Butterfly doors
Encyclopedia
Butterfly doors or vertical doors are a type of door
sometimes seen on high-performance automobile
s. They are similar to scissor doors
, but while scissor doors move up, butterfly doors also move outwards, which makes for easier entry/exit at the expense of saving space.
The McLaren F1
, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
, Saleen S7
, Enzo Ferrari
, Toyota Sera
- EXY-10, and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
, among others, use butterfly doors. It was also a common feature for Group C
and IMSA GTP/Camel Lights
prototype racers as they incorporate teardrop top which allows the driver to get in and out of the car more quickly than conventional and gullwing doors, especially in a cramped pitlane environment such as the pre-1991 Le Mans
circuit. Since then, butterfly doors have been an adopted design of closed top sportscar racers, such as the Toyota GT-One
, Bentley Speed 8
and more recently, the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. The Toyota Sera
, released in 1991, was a limited-release car designed exclusively for the Japan
ese market which used this design. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster was one of the few open top cars to use butterfly wing doors. This is made possible by having the doors hinged at the side of A-pillar instead of at top by the roof. The McLaren MP4-12C
has a unique system where the butterfly doors do not use a top hinge meaning that the car can use frameless windows which allows for the cars upcoming convertible version to retain them.
Door
A door is a movable structure used to open and close off an entrance, typically consisting of a panel that swings on hinges or that slides or rotates inside of a space....
sometimes seen on high-performance automobile
Automobile
An automobile, autocar, motor car or car is a wheeled motor vehicle used for transporting passengers, which also carries its own engine or motor...
s. They are similar to scissor doors
Scissor doors
Scissor doors are automobile doors that rotate vertically at a fixed hinge at the front of the door, rather than outwardly as with a conventional door.- History :The first vehicle to feature scissor doors was the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo concept car, designed...
, but while scissor doors move up, butterfly doors also move outwards, which makes for easier entry/exit at the expense of saving space.
The McLaren F1
McLaren F1
The McLaren F1 is a supercar designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. Originally a concept conceived by Gordon Murray, he convinced Ron Dennis to back the project and engaged Peter Stevens to design the exterior of the car...
, Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale
The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale is an extremely rare road car built by Alfa Romeo of Italy. Only 18 are reported to have been made, plus three design studies based on the 33 Stradale the 33.2, Iguana and Carabo...
, Saleen S7
Saleen S7
The Saleen S7 is a limited-production, hand-built, high-performance American supercar developed jointly by Steve Saleen for the initial concept and direction, Hidden Creek Industries for resources and initial funding, Phil Frank for the body and interior CAD design and development, and Ray Mallock...
, Enzo Ferrari
Enzo Ferrari (car)
The Enzo Ferrari is a 12 cylinder mid-engine berlinetta named after the company's founder, Enzo Ferrari. It was built in 2002 using Formula One technology, such as a carbon-fibre body, F1-style electrohydraulic shift transmission, and Carbon fibre-reinforced Silicon Carbide ceramic composite...
, Toyota Sera
Toyota Sera
The Toyota Sera is a two door, four seat coupe built by Toyota from 1990 to 1996. Although produced solely for the Japanese market, it raised interest overseas and has since been imported by car enthusiasts into several countries including Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Ireland,...
- EXY-10, and the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren
The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren is an Anglo-German grand tourer car jointly developed by Mercedes-Benz and McLaren Automotive, built in Portsmouth and the McLaren Technology Centre in Woking, Surrey, England and sold from 2003 to 2009...
, among others, use butterfly doors. It was also a common feature for Group C
Group C
Group C was a category of motorsport, introduced by the FIA in 1982 for sports car racing, along with Group A for touring cars and Group B for GTs....
and IMSA GTP/Camel Lights
IMSA GT Championship
IMSA GT was a sports car racing series organized by International Motor Sports Association. Races took place primarily in the United States and occasionally in Canada.-History:...
prototype racers as they incorporate teardrop top which allows the driver to get in and out of the car more quickly than conventional and gullwing doors, especially in a cramped pitlane environment such as the pre-1991 Le Mans
Circuit de la Sarthe
The Circuit des 24 Heures, also known as Circuit de la Sarthe, located near Le Mans, France, is a semi-permanent race course most famous as the venue for the 24 Hours of Le Mans auto race. The track uses local roads that remain open to the public most of the year...
circuit. Since then, butterfly doors have been an adopted design of closed top sportscar racers, such as the Toyota GT-One
Toyota GT-One
The Toyota GT-One was a racing car initially developed for grand touring style rules, but later adapted into a Le Mans prototype. It raced in the 1998 and 1999 24 Hours of Le Mans.-History:...
, Bentley Speed 8
Bentley Speed 8
The Bentley Speed 8 was a Le Mans Prototype race car that was designed by Peter Elleray. EXP Speed 8 debuted in the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2001, the Speed 8 car finally winning in 2003...
and more recently, the Peugeot 908 HDi FAP. The Toyota Sera
Toyota Sera
The Toyota Sera is a two door, four seat coupe built by Toyota from 1990 to 1996. Although produced solely for the Japanese market, it raised interest overseas and has since been imported by car enthusiasts into several countries including Australia, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Canada, India, Ireland,...
, released in 1991, was a limited-release car designed exclusively for the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese market which used this design. The Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren Roadster was one of the few open top cars to use butterfly wing doors. This is made possible by having the doors hinged at the side of A-pillar instead of at top by the roof. The McLaren MP4-12C
McLaren MP4-12C
The McLaren MP4-12C is a sports car designed and manufactured by McLaren Automotive. It is the first production car wholly designed and built by McLaren since the McLaren F1. The car's final design was unveiled on 8 September 2009, and it is set to be launched in 2011...
has a unique system where the butterfly doors do not use a top hinge meaning that the car can use frameless windows which allows for the cars upcoming convertible version to retain them.
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See also
- List of cars with unusual door designs
- Suicide doors
- Scissor doorsScissor doorsScissor doors are automobile doors that rotate vertically at a fixed hinge at the front of the door, rather than outwardly as with a conventional door.- History :The first vehicle to feature scissor doors was the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo concept car, designed...
- Gullwing doors
- Sliding doorsSliding door (vehicle)A sliding door is a type of door that opens by sliding , whereby the door is either mounted on or suspended from a track. These aren't usually used in small vehicles, but generally they're most commonly used for minibuses and buses to provide a large entrance or exit for passengers without...
- Canopy doorVehicle canopyA vehicle canopy is a rarely used type of door for cars. It has no official name so it is also known as an articulated canopy, bubble canopy, cockpit canopy, canopy door, or simply a canopy. A canopy is a type of door which sits on top of a car and lifts up in some way, to provide access for...
- Car door