Most people do not realize how many types of car doors can come in, and the reasoning behind such. Car doors can be traditional or exotic and open outward or backward.
Some car doors can be hinged, while some are mounted on a track. We have compiled a list of the top 13 types of car doors, along with some reasoning for the princely designs.
Many car owners will utilize the standard and traditional car doors that you are familiar with, but some of you might want to test out one of these beautiful car doors. You WILL NOT be mixing in with the crowd!
In no particular order, here are the top 13 types of car doors that you may find on the car market.
Types of Car Doors
- Conventional Car Door.
- Scissor Doors
- Gullwing doors
- Butterfly doors
- Suicide Doors
- Dihedral Door
- Swan Door
- Raptor Door
- Sliding Door
- Canopy Door
- Front Hinged Door
#1. Conventional Car Door.
When imagining a car door, this is the typical kind of door you think about. It has hinges to hold it to the forward door frame, so it opens so that the door faces the front of the car.
This is probably the most well-known type of car door, and is generally considered safe because you are unlikely to open the door while driving at high speeds as wind resistance tends to hold the door shut.
Driving with an open door can be hazardous should another vehicle drive too close. If the car is oncoming, it can force the door closed and injure any occupant using the door. If the car passes from behind, it can rip the door from the hinges.
#2. Scissor Doors.
Scissor Doors, also referred to as Lambo Doors, switchblade doors, Lamborghini Doors, etc., are automobile doors that rotate vertically at a fixed hinge at the front, and not outward as with conventional doors.
The scissor door was popularized by its use on Lamborghini automobiles, and it was invented by Marcella Gandini in 1968 when working with Alfa Romeo.
With the hinge at the front of the door frame, scissor doors use a scissor joint at the top corner of the door frame to turn the door a vertical 90 to 130 degrees (not a horizontal hinge).
Any side door that can rotate vertically instead of horizontally is safer because a door doesn’t open into other vehicles, and the driver can park closer, knowing that he can still get in or out of the car. But the main reason for scissor doors is that they enable a driver to lean out of the moving car and better see what’s behind him when backing up.
There are conversion-kits (like the RAPTOR door above) that allow a car with conventional doors, to convert to the scissor door style.
There are a few reasons why scissor doors are far less common:
- It’s much more difficult to escape a car crash if the vehicle rolls onto the roof, and the doors won’t open either way.
- The hinges are far more costly to manufacture, so manufacturers are less likely to use them.
- There is more likelihood that a vertical door would scrape the ceiling in a parking garage, or lessen the clearance when entering and exiting the car.
Benefits of Scissor Doors
- Provides the possibility of using the vehicle with the door open, which is not possible with conventional car doors.
- Enables better parking ability in tight spaces, since the doors remain within the track of the car through the entire movement range.
- Because the hinges are in the same area as a door with conventional technology, similar vehicle models can be converted into scissor doors.
- Eliminates the risk of door collisions with cyclists when opening, since the fucking doors fold up.
Drawbacks of Scissor Doors
- The door still obstructs entry, in some cases perhaps more than a conventional door obstructs entry.
- The costs of the door hinge may be higher than those of a conventional door.
- The door can make contact with the ceiling in the case that the ceiling is too low.
- A rollover can make it harder to get out of the vehicle in an emergency, and in some cases impossible.
#3. Gull-Wing Doors (aka: Falcon Wing Door).
The gull-wing door, made famous by the DeLorean DMC-12 (Back to the Future), was first developed by Jean Bugatti in 1939.
The hinges are mounted to the body of the car’s roof, allowing the door to arc out and up so you can access the interior with less side clearance than with a conventional door.
One of the more problematic drawbacks due to the design of gull-wing doors was made nearly obsolete with the introduction of the Mercedes SLS, which fitted bolts in the hinges that would explode if the car rolled over, allowing the occupants to escape.
The only significant problem with gull-wing doors is that they cannot be coupled with convertibles.
Fun Fact: Jean Bugatti took his design inspiration from the wings of seagulls, which could have led to an accidental homage in the 1980s show M.A.S.K. where the character Matt Trakker had his Chevy Camaro Z28 artificially transformed, codenamed Thunderhawk, to have gull-wing doors that extended to make wings, allowing the car to take flight!
Advantages of Gullwing Doors:
- They are great for tight parking situations, common in urban areas.
- They require less side clearance, giving better potential to enter and exit the car.
- They permit better visibility over the driver’s shoulder.
Disadvantages of Gullwing Doors:
- If the vehicle were to rollover and end up on its roof, the occupant cannot exit the vehicle via the doors. The issue was solved with Mercedes SLS when explosive bolts were added to the hinges giving an exit strategy in the event of a rollover.
- It would be very difficult to convert a vehicle to a convertible with a gull-wing clamp style door.
#4. Butterfly doors.
Hinged at the top front corner of the door frame, the butterfly door may not be as iconic as its cousin, the scissor door, but it alleviates some of the concerns that the scissor door brings.
Rather than opening on a pure vertical arc the hinge allows the door to fan out as well, so the butterfly door still needs less room than a traditional door while allowing better access to the interior than a scissor door.
While this design is primarily found on high-performance cars, it can also be adapted to replace traditional doors, similar to scissor doors. Like scissor doors, butterfly doors use an automatic door glide, allowing the door to open and close unassisted.
Unfortunately, it has all the same disadvantages as other vertical doors regarding needing a high ceiling for the door to open properly indoors without obstruction, along with it being more difficult to escape a overturned car.
Butterfly Door Advantages
- They can open and close on their own due to the automatic door gliders.
- Easy to park in tight spaces.
Butterfly Door Disadvantages
- If the ceiling height is not high enough, the door can hit the ceiling height of a parking structure.
- In the event of an accident, should a vehicle rollover; it can be more difficult to exit the vehicle in an emergency, in some cases, impossible.
#5. Suicide Doors.
The car door typically known as the suicide door, due to its safety issues, is re-emerging in some manufacturers’ lines after decades of being avoided.
The term “suicide door” refers to two important concerns with the design:
- The hinge on the rear-facing side means the door could be forced open by wind pressure while the vehicle is in motion if it is not shut properly.
- It carries the same risks as generic doors if opened in traffic.
Suicide doors usually feature a conventional door used for the front and a suicide door used for the rear, although some vehicles have only one set of doors using this style.
Luxury car manufacturers historically refer to suicide doors as coach or flex doors, and how easy they are to access and exit the vehicle using them, unless you have a lot of people entering and exiting at the same time.
Advantages of a Suicide Door
With rear-hinged doors, promoting seamless access to the vehicle, allows a passenger to enter by turning and sitting and exit by stepping forward and out if needed. Particularly if a dignified entry is important to the passenger.
For example, the UK state’s Bentley has rear-facing passenger doors which are larger than usual and open ample enough to allow a dignified exit of their monarch.
A rear-hinged door allows movement to the rear door of the vehicle that doesn’t require as much movement as if entering the front door; such as the Austin FX4 taxi which allowed a driver to reach the rear external handle without exiting their seat, simply by putting down the driver’s window.
There are additional advantages to rear-oriented opening doors including being able to position an adult comfortably in an optimal position while installing a child seat into the rear seat of a vehicle while being less awkward and cheaper to utilize than sliding doors, often found on minivans.
Once front-hinged front doors and rear-hinged rear doors are combined, it is possible to design the vehicle without the B-pillar creating another large access and exit point.
Disadvantages of a Suicide Door
If there are conventional front doors right next to suicide rear doors, it can frequently be awkward if everyone is using the front door and everyone else is using the rear door.
It has been established that there are myriad hazards:
- Older cars with a lower coefficient of drag made the rear-hinged doors more prone to being forced open at speed. Consumer Reports reported in 1969 on a situation in which a Subaru 360 was impacted.
- If someone is propelled out of a non-seat-belted moving vehicle with a coach door, the rear door can catch an unsitting person and drag them along the road at speed, causing very serious injuries, towards the satisfactorily closed door.
- If someone were to exit their vehicle while it was parallel parked, and their door was struck, the person could be crushed while the door was ripped off.
OEMs insert safety features such as seat belts and require the front doors to be ‘opaquely’ opened to release the lock on rear rear-hinged exit.
#6. Dihedral Door.
Dihedral doors are a newer design, similar to scissor and butterfly doors, with a hinge that opens an additional 90 degrees upwards, making excellent ingress and egress very easy.
Also, the doors are made of expensive materials, which can be damaged if the door scrapes a high curb!
Advantages of dihedral doors:
- Easier entering and exiting the vehicle compared to standard doors
Disadvantages of dihedral doors:
- If you park to close to a high curb you will cause damage to your dihedral door. Repair bills can be excessive because the doors are carbon fiber.
#7. Swan Door.
This modified version of a traditional door is used by some of the top names in high-performance, including Aston Martin and Jaguar.
The hinges are mounted slightly higher on the frame and the door opens at a slight upward angle, which allows for more access compared to a traditional door.
But, the upward design can create a headache for the driver in a tight space because it is a little annoying to close the door.
Swan doors have also been seen on concept cars, including the Jaguar C-X75 concept, Nissan URGE, Bertone Nuccio, Lamborghini Asterion, Toyota NS4, and many more.
Swan Door Advantages
- Makes the car look slick
- Convenient in tight spaces
Swan Door Disadvantages
- The design of the door could make it uncomfortable for the driver to close the door in a tight space.
#8. Raptor Door.
A design variant on the scissor door theme, RAPTOR (Recoil Actuated Pivoting Torsion Orbital Retractor) doors utilize a complex design that allows the doors to retract away from the car, pivot upwards toward the front, and ultimately align the door parallel to the vehicle and perpendicular to the ground.
LSD Doors is probably the largest contributor in the industry for these types of conversion kits. As rare doors, they rely on a recoil-actuated mechanism to close, and the complexity of the design gives you maximum access to the cabin because of the flat space once the door is fully closed. A gas spring keeps the door in the fully open position.
The problem with Raptor Doors is that they must still navigate the vertical door clearance limitations in many areas, such as parking garages, even though there are three different locating points on the car itself. Because of the design, they are also susceptible to curb damage, the same risk incurred with dihedral doors.
Raptor Door Advantages
- The door closes easily due to the recoil-actuated version.
- There are three mounting positions on the car, providing different styles and access.
- Given that the doors stay in the track of the car, they can be helpful when parking in tight spaces.
Raptor Door Disadvantages
- There is not enough clearance for the door if you park too close to a high curb if mounted like a Koenigsegg model.
- If the door is mounted like a Lamborghini model, the door can hit the ceiling of a parking garage if the garage is not tall enough.
#9. Sliding car Door.
These have become very popular on vans and larger delivery vehicles. The door is mounted on a track that allows it to pop out from the vehicle and slide back along the track on the side of the vehicle.
This means it doesn’t require any vertical or horizontal clearance to open, they do cost more than conventional doors and they come with a narrower tolerance than your more conventional doors.
But if you are a parent with young kids, then you appreciate the benefits of a sliding door in a lodge parking area when its crowded.
Sliding Door Pros
- Great for use in tight parking spaces.
- Easy access for loading and unloading goods, and passengers.
Sliding Door Cons
- A sliding door is more expensive to install.
- The door mechanism has a narrower tolerance than your standard hinged door.
#10. Canopy Door.
The canopy is one of the coolest designs to come out of jet fighter cockpits. It incorporates the windscreen, side windows, and roof into a single unit.
Instead of a door that hinges on a single point, the canopy can be hinged where you want and opened in a variety of ways. The canopy can lift vertically, move to the side, or slide forward.
Aside from the cool factor, the canopy can also have a completely continuous wrap-around windscreen providing absolutely no visual obstruction to the driver. Unfortunately, the canopy functions as a greenhouse and can be awkward to get in and out of.
If the car were to flip over, escaping would mean breaking the canopy, and if you got out in the rain, there would be no way of keeping the interior dry (except by using a cover).
Advantages of the Canopy Door:
- Traditional car doors open in a way that can block the roadway or pavement; the canopy will never open into a road.
- The A-pillar is unnecessary because there are no side doors. The windscreen can run the entire length of the car right through to the back, meaning that the driver has essentially more than 180 degrees of vision and a vastly reduced blind spot. Sometimes an A-pillar is used, but this is merely for aesthetics, as in the case of the Sterling Nova.
Disadvantages of the Canopy Door:
- If you have an all-glass canopy, or at least a full wrap-around windscreen, you will need climate control or air conditioning, as the canopy creates a significant ‘greenhouse’ effect.
- In the event of an accident involving a rollover, escaping would be impossible, again, unless one broke the glass.
- Getting in and out can be awkward given the height of the roof and sill of the vehicle. Again, the Saab Aero X used the start of the umbrella idea and broke the canopy into three separate sections that open and fully expose the interior.
- When it rains or snows, there is no way to enter or exit the vehicle without getting the interior wet, unless you are under cover (and if you have heavy snow on the roof, this could cause even worse issues if the snow was too heavy to lift).
#11. Pocket Doors.
This sliding door is rare and is typically seen on delivery vehicles, like those used by UPS and the post office. The sliding door works like the sliding doors in old houses, as it slides into a cavity in the vehicle, rather than slide on the outside.
For delivery vehicles, it usually slides back, but if you ever see it on a car, it usually slides forward. An example of a beautiful, rare pocket door car is the 1954 Kaiser Darrin, which only 435 were made.
#12. Front Hinged Door.
The design of the BMW Isetta 600 featured an entire front door that hinge. Therefore, the steering section, the dash, and the front open out at an angle up, allowing the drive and passenger to enter through a single door.
The hinge makes it easy to enter and exit the car; there are risks associated with other shapes of doors, but there is greater need for additional clearance when it was parked.
Front Hinged Door Advantages
- Both the driver and passenger can exit the car from the front; it reduces the risk of being hit by an oncoming vehicle when exiting or entering the car using a side door.
- Easier to park in smaller spaces
Front Hinged Door Disadvantages
- Although is does allow easier access in tighter parking spots; it may be difficult to open the door if there is a car parked closely in front.
There you have it! There are so many different types of door types will stand out as a unique depiction on how show your style OR next, give you the easier access you desire or even the safety you want.
#13. Bonus: Station Wagon Tailgates.
I feel it would be a crime not to mention station wagons, which flourished in the US up until the 1980’s, and were characterized by a rear section (usually with fold down seats) and had common uses as hearses or family vehicles.
Some of these could open on a vertical hinge to the side or be split gage type (tailgate with rear window that opens upward). Some even had the ability to open either out or down (sometimes referred to as a dual action or triple action gate). And that is only a small example of types of tailgates!