Why hasn't it become more mainstream in exec cars?

Princey · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:34

It comes far to close to the floor, it'd be ripped to pieces of here.

Burnsy2023 · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:36

Looks like the mechanism would be expensive and heavy.

Django x2 · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:37

It was also a cool video in 2006 when it was first doing the rounds.

Clarkey · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:38

Princey said:
It comes far to close to the floor, it'd be ripped to pieces of here.

not really, it says 6" ground clearance at all times.

Burnsy2023 said:
Looks like the mechanism would be expensive and heavy.

Everything on a high end luxury car is expensive and heavy.

Stupot_ · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:38

I can't see it being any more risky than scraping your door over a high kerb though? And it could always have sensors to prevent it opening on to something.

I guess on one hand I can see it working on the likes of s classes, xj's etc, perhaps on long wheelbase variants... But one thing that might bother me is the privacy aspect. You literally open up the side of the car to everyone looking in, you'd get a lot of weird looks and people nosing in!

Mike UK · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:39

I wouldn't like a flat battery or accident with those.

Brian8bit · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:41

Be interesting to see how they perform in a side impact crash test. Also, when the narrator said "this really changes everything" I imagined the fat controller from Thomas the tank engine holding aloft an ipad.

Django x2 · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:41

Opening and closing the door for myself is part of the overall joy of driving.

Clarkey · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:43

Mike UK said:
I wouldn't like a flat battery or accident with those.

Manual winding mech solves any power problems. Can't see the issue with crashing, traditional doors jam in accidents all the time anyway.

bledd · 24 Mar 2011 at 13:49

Mike UK said:
I wouldn't like a flat battery or accident with those.

This..

TheVoice · 24 Mar 2011 at 15:10

I had a toy BMW convertible when I was a kid that had doors a bit like that.

Ah, not quite, I think it was this one: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BMW_Z1

emetic · 24 Mar 2011 at 15:56

yeah z1

Mr Jack · 24 Mar 2011 at 16:14

A hinged door means the door and mechanism don't need to be accommodated anywhere else in the car. With thicker doors for greater side impact protection, and noise reduction this kind of mechanism becomes increasingly impractical.

I think, ultimately, people just don't have that much against normal doors and so there's a limited market for alternatives.

mrk · 24 Mar 2011 at 16:53

Also, with the window coming up and then down when opening/closing I imagine all those water streak marks on muggy days will not be favoured by those who don't like water marks!

ZG002 · 24 Mar 2011 at 17:08

Would be a **** in middle of winter when your car ice's up. You would have to make sure it's well de-iced even before opening the door.

Xez · 24 Mar 2011 at 17:45

Clarkey said:
Manual winding mech solves any power problems. Can't see the issue with crashing, traditional doors jam in accidents all the time anyway.

I think he's more pointing to the car possibly flipping onto it's roof. With no B pillar it would quite easily give way.

MikeHiow · 24 Mar 2011 at 17:52

Just look at the seatbelts.

You could ask why the doors on your house are still of the same hinged design...

Tomsk · 24 Mar 2011 at 23:08

mechanically complex for door and routing of services under car
raises C of G
reduces headroom and/or legroom

Kerming · 25 Mar 2011 at 00:31

Burnsy2023 said:
Looks like the mechanism would be expensive and heavy.

and not stronge enough, id emagine jezza would not approve with the roll of the car.