It is always fun to visit auto shows.  But if you have no money to burn for that, you can just surf the web to see what automakers have been showcasing on these events.  Next month, the Geneva International Motor Show will open its doors and we will once again be given a glimpse of the future through concept cars.

General Motors recently announced that they will be unveiling an Opel concept car.  The automaker said that it will be featuring a rear-hinged rear door.  Now, they may describe this using that term but we all know it by the term "suicide".  But this feature is only used on the rear doors of the car.

I would have to agree with Damon writing for Autoblog saying that this feature alone is not that innovative.  It could be seen on lots of vehicles already in the country and I think your local mechanic can suicide your car for you.

General Motors though has a lot to say about the door.  According to them, here are some of the things that are "good" with these doors:

• Greater functionality: entering and exiting the vehicle is more convenient as the rear doors open to a 90-degree angle, creating a much wider aperture than standard car doors. Thanks to the high roofline, rear passengers also have more headroom when getting in and out of the car. The interior is much more accessible, so stowing a briefcase behind the front seat, for instance, is considerably easier.
• Higher level of safety: securing children in the back seats is much easier. The rear-hinged rear doors also improve control over children exiting the car, as they can be better seen from the different seating positions. The “safety zone” created between both doors also makes it much more difficult for them to step out into traffic than with conventional doors.
• More style: entering and exiting the rear of the vehicle not only looks cool and elegant, but also feels much more natural.