Tedkidd
Member
I had a ram quad and loved the doors.
Unlike the poorly designed i3, seatbelts were in the seats.
Unlike the poorly designed i3, seatbelts were in the seats.
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CHG-ON
Still in love after all these miles
Lastly, I love the suicide doors. Always have, ever since the Supremely Rich Neighbor had them on his '61? '62? Lincoln.
+1! I loved them too. Especially on the convertible.
+1! I loved them too. Especially on the convertible.
His was a convertible. A light, not quite sky-blue. He also had all vehicular controls at his hands, as his legs were nigh-useless, thank to polio (thus the need for the suicide doors). AND he had one of only twenty or so "car phones" in existence in the greater NY area - as that was the limit that Ma Bell's network could provide in that long-ago era.
EVNow
Well-Known Member
Not sure how suicide doors make the car more useful. They are perhaps a little more useful than a 2 door car - but not normal 4 door.
Infact, I decided not to get an i3 because of suicide doors.
If you have small children - and park in tight areas (95% of the time around here), it would make it all but impossible to take the child seat out of the car. There are videos showing how ridiculously difficult it is to get people out of the back seats.
mike@vossen
Member
It will be interesting to see will it look like a smaller Model S or will it go in a different direction.
GregHudson
Member
purplewalt
Active Member
My thinking exactly.
There has been a considerable amount of effort in engineering the roll bar/side-impact bar to be as stout and effective as they are in the Model S.
(Remember, it broke the NHTSA crush test machine during the testing).
Without the reinforced B Pillar, the passengers lose that critical safety design feature.
Think along the lines of getting T-boned by a pick-up or large SUV, which would probably miss the sill under the doors.
Bumper impact to an unreinforced door would not be pretty.
In my view, retaining the structural B-Pillar is a must.
Pretty lines, sexy suicide doors and a handsome car are one thing.
Coming home (in one piece) after an event is way more important.
One quote (forget the exact line) that may not have been mentioned yet is that Elon said they'd do something a little bit more brave on the Model 3, something a bit less traditional. Something like suicide doors, combined perhaps with some other clever thinking that makes use of the lack of traditional ICE requirements, could fit this picture. OTOH, Elon has said no weirdmobiles, so I guess they have some innovative idea, not just being different for the sake.
So, I do wonder how practical suicide doors really would be for a car in this category and whether or not they'd make sense other than as a "different for the sake of it". I get it they might make sense in a convertible, but that's a different story. I'd expect Model 3 to be made also with the urban clientele on mind that especially in congested European cities I wonder how hard it would be to get out when front and rear passengers bump into each other trying to squeeze out from a door that can't fully open in the space?
Of course one can make suicide doors more useful than on the i3, where I believe the driver must first open their door, before the rear door even opens, but still it would seem like the business case for it is a bit ambiguous. Falcon wings on the Model X can be explained by the third row, suicide doors on a convertible can be explained be the rigidity required for rear doors, but what sense would they make on a Model 3?
So, I do wonder how practical suicide doors really would be for a car in this category and whether or not they'd make sense other than as a "different for the sake of it". I get it they might make sense in a convertible, but that's a different story. I'd expect Model 3 to be made also with the urban clientele on mind that especially in congested European cities I wonder how hard it would be to get out when front and rear passengers bump into each other trying to squeeze out from a door that can't fully open in the space?
Of course one can make suicide doors more useful than on the i3, where I believe the driver must first open their door, before the rear door even opens, but still it would seem like the business case for it is a bit ambiguous. Falcon wings on the Model X can be explained by the third row, suicide doors on a convertible can be explained be the rigidity required for rear doors, but what sense would they make on a Model 3?
sub
Active Member
I leased an i3 for 2 years about a month ago to hold me over until I get a tesla. I wouldn't want to deal with the i3 doors with small children but it works fine for my family of 3 with a 13 year old daughter. It's not a bad little car, definitely makes me want to go all EV as soon as possible. However, I would never have bought the car, it's a lease only vehicle imo.
This looks like this car almost from every angle except the nose cone and the doors. Not that it is bad in anyway but just something that reminded me when I see the design.
Honda All New City
Honda All New City
Buckeye2320
Member
There's definitely a possibility it will show some Mazda influence, as that's where Franz Von Holzhausen came from. But I think it will be a little shorter and taller than the Mazda 6, and will definitely be a hatch.
Bangor Bob
Member
I suspect the nose will be shorter, wheels more to the corners, better packaging to maximize cabin space over "mechanicals" space. And hatchback. But given Franz's history, it's likely there will be at least SOME resemblance.
That said, the 6 is trending to the large-ish side, I'd hope for something maybe just a little bit bigger than a Mazda 3?
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I've been thinking about this a bit... With the correct material and interfacing to the roof and floor, the vertical member of a B-pillar could be in the door, and once you had that the side-impact beams have something solid in the middle to mate to. But it would be a lot simpler and probably lighter just to have a B pillar. Because I'd be thinking some kind of carbon/thermoplastic (UHMW poly?) composite for impact beams to get the required stiffness & deformation characteristics. Not particularly cheap. Strong and light though.
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Tedkidd
Member
I look forward to the Model 3 with a literal front door.
...and the door opens upward like a rear hatch!...
muleferg
Active Member
Tedkidd
Member
January I upgraded to a Smart.
Last week I went pure EV after selling my TDI Sportwagen, which was depreciating without use since January.
Last week I went pure EV after selling my TDI Sportwagen, which was depreciating without use since January.
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