Originally Posted by
njkayaker
Expensive.
How would sliding doors work for front doors?
Step vans often have sliding front doors.
There are several options including making 2-door vehicles. Also, one could design front sliding doors in the front and rear sliding doors in the back. The slider doesn't need to fully support the door like a closet door, but rather can support the door at the bottom and middle, or do a 3-point support.
A vertical opening articulated gullwing door should be able to be designed for both front and rear.
Originally Posted by
njkayaker
Most other technology doesn't work like computer technology.
Cars are more expensive than they were in the 80's.
It is hard to say with 40 years of inflation. But, like your PC, modern cars aren't the same as 1980's cars. How much would a 2021 VW Bug cost?
Perhaps a good comparison is the Tata Nano that costs about $3,243 new.
But, if it wasn't a "classic", the old Bug wouldn't be allowed in the USA, nor is the new Nano.
So, do people really want the bone shakers of years past? I'd have to say not. Of course there are the "resto-mods" that take the vintage classics and make "new" cars worth hundreds of thousand of dollars, changing engines, transmissions, suspension, cooling systems, interior, etc.
It is likely that consumers would find benefits of sliding doors or vertical opening gullwings that go beyond just bicycles. For example making it easier to get in and out of the cars in tight spaces, fewer parking lot dings, perhaps improved for handicapped access, and many other potential benefits.