If it did hinge at the top rear it would have to open to 90° for the side window to be out of the way; then you'd still have to climb over the wheelwell and sill. I'll bet they didn't have booth babes climbing in and out at the shows. A Type II, where you sit over the wheel is about my limit. I'd need a front-hinged canopy and a retractable hydraulic arm to get in this thing. (I still like it) Here's how it was done in the 30s:
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2008/02/01/four-links-more-partridge-bus-more-alternative-weinermobiles-more-hillclimbs-less-beetle/
Apparently, the Selene went up for auction in 2002:
http://www.forbes.com/2002/06/10/0610feat.html
Quote:
1962 Ghia Selene II Concept Estimate: $40,000-$80,000
The Ghia Selene II concept communicated a “space” theme just right for its day. The driver sits in front in a centrally located minimalist bucket seat under a canopy. Steering is by an aircraft-style yoke. The two passengers sit behind the driver, also in the then-fashionable minimalist buckets but facing back, looking at a television screen. The doors have transparent windows that extend from the beltline to the center of the roof.
...
The reality is that time is tough on dream cars. The Ghia Selene II concept’s metal body is fabricated with the skill for which Ghia is known with good panel fits and even gaps. But the suspension does not appear to work and there is no engine or any drive train components. The two side doors work well but drop slightly. The paint is in decent condition, appearing to have been repainted some time ago. The seats have surface cracks but are not torn.
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There's also a story about my favorite car from 1996, the Ford Indigo:
Quote:
996 Ford Indigo Estimate: $15,000-$25,000 ($8,000-$14,000 without interior)
Indigo was designed to measure acceptance for an Indy Car-inspired open-top roadster. The working prototype had a 48-valve, six-liter V-12 engine with doubled the displacement of the Taurus SHO V-6. It also had a six-speed transaxle with electronically regulated hydraulic shifting controlled by buttons on the steering wheel.
Ford created one complete functional Indigo that was track tested. In the course of the project, managed by Ford’s New Concepts Organization, two nonworking, full-size Indigo concepts were constructed that were used to gauge market acceptance and to fulfill show commitments. Sadly, it is only the latter two Indigo concepts that are offered here, one with an interior and one without.
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Drop that on a VW floorpan.
