car doors that open upwards

You’re thinking of car doors that open upwards, which come in a few flavours with varying degrees of drama and elbow clearance. Scissor doors pivot at the front and swing up beside the car—think raging bulls and questionable sunglasses. Gullwings hinge from the roof for a wide opening, while butterfly doors tilt out and up to make getting in less of a yoga class.

Dihedral doors (the Koenigsegg party trick) rotate out and upward in a clever arc, and Tesla’s Falcon Wing is a double-hinged gullwing for tight carparks. They look fantastic, but watch your garage ceiling height, low kerbs, and the cost of repairs if someone gets enthusiastic at the servo. Aftermarket conversions exist in Australia, but always get engineering approval and insurance sign-off before you go full supercar cosplay.