has this been posted? Disappearing car door, no more getting whacked

[eddief]

http://www.flixxy.com/high-tech-car-door.htm

[RPS]

Would it not keep you from whacking someone else, but not from getting your very expensive door whacked by someone else? ;)

[dave thompson]

Kaiser Darrin, about 60 years ago, also had a 'disappearing door.

http://icons-ecast.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/l/LugnutJK/586.jpg

[snah]

[QUOTE=dave thompson]Kaiser Darrin, about 60 years ago, also had a 'disappearing door.

http://icons-ecast.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/l/LugnutJK/586.jpg[/QUOTE

Take the Kaiser over the Lincoln any day!!

[jeo99]

Neat but, having retired form the auto industry and knowing this company, typically, no mention of safety of side impact passage as required by the National Highway Safety Administration.

:beer:

[Steve in SLO]

And let's not forget the BMW Z1:
http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_8LZ3IfS8Ssg/S9DQvsg_cjI/AAAAAAAABBg/8wpCzEXKXY0/s1600/Z1-1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://ranwhenparked.blogspot.com/2010/04/great-automotive-failiures-bmw-z1.html&h=600&w=800&sz=71&tbnid=DxYBPPpLnotr6M:&tbnh=107&tbnw=143&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbmw%2Bz1&zoom=1&q=bmw+z1&hl=en&usg=__NCRhGgne_0_hdilwSSyusN1jXuQ=&sa=X&ei=8Yi8TPaAFIj2tgON2dTODw&ved=0CBgQ9QEwAQ

[allegretto]

Neat but, having retired form the auto industry and knowing this company, typically, no mention of safety of side impact passage as required by the National Highway Safety Administration.

:beer:

isn't this the company that did those awful convertible conversions for GM?

[William]

I'd hate to have to get out into or out of that car in a downpour or heavy snow. Ever have a power window fail in a partially open position? I have and it sucks if you can't get it taken care of right away.

To me, there are so many unneeded gadgets in cars today that weigh the car down decreasing gas mileage and leading to headaches and big money fixes if you plan on keeping the vehicle for more then a few years.



William

[jeo99]

isn't this the company that did those awful convertible conversions for GM?

GM had some relationships with Fiat in the past and still has a small relationship with small diesel engines as Fiat are held in some regard with diesels (surprising)! However the other maor relatonship resulted with GM paying out as I remember 6B USD. Wagner should have been fired when that suit was settled. I do not know of any convertible relationship. There was an Italian company, Pininfarina, that made the 2-seat Cadillac Allante body but is not associated with Fiat. Additionally, per J.D. Powers, it seems that quality issues that were the downfall of Fiat in the U.S. in the '70s still exist! "The Fiat Brand is rated last or near last in Germany, France and Great Britain." The three largest markets in Europe.

:beer:

[Bob Ross]

Gull-Wing doors solve the same problem with far less technology. In fact, I distinctly remember a press release for the Bricklin (remember those?) circa mid-1970s that cited the narrow clearance of its gull-wing doors as being a safety feature because they helped avoid parking lot mishaps or collisions with passing cyclists.