Both the Citroen C4 Picasso and the Opel Zafira have Parabolic Front Windscreens as options. So we have precedent ;-)
If you're so against the windshield and falcon wing doors, get a Model S. Seriously. Same rolling chassis, better battery pack size to range, the cargo areas are comparable in size (better in some ways on the Model S) and you can throw a luggage carrier on the roof for what doesn't fit.
That wasn't the part I was talking about. I was thinking of the roof opening and changing the B pillar to work with the hinges and carry the large, heavy door. It's also longer than typical SUV rear doors, which presumably means it'll need more space to open safely. The handle is a non-issue - based on what we saw in the unveiling it sounded like none of the doors have actual handles, just touch sensitive plates that trigger the car to open the door. (Unless you plan to change that, too.) Walter
This topic has been beat to death. Nearly 800 posts in the main Falcon Wing Doors thread: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/7227-Model-X-Falcon-Doors And a poll and a discussion on this exact topic you posted: http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/15583-Model-X-optional-with-non-Falcon-Wing-Doors Along with numerous other threads discussing all aspects of the doors.
I would be really surprised. The Falcon Wing Doors *define* the Model X. Musk has been selling the benefits of these over traditional doors and minivan doors since 2012 and has reiterated this as a core feature of the X. A Model X without Falcon Wing Doors would not be a Model X. It will be interesting to see how they deploy FWD on the next gen cars though. With the Model Y (model 3 SUV variant), since it will be unlikely to have a third row of seats, they could probably do *just* the Falcon Wing Doors with no traditional front doors. Since they've worked out most of the mechanical/design challenges of the FWD on the Model X, it should be easier to do a FWD on the next generation smaller SUV, and it could potentially replace two doors on a smaller car. -CB
I swear I had no prior knowledge of the auto-presenting front doors and I don't even remember making this post 3.75 years ago; my goodness, has it been that long???
This feature will be particularly mind blowing to folks in showrooms and anyone I show the car too. I think it is a great idea, obviously, in that if I don't have to worry about the door hitting anything and it allows me to get in comfortably (i.e. the door is just as or more functional than if it was manually controlled) then this is a huge benefit. Several benefits of this feature are: 1. Ease of use 2. No damage to car from scratching paint from objects held in your hand or objects, like rings, on your fingers 3. No hand burns from hot door handles or worries about frozen mechanical door handles 4. No finger prints or hand oils on paint door handles 5. Maybe even less air drag due to handle being perfectly flush...I'm pretty sure that is minor though 6. No way to be car jacked...assuming someone pressing the handle from the outside can't get door to open 7. Other autonomous scenarios...totally guessing here 8. One less thing to fail...I just wonder about how to manually open the door if the chauffeur feature fails? But assume their is a manual way to open the door as well as a mechanism that could defeat ice build up.