GM To Produce "FlexDoor" System

http://www.thegmsource.com/images/0708designs/0003db25.jpg
The new feature being called the FlexDoor System and is meant to make it easier on parents who must install a car seat for a small child or would like quicker, easier access to rear doors on vehicles.

The feature first made its debut on GM's new Opel Flextreme vehicle and showcases rear-hinged doors.

http://www.thegmsource.com/index.php?categoryid=8&p2_articleid=622

So let me see if I understand this...

Suicide doors - B pillars = flex doors?

That's going to be a nightmare to meet side impact crash standards isn't it?

I've always heard the 3 door Saturn coupes had lousy impact ratings on the driver's side because of the lack of a pillar (of course, my fiance has a 3 door SC1 :shame: )

Vertical frame built into the leading edge of the rear door and strong contact points.

When the door is closed, it's the same as having a integrated part of the body structure there.

A production version would extremely unlikely have frameless glass as this concept does.

I hope they dont rattle and clunk like extended cab truck doors do! I know several people that held off on buying extended cabs to find the quad cab they wanted just for that reason.

What's next...

That's going to be a nightmare to meet side impact crash standards isn't it?

I've always heard the 3 door Saturn coupes had lousy impact ratings on the driver's side because of the lack of a pillar (of course, my fiance has a 3 door SC1 :shame: )

I'm with you.

EVEN IF they beef-up the rockers and roof edge, it can't possibly provide the resistance to buckling that a full B-pillar provides. Then you throw in the height issue of invading materials (i.e. the bumper and frame extensions) of the imposing cars... I would not care to be sitting in the seat on the side of the impact. :no:
It could also sacrifice frontal and rear collisions as well, because B-pillars basically "strap" the top of the car to the bottom which prevents the roof from buckling and collapsing like an accordian during front-rear compressions.
I can see a medium-height SUV or crossover hitting the side of this vehicle, pushing the doors into the babin and spreading the side of the car open like you cramming your hand down inside a cereal box.:(
If anybody can engineer a car to do this GM can, but I sure would not want to be the lead structural engineer on this job with a fixed budget and a timeline to meet.

Love the idea... always have loved the thought of suicide doors because of the openness they provide for ingress/egress.

After having our little girl with us for 10 months now (and another baby on the way) I have to say I LOVE this idea.

Putting her in the car seat in the Envoy is not such a big deal, but the GXP feels like I need to be a contortionist to get her in there... and a Grand Prix isn't exactly a small car.... me being somewhat taller (6'3") probably adds to the issue.

Assuming 5-star safety ratings can still be achieved, I love the rear opening door and B-pillar-less design.

I had almost resigned myself to getting an SUV after the GXP's lease is up... but I am also hoping the extra rear room in a Lucerne may be enough... still, something like this in the future would be nice to have out there as a choice, IMO.

After having our little girl with us for 10 months now (and another baby on the way) I have to say I LOVE this idea.

Putting her in the car seat in the Envoy is not such a big deal, but the GXP feels like I need to be a contortionist to get her in there... and a Grand Prix isn't exactly a small car.... me being somewhat taller (6'3") probably adds to the issue.

Assuming 5-star safety ratings can still be achieved, I love the rear opening door and B-pillar-less design.

I had almost resigned myself to getting an SUV after the GXP's lease is up... but I am also hoping the extra rear room in a Lucerne may be enough... still, something like this in the future would be nice to have out there as a choice, IMO.

Somebody warned you it would be that way for 3-4 years... :D
Mine is STILL in a booster seat at 9 years because our state has a 12 y/o or 80-lb limit to get out of the booster.:mad:
I hate lugging the booster around... but now she is old enough she does it.


Congrats on #2!!!
Wife must not have learned her lesson about you the first time!!! :lol:
Where you been hiding lately anyways?

Somebody warned you it would be that way for 3-4 years... :D
Mine is STILL in a booster seat at 9 years because our state has a 12 y/o or 80-lb limit to get out of the booster.:mad:
I hate lugging the booster around... but now she is old enough she does it.

Ya, you were dead on! :)

It's funny how in my search for the next car... REAR SEAT DIMENSIONS have become a primary search issue. :lol: Ouf.


Congrats on #2!!!
Wife must not have learned her lesson about you the first time!!! :lol:
Where you been hiding lately anyways?

Thanks! We just found out that the new one is a boy... which I think will make the next 4 1/2 months a little more difficult if you remember a few years back. :( Brings back a lot of stuff, but I am excited ot have a little guy on the way!

As for not being around... I had been really spending tons of time on another search of sorts, that finally came to an end last weekend... see anything new in the sig? :D

(OK, I think I've gone off-topic enough, I'll shut up now and go back into my lurker's cave. :D )

Our saturn has this setup. Its great if you're out in the open, but if your parked next to another car, it becomes very clumsy trying to get around all the doors.

After having our little girl with us for 10 months now (and another baby on the way)

Way to go Darth! :)

Big Block Corvette eh? Now how did you get THAT one past the wife??? :p

I would much rather see GM working on incorporating sliding doors onto cars, like the Sigma based Insignia concept from a few years ago. No problems w/ compact parking AND fully opening doors.

Way to go Darth! :)

Big Block Corvette eh? Now how did you get THAT one past the wife??? :p


Thanks! :)

As for the car, I dont think she ever thought it'd REALLY happen... well, up until we hooked up the trailer and went to get it. :eek:



I would much rather see GM working on incorporating sliding doors onto cars, like the Sigma based Insignia concept from a few years ago. No problems w/ compact parking AND fully opening doors.

Sliding doors would be practical too, perhaps even more practical that the suicide doors... but, I think you then get into the minivan stigma... then you have to worry about sales because of it being "uncool".

Really, minivans are about as good as it gets to family movers, but they are played out for the most part, and I think sliding doors on a car might assosciate it too much to the minivan thing. Just my opinion on that, though... who knows how the market would react?

Our saturn has this setup. Its great if you're out in the open, but if your parked next to another car, it becomes very clumsy trying to get around all the doors.

From the trucks i like to call that the "Extended Cab Shuffle" lol

Sliding doors would be practical too, perhaps even more practical that the suicide doors... but, I think you then get into the minivan stigma... then you have to worry about sales because of it being "uncool".

Really, minivans are about as good as it gets to family movers, but they are played out for the most part, and I think sliding doors on a car might assosciate it too much to the minivan thing. Just my opinion on that, though... who knows how the market would react?

I understand that being a concern, but how can someone see this

http://www.diseno-art.com/images/opel_insignia_open.jpg
http://www.diseno-art.com/images/opel%20_insignia.jpg

and think Minivan?

I understand that being a concern, but how can someone see this

http://www.diseno-art.com/images/opel_insignia_open.jpg
http://www.diseno-art.com/images/opel%20_insignia.jpg

and think Minivan?


Ya, you have a pretty good point! :D :lol: :thumbsup:

Wow. Something like that might just kill the market for 2 door coupes.

So let me see if I understand this...

Suicide doors - B pillars = flex doors?

I guess marketing freaked out when they went to them with this one.


Were going to reintroduce suicide doors to make it easier for you to put your kids in the back seat.:) I never saw that spin comming. Just hope those kids dont get those doors open

I think the doors are cool.

Those are the coolest sliding doors I have seen to date. How do they open with out tracks?

Those are the coolest sliding doors I have seen to date. How do they open with out tracks?

I have never seen a picture of it, but I would assume the interior of the door has the tracks on it.

Ya, you were dead on! :)

It's funny how in my search for the next car... REAR SEAT DIMENSIONS have become a primary search issue. :lol: Ouf.



Thanks! We just found out that the new one is a boy... which I think will make the next 4 1/2 months a little more difficult if you remember a few years back. :( Brings back a lot of stuff, but I am excited ot have a little guy on the way!

As for not being around... I had been really spending tons of time on another search of sorts, that finally came to an end last weekend... see anything new in the sig? :D

(OK, I think I've gone off-topic enough, I'll shut up now and go back into my lurker's cave. :D )

Nice to see ya around...I noticed the refreshed sig before you even said anything. I have to say, I'm impressed. Mine puts up a fight when I want a new pair of shoes :o

My new car search is revolving soley around a car that doesn't require me to have a spine akin to a slinky to buckle my girl in the back seat. I've heard there are support groups for this sort of thing....

Anywhoo...congrats on the rugrats and diapers and stuff.... :p

Nice to see ya around...I noticed the refreshed sig before you even said anything. I have to say, I'm impressed. Mine puts up a fight when I want a new pair of shoes :o

My new car search is revolving soley around a car that doesn't require me to have a spine akin to a slinky to buckle my girl in the back seat. I've heard there are support groups for this sort of thing....

Anywhoo...congrats on the rugrats and diapers and stuff.... :p

Dude just find a good chiropractor!:p

Somebody warned you it would be that way for 3-4 years... :D
Mine is STILL in a booster seat at 9 years because our state has a 12 y/o or 80-lb limit to get out of the booster.:mad:


It is really stupid isn't it. It makes you wonder how any of our Parents and Grand-Parents ever survived past 1years old. By all of todays saftey regs and concerns, they should NOT have lived and we should NOT be here. :lol:

(not saying it's a bad thing, but 12yr/old in a booster - when is enough enough)



Putting her in the car seat in the Envoy is not such a big deal, but the GXP feels like I need to be a contortionist to get her in there... and a Grand Prix isn't exactly a small car.... me being somewhat taller (6'3") probably adds to the issue.


I agree with you. i've got an 05' GP and even being a "big" car it's still a PITA to get my 2yr/old and 3yr/old out. The 3yr/old is in a booster now so that's a little easier (she's also independant and wants to get in/out herself. one benefit of a low riding car).

But I've been trying to sell my 00' 4x4 Blazer to pick up a Camaro. But the more and more I put them in it, i'm halfway thinking about keeping it around because it's easier then the car. :lol: (but I really want that LS1 ;))

But I've been trying to sell my 00' 4x4 Blazer to pick up a Camaro. But the more and more I put them in it, i'm halfway thinking about keeping it around because it's easier then the car. :lol: (but I really want that LS1 ;))


TrailBlazer SS :D :eek: :alert:

http://www.diseno-art.com/images/opel_insignia_open.jpg
Those are the coolest sliding doors I have seen to date. How do they open with out tracks?

It almost seems that they might use a type of "swing out arm / bracket" instead of a sliding track?? :shrug: :confused: And/or, maybe it's a combination of the two? (first the door opens out, swings out on the arms, then slides back on rails mounted IN the bottom of the door?) I'm sure it would be a tricky design to perfect, but that's what engineers are for, right?? ;)

I think that would actually be a GREAT style of rear door ..... heck, it would be a great FRONT door design too!!! :eek: No more concern about parking in tight spaces and swinging mile-long doors open!! :bow:

The suicide door thing, while it has its obvious benefits, also has its drawbacks as previously mentioned (ie: try carrying a load of groceries, bound for the back seat, but first open the front door, then tuck in close to it while you swing open the back door, then re-close the back door every time you have to go for the next item(s) :rolleyes: ). I've realized the drawbacks after having used my Dad's '00 Sierra for the last few years. Great in open spaces, terrible parked beside another car / object.