Disappearing Car Doors

Intriguing design. The copyright date for the video shows that this design approach was abandoned well over a dozen years ago. The Lincoln Mark VIII ended production in 1998.

This article proposes some of the reasons why this approach was abandoned.

This image shows one of the prototype disappearing door vehicles trunk. Retrofitting this technology understandably consumes easy access storage space but this image shows some of the amount of added mechanisms needed for this approach. The article shows that the tank is a compressed CO2 tank. Presumably a compressed air storage tank from engine power could also be used but with one gas leak would occupants become trapped?

This is a clearly a cool image for vehicle doors but despite today's CGI capabilities movies and TV do not present this type of door. Some ideas are just not practical.

Well the pneumatic system could be replaced with linear actuators for one thing...with a backup manual crank in the floor...

Disappearing better than rising....

Great! So when are you going to modify your car for disappearing doors? I can't wait to see some pictures.

https://www.engadget.com/2007-07-11-disappearing-door-lincoln-concept-turns-up-on-ebay.html

That's almost fourteen years ago. I doubt the auction is still open. The reserve had not been met then so you never know it might still be available. Will you bid?

I'm not much of a luxury car guy, much less a one off type...probably end up in a collection somewhere...

https://www.reddit.com/r/WeirdWheels/comments/43n3i1/1993_lincoln_mark_viii_sliding_door_concept/

The only problem I can see is that not seeing a door open, passing drivers may not realize someone is exiting the parked car on the driver's side.

Well we have sensors now that can see cars coming and stop the door from opening with approaching blind spot traffic, add to that flashing red light on the tail end of the car, special signal that caution opening door, and that should work...the side mirror never moves, so you still have that...

I think the seats should be able to swivel 90° facing out as the door opens...

That top photo,... that would happen to be a Oldsmobile Cutlass 442.

There are a number of cars and vans that had swiveling seats over the years, and you can buy them as an after market add-on now...

Even full on power seat swivel and extend....

Converting bench to swivel buckets...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbjDhLufG-I

Salesman: "...it's the latest things in car design sir! ... it does not have any doors ! "

Customer: "...fine! ... but how do I get in it?"

Very Cool, Not thinking snow and rain would be your friend.

Can imagine the structural reinforcements needed.

What about a pot hole bottoming out incident that causes the undercarriage track to be damaged, possibly preventing one or both doors from opening.

High end sports cars with low ground clearance have skid plates. Sure it adds weight...

Bit this was most likely a innovative concept created by brainstorming, where there’s never a bad idea.

and to answer your statement, maybe that’s why it never took hold.

Exactly the point of my comments. This is a very cool idea but the collection of complications it brings make this an impractical approach for an already solved solution.

I don’t know if Detroit et al does things like this anymore.

but back in 1972, Maserati did one called Boomerang was showcased at the 1972 Geneva auto show as a running, driving, street-legal car sporting a 310-hp 4.7-liter V-8 out of the Maserati Bora.

The dash gauges was integrated with steering wheel, was pretty cool, along with the body styling at the time.

Not taking American road condition into account. But then again they were in better shape when this was designed.

Giggle, tee hee, snicker, LOL! ROFL

Do you remember the I-35W road condition? That incident was the same year as the video.