A picture and a link is worth a thousand words.

http://www.bmw2002.co.uk/news.htm

 

that's right. copy from the best.

 

thats right. copy my post format. HAH

 

So? Mazda hi-jacked the idea from the 1999 Saturn SC2!

What's New for 1999
Starting in the late fall of 1998, all coupes will be fitted with a rear-access door on the driver side designed to provide easier entry to the backseat.

Dennis

 

The Mini looks bad - stretched.

 

this is true!

we are not originators!

 

^True. Like a mini van.

The Saturn was 3 door, so I think we borrowed it and made it better. There are more expensive cars with freestyle doors but no sports cars, but now we got the mini. boo

 

Lies all lies! It's been well established on this site that Mazda invented the suicide doors and every car manufacturer routinely steals ideas from Mazda.

 

Finally, Ike speaks the truth! :D

 

He does, it is clear that many companies copied it, travelled back in time, and changed their inital designs. Especially the coach builders of more than 100 years ago.

 

LOL. I think Capt. Nemo had suicide doors on the 'Nautilus' too! Damn Jules Verne, always copying other people's ideas.

 

The Checker Cab company stole it from Mazda.

(C'mon, folks. If a Japanese company invented them, they'd be hara-kiri doors.)

 

I agree it doesn't work on the mini
looks kinda silly
but I would have to see it in person

 

1961 Lincoln

 

umm there have been tons of cars with suicide doors......

Like Howard said, the 1961 Lincoln and many others from that time period

 

I like that, at least to current auto writers, the reference is back to the "Mazda RX-8-style suicide doors" as the new reference point. Mazda rules!

BTW, the RX-8 book says the Mazda engineers did historical research and found several examples... the Lancia Aprillia, the French Facel Vega, and even the US Chrysler 300 concept car, as well as the just introduced (at that time) Saturn design but didn't like their engineering, before making improvements for the RX-8.

Same ol, same ol, sort of, all over again I guess.

 

the saturn is 3 door... probably not as many sacrifices in terms of chassis flex, etc. Although I'm not sure Saturn really cared.

Mazda didn't invent the suicide door (although they did invent the "freestyle door" ). I do think they were the first to do something about chassis reinforcement with this kind of door system. They put in a high reinforced center tunnel, the virtual b-pillar, and the stamped steel in the side. I forget what its called

 

Here is a Lincoln Continental, 40 years older than our car.

Damn you Lincoln for stealing our doors!!

 

1963 Lincoln,once owned :D

 

It looks like the Lincoln has a pillar. Who care who invented it Mazda made it sexay, and they renamed it. Rember a horse by a different name is not the same horse! Suicide VS. Freestyle. MWAHAHAHAHA.

 

oh geez, even the Lincoln copied older cars, take a look at the 30's "hupmobiles" :D

http://www.autogallery.org.ru/k/h/30hup8cyl4dr_ADC.jpg

 

All of those cars have center pillars though, right?

 

No

 

^^^ ditto

 

lol, i even remember there was a television commercial for the saturn