Model X Falcon Doors

[Mycroft]

Yeah, pretty awesome for a CUV!

 

[AnOutsider]

Yeah, pretty awesome for a CUV!

indeed, nice find sir!

*edit* here's confirmation of Franz's involvement for the record:

While Tesla's headquarters are in Palo Alto, Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and his team work out of Tesla's design center in Hawthorne. Musk has credited a talented team of relatively young designers and engineers with developing the Model X.

 

[ETM]

Did i call it or did i call it?!!? Falcon Doors?
"maybe the doors could fold up and into the roof if the roof is thick enough... but then the pano. roof wouldn't be an option at all." i can predict the future :biggrin:

 

[AnOutsider]

Actually after pen, paper and much back and forth with my wife, I think the doors will go ABOVE the car's roof. They say the pivots from the top so I'm imagining the hinges being at the top of the a pillar instead of the bottom/midsection.

If you look at the car from the top I expect it to look like a beetle's wings when they're folded in or a dog with its ears tucked back. So the doors go up like scissor doors, but also pivot and lay down on top of the vehicle if that makes sense.

 

[vfx]

Actually after pen, paper and much back and forth with my wife, I think the doors will go ABOVE the car's roof. They say the pivots from the top so I'm imagining the hinges being at the top of the a pillar instead of the bottom/midsection.

If you look at the car from the top I expect it to look like a beetle's wings when they're folded in or a dog with its ears tucked back. So the doors go up like scissor doors, but also pivot and lay down on top of the vehicle if that makes sense.

So what about home and public parking garages?

 

[ETM]

So what about home and public parking garages?

and how about just parking next to a car in general? wouldnt it just hit the other car's door?

 

[vfx]

and how about just parking next to a car in general? wouldnt it just hit the other car's door?

Probably not a problem at all. The Delorean could actually park closer to the car next to it than a swing-door car.

 

[ETM]

hmm very interesting... tesla has obviously come up with a solution either way.
cant wait!

 

[JRP3]

I would think they couldn't go much above the vehicle's roof. With a taller vehicle like an SUV that might cause problems with low ceilings.

 

[AnOutsider]

So what about home and public parking garages?

Depends on the height of the X. My Q5 has space enough above it in my garage to lay some doors down on top of it

 

[stopcrazypp]

Depends on the height of the X. My Q5 has space enough above it in my garage to lay some doors down on top of it

Yeah, probably isn't that much worse that a roof rack (but bringing that up, wouldn't that prohibit having a roof rack? Or at least there would need to be a modified version).

Public garages usually have a height clearance of about 7 feet (give or take a couple inches); also true of most home garages.

 

[AnOutsider]

Yeah, roof rack could definitely be problematic. Hey, maybe it folds into the interior of the car or into the frame like previously suggested.... Guess we'll know in 2 weeks

 

[TEG]

I guess "Falcon Doors" are like those bi-fold aircraft hanger doors where you could store your, um, Falcon Jet...

 

[TEG]

 

[doug]

I'd think they would have to bow more up than out.

 

[TEG]

Dragonfly doors:
OhGizmo! Renault Megane Coupe Concept Introduces Dragonfly Wing Doors

 

[TEG]

One question that comes to mind: will they have windows that can roll up and down?

 

[doug]

Yeah, roof rack could definitely be problematic. Hey, maybe it folds into the interior of the car or into the frame like previously suggested.... Guess we'll know in 2 weeks

I've seen designs like that on concept cars. Doesn't seem like a good idea to me since it would get the interior wet in inclement weather.

The operation I pictured is something like this photo TEG posted, using a telescoping support arm near the fold.

Also shouldn't interfere with a luggage rack. Vertical clearance might still be an issue. We'll see...

 

[doug]

One question that comes to mind: will they have windows that can roll up and down?

Mayhaps horizontally.

 

[vfx]

By the way, disappearing doors:

Like this but up and over.