In this article, you will learn what are the different types of car doors and their uses? All are explained with pictures. You can also download the PDF file of the article at the end of it.
Car Door
Car is a common mode of transport that almost every person travels. Cars are obviously necessary to travel both short and long distances more quickly. It’s interesting to note that before automobiles were developed, people mostly used sleds for transportation.
When they needed to transport items or float them down rivers, they would place them on a sled and pull the sled along. All of this started to change when people realized they could accomplish these tasks using the help of animals.
Nowadays, automobile companies try to innovate every aspect of the car, maybe their design, engine, wheels, headlights, and even the doors.
But not many people know what types of car doors are and why they are designed that way. Car doors open outwards or backward, from traditional to exotic. Some are attached by a hinge and others by a track.
That’s why I decided to list out the top 10 types of doors, which are used by all types of cars in today’s world. So let’s start with the basic i.e conventional car door.
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Types of Car Doors
- Conventional door
- Butterfly door
- Canopy door
- Dihedral door
- Front-Hinged door
- Gull-wing door
- Scissor door
- Sliding door
- Suicide door
- Swan door
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#1 Conventional Car Doors
You see these types of car doors every day, which are parked in your homes or while going somewhere on the road. Because this is one of the most common types of car doors that are used in every car.
They are hinged on the front side edge of the car door, allowing space for the door to open outward from the car body. These are considered safer than other car doors as it is not likely to be unlocked while driving. If the door is opened during the forward motion, air will act to keep the door closed.
#2 Butterfly Car Doors
These are types of car doors, which differ slightly in the way they open. A butterfly door can be compared to a scissor door, as it also rests on the upper front corner of the car’s frame. Because of their opening mechanism, this door type allows for more entry and exit for the user.
But, one disadvantage of butterfly doors is that they require more parking area compared to scissor doors. Because they open wide, they may not work well in tight spaces. They are more commonly used on high-performance cars. This has been adopted for close-top racers and sports cars.
If you’re looking to buy a vehicle with flawless butterfly doors, models like the Mercedes Benz SLR, BMW i8, Ferrari Enzo, Ferrari LaFerrari, BMW Z1, and McLaren F1 are all good choices.
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#3 Canopy Car Doors
The canopy doors are one of the rare door types. These doors can take the shape of a canopy (Umbrella) when they get opened. When the door is opened, it moves over the car and remains the same until it is closed.
This is the type of car door that is very useful when you have to park your car inches away from another. Since the door is on the top of the car, it is easy for passengers to exit without worrying about the sides.
Remember that getting in and out of a car can be difficult when there is bad weather, such as a lot of rain or snow, which can cause the interior to be damaged.
Canopy doors also have subtypes, which means they can be hinged to the front, back, or even side. They are also known for bubble canopy, connected canopy, and cockpit canopy.
#4 Dihedral Car Doors
This type of car door is similar to a scissor door, the difference being that these doors open outward by rotating 90 degrees on the hinge of the door. Their hinges are located on the A-pillars, which support the entire door and mechanism.
The Agera R, Agera RS, Koenigsegg Agera, Koenigsegg CC8S, CCR, and Regera are some well-known automobiles that have dihedral doors. Dihedral doors are the most recent innovation in the automotive industry.
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#5 Front-Hinged Car Doors
The front-hinged car door comes with only one door in the car. At the front of the car, it comprises the instrument panel and steering wheel, which are hinged and swung up to give access to both the driver and the passenger.
The entry and exit of the car are through the front door. This reduces the chance of being injured as a result of exiting the side door. In the event of an accident, passengers can also exit the car from the roof. Cars with these doors make it easy to park in crowded places. The door may be difficult to open, so parking a car next to a wall is not recommended.
#6 Gull-wing Car Doors
A gull-wing door is a type of car door that rests on the roof rather than on the side of the car. These are also known for falcon-wing doors. The first car to be made with gullwing doors was the Bugatti Type 64, designed by Jean Bugatti in 1939.
When the doors of this car are opened, the hinges of these doors rest on the roof, and both doors seem to slide upwards like wings. The doors can open up to about 27.5 cm. It is also used in the manufacture of aircraft such as the French four-seat Socata TB series.
The Mercedes-Benz C111 from the 1970s is a great example of a car with gull-wing doors in addition to the top-notch Mercedes-Benz 300SL. The Bricklin SV-1 from the 1970s, the DMC DeLorean from the 1980s, and the Tesla Model X from the 2010s are a few additional notable examples.
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#7 Scissor Car Doors
Car doors of this type were invented by Alfa Romeo in 1968 in their Carabo concept car. By the way, these doors have become a trademark of Lamborghini over the years. Scissor doors swing vertically upward instead of opening outward like traditional car doors.
The scissor door is attached to the car structure using a hinge found at the top corner of the front of the car. These are also known as wing doors, turtle doors, swing-up doors, and Lamborghini doors. Big brands like Ferrari, Lamborghini, and McLaren use these doors in their models.
In nations with a shortage of parking spaces, scissor doors are highly prized. If you’ve ever had to park in a confined space, you know just how challenging it is to open your door in order to exit. Nevertheless, if a parking garage’s ceiling is low, these doors may be an obstruction. It might be challenging for passengers to exit the vehicle in such a situation.
#8 Sliding Car Door
Sliding doors are designed to slide on a horizontal track to open or close the door. Nowadays, this type of door is commonly seen on minivans, commercial buses, and cargo vehicles. They provide easy exit and entry for riders and can be easily unloaded and loaded with luggage.
The doors are mounted on a track on the side of the vehicle and open towards the rear of the car. Thus, providing greater access for entry or exit and easier to park in a tight space. The most popular car with sliding doors is Volkswagen AG.
9. Suicide Car Door
Suicide doors are designed to have hinges on the back of the door frame. Therefore, the doors open outwards and swing backward. They called a suicide door because if the door is open while the car is moving, there is a high chance of the passenger falling.
These car doors are also known as coach doors and were initially used in horse-drawn carriages but are rarely found in modern vehicles. There is also a risk of serious injury if an open door hits a vehicle. They are used in luxury cars like Rolls-Royce Wraith/Phantom.
A car with sliding doors is rare to find today. It has evolved to minivans like the Peugeot 1007, Toyota Porte, and Renault Kangoo, as well as the Citroen C8, Peugeot 807, Toyota Previa, and Kia Sedona. In 1964, Volkswagen AG introduced the model that would become the most well-known automobile with a sliding door.
10. Swan Car Door
A swan door is a modern type of car door. These are hinged at the front of the door. They open upward slightly to create more space. As the name suggests, this door type has a swan style. The advantage of using these doors is that they provide ease in tight parking spaces.
Swan doors are useful in addition to having an amazing design. No matter how high the ceiling is, they reduce parking space. These car doors don’t care how low the ceiling is because they open horizontally.
These doors open easily, even if there is another car stern next to them. This car door type is popular in cars like Aston Martin, Jaguar C-X75, and GTA Spano. Some cars are worth giving a second look at, and these ones stand out from the crowd thanks to their swan doors!
Closing it up
Now you know the various styles of car doors, as well as the high cost of some amazing but risky designs. That’s it thanks for reading. We have discussed all the main “types of car doors“, but still, if you have any questions you can ask in the comments, and I will answer them.
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Download the PDF file of this article
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