The 1993 Lincoln Mark VIII Rolling Door Concept Car Hides Your Heavy Doors

[1931Chevy]

http://jalopnik.com/cars/found-on-eb...ors-276295.php
We've no idea whether it's fact or fiction, but according to the nice people putting this one-of-a-kind up for sale on eBay, here's the "lore" on this here '93 Lincoln one-off:

"Lincoln executives were concerned about the heavy and wide doors on the Mark VIII in the early 1990's especially in large cities with tight parking spots. They were toying with the idea of a Mark VIII that had doors that disappeared beneath the car which would require no additional space for the doors to swing open in order to allow the occupant to exit or enter. Back in the day, the major auto makers would sub-contract their concept designs to other engineering firms who specialiazed in auto concepts and executions. In this particular case, this Lincoln Mark VIII was shipped over to Joalto Design Inc. near Detroit...who created this amazing, one of a kind concept car and shipped it back to Lincoln for executive approval...Unfortunately, the Ford Motor Company executives did not like the design and ordered the car (and the concept) to be sent to the junkyard and destroyed. The current owner had been tracking this car for nearly 20 years and finally convinced the previous owner to part with it."

Check out the eBay page to bid on this -- umm -- interesting Lincoln concept.
galleryPost('LincolnMarkVIII', 4, 'The Lincoln Mark VIII Rolling Door Concept Car');
The Lincoln Mark VIII Rolling Door Concept Car

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[BrickTamland]

How can a person take twenty years to track a vehicle that came out in 1993?

[MrJamesMc]

Originally Posted by BrickTamland

How can a person take twenty years to track a vehicle that came out in 1993?

hahahaha, seriously!

[New_Mexico_Sunset_on_Rt66]

Cool.

Patents run out in 18 years. That is unless Ford renewed it.

[1931Chevy]

They should use this system on the Flex since everybody is saying how big the doors are

[johnstarnes]

I have long felt that that year of the Mark was one of THE most sleekly beautiful cars ever sold...timeless like the first Toronado, the boat tail Rivieras, the Intrepid and Concorde.

[T-Type]

It's weird, but I think the door action is pretty cool. The down side that I see is that the interior door panels are horribly plain looking.

[1969CamaroSS350]

Just reminds me of the chance I had to buy a '93 last year. Damn I should have picked that one up/

[Uzzy]

Has anybody ever seen this before? Those Lincolns are pretty old, so it must've been done a while ago. I wonder why no ultra luxury manufacturer hasen't started doing this. I didn't believe it was a real, but the more I watch it, it seems like there's too much going on to fake it.

[ronald mcretard]

Pretty cool, but if it's going to add more than $100 to the cost of my vehicle (and you know it will), then no thanks. It's just one more thing that can break.

[lightbrotha2004]

I would glady pay for something like this. This is definitely the way of the future.

[Bravada]

I wonder whether they are pitching it to individual customers or the trade? It almost looks like a hoax, or extremely amateurish site (though the car does look real).

There can be a myriad problems with those, though - starting with the usual issues with frameless doors, through the more grave issues with side impact safety. Also do notice the sill is raised, and while the 1980s models clear those at ease, you might find it a bit of a nuisance in everyday operation. Still, would love to see a low-volume luxury car with those.

PS. Posting here for GMCSonoma closed the original thread for some reason...

[GMCSonoma]

Originally Posted by Bravada

I wonder whether they are pitching it to individual customers or the trade? It almost looks like a hoax, or extremely amateurish site (though the car does look real).

There can be a myriad problems with those, though - starting with the usual issues with frameless doors, through the more grave issues with side impact safety. Also do notice the sill is raised, and while the 1980s models clear those at ease, you might find it a bit of a nuisance in everyday operation. Still, would love to see a low-volume luxury car with those.

PS. Posting here for GMCSonoma closed the original thread for some reason...

I closed it as it was a multiple repost...this appears to be the original thread as remonstrated to me...

Mea Culpa...

[Bravada]

Still a fun thing to discuss. I'd love to hear DuSpinnst's take on it - but perhaps all of you guys on the hardware side of business could comment!

[Uzzy]

Originally Posted by Bravada

I wonder whether they are pitching it to individual customers or the trade? It almost looks like a hoax, or extremely amateurish site (though the car does look real).

I thought it was a hoax as well at first. I just didn't believe it, but the more you watch it, you can't deny, the door is disappearing into the floor.

I could see a lot of problems with snow or icy conditions rendering the doors inoperable. Or of course a dead battery. But as you said, a low volume ultra lux coupe with these could be über cool.