A sunroof is a movable panel that opens to uncover a window in an automobile roof, allowing light and fresh air to enter the passenger compartment. Sunroofs can be manually operated or motor driven, and are available in many shapes, sizes and styles. While the term "sunroof" is now used generically to describe any moveable panel in the roof, the term "moonroof" was historically used to describe stationary glass panes rigidly mounted in the roof panel over the passenger compartment. A moonroof has a glass panel that is transparent and usually tinted. Previous terms include sunshine roof, sliding head, and sliding roof.
A sliding sunroof on a Porsche 911 Carrera (Type 991)A moonroof on an Acura IntegraExample of the Sedanca de Ville style body from 1934 with a covered passenger compartment and open chauffeur cabinA 1934 Bentley with opening above the driver's compartment resembling the modern Sunroof
History
A common configuration for early automobiles included a fixed roof for the rear passenger compartment and an uncovered section for the chauffeur in a style known as Coupe de Ville, Sedanca (two door) or Sedanca de Ville. An open cabin allowed the driver to be more connected to their surroundings, demonstrated that the car's owner employed a paid driver (one reason chauffeurs wore uniform) and identified the owner through the driver's livery (the other reason for the uniform). Road speeds were increasing and vehicles were changing from occasional use to full-time transport meaning that they were increasingly being used in bad weather.[citation needed] In order to provide better shelter for the driver therefore, temporary cover was now demanded. These part-time roofs, sometimes at first just a stretched piece of leather, became more sophisticated comprising frame elements and leather or water-resistant cloth to form the construction, and installations even included spaces provided to store the parts when not in use.
By the late 1920s, a more convenient version of the temporary roof was often being used where a solid metal panel would slide into a slot at the top of the passenger compartment, sometimes called a de Ville extension.[1] By the early 1930s, cars were being constructed in the Sedan style comprising a metal one-piece roof without the gap above the driver's cabin. To provide a similar facility to the earlier Coup de Ville configurations, sliding cloth or metal panels recognisable as the modern sunroof were regularly fitted to Bentley and Rolls-Royce models built by coach builders such as Barker, Gurney Nutting or Park Ward. In these cars, the continuous roofline, between the windscreen and passenger compartment, was unbroken and so, unlike the Coup de Ville, a coverable opening had to be let into the roof panel itself.
While at first the purpose may still have been to expose the chauffeur, Bentley cars in particular were increasingly sold for owners to drive themselves. Indeed, some models were provided with a sliding panel for the front seats even though the vehicle had just two-seats. Early "Derby" Bentley hard-top models were therefore frequently equipped with sliding sunroof panels, possibly more often than not. The purpose of the sliding panels thus changed from uncovering the chauffeur to allowing the owner to better enjoy their surroundings on fine weather days.
1930s MG coupe including a Sliding Head incorporating glass panels
This evolution was eventually not limited to luxury motoring. The entrepreneur Noel Mobbs laid the foundation of the volume sunroof market when he evolved his coach building business into a company dedicated to the manufacture of sliding roofs in the name of Pytchley. The Pytchley mechanism was both patented[2][3] and first publicly demonstrated in 1925. At first Pytchley used their sliding roof system to build a number of coach-built, custom "tourer saloon" automobiles sold from their premises at 201 - 203 Great Portland Street London. In 1927 they claimed for a Daimler 20/70hp that "This roof slides at the touch of a finger and opens up 50% of the roof area giving greater visibility and more air without draughts."[4] The sliding roof system evolved from a device that Pytchley installed themselves, to an option which manufacturers offered as a standard body style. It was factory fitted to vehicles from a number of different manufacturers. By 1929 the design had improved so that when closed the moveable panel was flush with the rest of the roof. Morris built several models using Pytchley's technology from 1932, including the Morris Minor, Morris Major and Morris Ten adding what became known as a Sliding Head (using the term head in the same way as Folding Head or Drop Head). This comprised a panel which could be slid back over the roof behind to create an opening above the driver and passenger. The sliding panel also incorporated locks which allowed the panel to be fixed at any position from fully closed to fully open. By 1935 Wolseley were using the Pytchley roof and by 1936 Austin too were also selling models with the sliding head. The Hillman Minx was another low-cost small car which was clearly not designed to be chauffeured, and in 1931 it was offered in a variety of body styles as was usual at that time, among the options was a sliding roof section[5] including, on the 1933 Aero model[6] with glass panels, as photographed on the 1932 show car,[7] making this the first moonroof. In 1941 Pytchley took on the manufacturer Vauxhall for failure to pay royalties. Vauxhall claimed that their variation of the sliding roof, which slid the panel under the rear section rather than over, was sufficiently different to mean that a license need not be paid.[2] Pytchley won the case.
Variations in moveable, removable and transparent roof panels continued. The Ford Lincoln X-100 concept car[8] of 1953 revisited the Sedanca style for a non-chauffeured vehicle as it had a retractable transparent targa top which inspired later fixed moonroof panels on 1954 production vehicles. In 1961 Triumph launched the TR4 with a removable hard top roof split into two sections. The rear part, incorporating the rear window, could be left on the car when the centre piece was removed creating a Sedanca layout. This concept was resurrected again in 1966 when Porsche launched a version of its 911 sports car that established the term Targa, trademarked by Porsche. This bore even more of a resemblance to the traditional Sedanca form, as the car had both a permanently fixed roll-over hoop, and rear seats. While in 1969 Lamborghini showed the first full-roof framed transparent-panel roof, heralding the modern panoramic roof, on an Espada.
1934 Hillman Aero Minx showing its sliding-panel sunroof with inset glass panels - the world's first moonroof (before the term was coined)Triumph TR4, the first volume-manufactured Sedanca style body (later commonly called Targa)
Sunroofs, by historical definition are opaque. Today, most factory sliding sunroof options feature a glass panel and are sometimes marketed as moonroofs, a term introduced in 1973 by John Atkinson, a marketing manager at Ford for the Continental Mark IV. For the first year, Ford sent out its Mark IVs to American Sunroof Company for offline installation.
Variations of both the sunroof and moonroof have become the norm in both factory installed and aftermarket offerings, creating a wide range of features and choices. Sunroof systems may be manual or electric, while most moonroof systems are electric/electronic. Manual sunroofs may be lever actuated, as in venting type pop-ups, manual lever or crank operated for sliding systems. Electric roof systems are usually cable driven by a motor and feature some form of sliding opening. Most moonroof systems today are electric and have either a combination pop-up/inbuilt or a pop-up/spoiler configuration (see sunroof types below).
Roof systems may be original equipment, factory options (provided by the car company), or installed aftermarket by a roof installation professional for the car dealer or retail customer. Once the vehicle leaves the assembly line, the factory option can no longer be integrated into the roof, making aftermarket the only option.
Sunroof types
Roof systems are available in many shapes, sizes and styles, and are known by many names. The main types are as follows:
Pop-up sunroofs are simply a manually operated tilting panel. These panels are sometimes removable, and like T-roofs, must be stored when removed. The tilting action provides a vent in the roof, or a full opening when the panel is removed. Pop-ups can be installed in most vehicles, and are relatively inexpensive. Examples include metal panels in the Porsche 944, the early Mazda RX-7, and many glass panel factory and aftermarket installations.
Spoiler sunroofs (tilt-&-slides) combine the features of a pop-up with those of a sliding roof system. They tilt to vent and slide open above the roof, requiring little headroom or roof length. Spoilers typically do not provide as large an opening as other roof systems, but offer the convenience of a self-storing panel. Most spoiler roofs are electric, with optional features like integrated sun shades and express open/close. Spoilers are ideal for short-roof vehicles where other types of sliders cannot be installed. Examples include the Honda CRX, the Toyota Celica and the Mazda RX-7.
Inbuilt sunroof systems have a panel which slides between the metal roof and interior headliner, requiring some loss of headroom but providing a full opening in the roof. All inbuilts slide inside the roof, while some also include a rear venting feature (see pop-up) or express open/close functions. Inbuilts do not fit every vehicle, as the panel must slide and store completely within the vehicle roof. Historically, inbuilts were a metal sunroof panel painted to match the vehicle roof, but now most are glass-panel systems with sliding sunshades (typically referred to as moonroofs). One of the first examples was the 1960 Ford Thunderbird.
Folding sunroofs (often called rag-tops or cabrio coach) are a European tradition. They offer the convenience of a sunroof, with an opening more like a convertible. The panel is made of fabric (often vinyl), which folds back as it slides open. After a long absence in European and North American markets, folding sunroofs have experienced a resurgence with several new factory-installed options. Aftermarket versions were once only manual, but now are also available in powered versions. Examples include the original VW Beetle, Renault Twingo and Jeep Liberty.
Top-mount sliding sunroofs (rail mount topslider) have been a popular factory option in Europe for many years. A large glass panel slides open in tracks on top of the roof, with no loss of headroom. Most feature an integral wind deflector to eliminate wind noise. Examples include Donmar's original Skyroof topslider (aftermarket system), the London Taxi and Renault 5 cars.
Panoramic roof systems are a type of large or multi-panel moonroof which offer openings above both the front and rear seats and may be operable or fixed glass panels. An early example visually very similar to many current versions was paraded around the Monaco Grand Prix circuit in 1969,[9] it comprised a full-length fixed Plexiglas panel and was fitted to a Lamborghini Espada. The first example of a panoramic roof however was incorporated into the 1953 Lincoln XL-500 concept car which sported a full-length Plexiglas bubble canopy.[10] Large operable openings are often accomplished with top-slider (tracks in the top of the roof) or spoiler type mechanisms. Examples include the Acura ZDX, Lexus ES, BMW Mini, Scion tC, Pontiac G6, Mercedes C Class, Volkswagen Eos, Porsche Cayenne, and the Tesla Model S.
Removable roof panels (t-tops or targa roofs) open a vehicle roof to the side windows, providing a wider opening than other roof systems. The Targa body style is identical in configuration to the Sedanca but is designed for owner-driven rather than chauffeured cars and while a Sedanca style implies a rear passenger area, the Targa does not. T-roofs have two removable panels and leave a T-shaped structural brace in the roof center. Targa roofs include only one (opaque or transparent) panel and leave no cross brace. Aftermarket kits are no longer made, but several companies sell replacement and remanufactured panels, parts and accessories. Examples include Triumph TR4, Porsche 911 Targa, Suzuki Cappuccino, Toyota Supra, Pontiac Firebird, Chevrolet Corvette, Honda NSX, and Porsche 914.
Solar sunroofs are made of glass, with an inlaid photovoltaicsolar panel that makes the glass totally opaque. They operate the same as conventional factory-fitted glass moonroofs (tilting and retracting), but when closed the solar panel provides electricity to power the interior ventilation fans, for cooling the car interior on hot days when the car is standing outside in the sunlight. These are available as a factory option on the 2010 Prius, recent Audi cars, Renault Zoé, and also were available on some versions of the Mazda Millenia and Mazda 929.
Electric vs. electronic Motorized power roof systems may be operated by a simple push-and-hold switch, or may include an electronic control module (ECM) to provide single-touch express opening, express closing, or auto-closing on ignition off.
Moonroof is a transparent, usually glass or Plexiglas, sunroof that lets light in while closed. Examples include the Mk1 Ford Fiesta from 1976, the Mk3 Ford Escort from 1980, the Acura ILX, and Pontiac G6. The earliest example, although not called moonroof at the time, was the 1933 Hillman Aero Minx which could be fitted with a sliding roof panel including inset glass. An early use of a large-panel transparent roof section was the 1954 Ford Skyliner and Mercury Sun Valley models[11] which borrowed in-part from the full panoramic roof of the Lincoln XL-500 concept car[12] as well as the X-100.[13] A fixed moonroof exclusively for rear seat passengers was a prominent feature of the Aston Martin Lagonda from series 2, to 4 which was launched in 1976.
The Porsche 912 is a sports car produced by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany, for the 1965 through 1969 model years. An entry-level variant of the 911, it was also offered in compact 2+2 Coupé and Targa body styles. The nimble-handling 912 was fitted with a 1.6-liter air cooled flat-4 from the last of the 356s, slightly detuned to 102 SAE horsepower at 5800 rpm. The 912's high-efficiency boxer engine, low drag, and low weight allow it to get up to 30 miles per US gallon. Initially priced at US$4,700, more than 32,000 912s were built from April 1965 to July 1969. Sales of the 912 initially outpaced the 911, boosting the manufacturer's total production until success of the 911 was assured.
A convertible or cabriolet is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.
The Lincoln Town Car is a model line of full-size luxury sedans that was marketed by the Lincoln division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. Deriving its name from a limousine body style, Lincoln marketed the Town Car from 1981 to 2011, with the nameplate previously serving as the flagship trim of the Lincoln Continental. Produced across three generations for thirty model years, the Town Car was marketed directly against luxury sedans from Cadillac and Chrysler.
Coupé de ville is a car body style produced from 1908 to 1939. It has an external or open-topped driver's position, as well as an enclosed compartment for passengers. Although the different terms may have once had specific meanings for certain car manufacturers or countries, the terms are often used interchangeably.
The Peugeot 309 is a small family car that was manufactured between 1985 and 1994 in France, England and Spain by PSA Peugeot Citroën. It was originally intended to be badged as a Talbot and, as development progressed, to be called the Talbot Arizona.
The Porsche 993 is the fourth generation of the Porsche 911 model sports car manufactured and sold between January 1994 and early 1998, replacing the 964. Its discontinuation marked the end of air-cooled 911 models.
The Lincoln Continental is a series of mid-sized and full-sized luxury cars produced between 1939 and 2020 by Lincoln, a division of the American automaker Ford Motor Company. The model line was introduced following the construction of a personal vehicle for Edsel Ford, who commissioned a coachbuilt 1939 Lincoln-Zephyr convertible, developed as a vacation vehicle to attract potential Lincoln buyers. In what would give the model line its name, the exterior was given European "continental" styling elements, including a rear-mounted spare tire.
The Porsche 997 is the sixth generation of the Porsche 911 sports car manufactured and sold by the German automobile manufacturer Porsche. It was sold between 2004 and 2013. Production of the Carrera and Carrera S coupé began in early 2004, and the all-wheel drive Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S began to be delivered to customers in November 2005. Deliveries of the Turbo and GT3 derivatives were carried out in late 2006, along with the GT2 in 2007. In addition to the coupé and cabriolet versions, Targa versions of the Carrera 4 and Carrera 4S were also available, which continued the trend of the "glass canopy" roof design used since its first application in the 993 until the 991 generation. This was later reverted to the classic targa top layout used in earlier models of the 911 Targa.
Targa top, or targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full-width roll bar behind the seats. The term was first used on the 1966 Porsche 911 Targa, and it remains a registered trademark of Porsche AG.
The Porsche 964 is a model of the Porsche 911 sports car manufactured and sold between 1989 and 1994. Designed by Benjamin Dimson through January 1986, it featured significant styling revisions over previous 911 models, most prominently the more integrated bumpers. It was the first car to be offered with Porsche's Tiptronic automatic transmission and all wheel drive as options.
The Oldsmobile Silhouette is a minivan manufactured by General Motors for model years 1990–2004 over two generations.
The Pontiac Trans Sport is a minivan that was marketed by Pontiac from the 1990 to 1999 model years. The first minivan marketed by the division, the Trans Sport marked the beginning of a wider transition of moving away from sedans and station wagons as family-oriented vehicles. Marketed between the Chevrolet Lumina APV and the Oldsmobile Silhouette took its name from a similar 1986 concept vehicle.
In automotive engineering, a grille covers an opening in the body of a vehicle to allow air to enter or exit. Most vehicles feature a grille at the front of the vehicle to protect the radiator and engine. Merriam-Webster describes grilles as "a grating forming a barrier or screen; especially: an ornamental one at the front end of an automobile." The word 'grille' is commonly misspelled as 'grill' which instead refers to the cooking method. Other common grille locations include below the front bumper, in front of the wheels, in the cowl for cabin ventilation, or on the rear deck lid. Grilles evolved from previously installed gravel shields that were designed to protect exposed radiators typically used on cars until the early 1930s.
The Chevrolet Lumina APV is a minivan that was produced by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. Launched as the first front-wheel drive minivan sold by Chevrolet, the Lumina APV was sold in a single generation from the 1990 to 1996 model years. Marketed alongside the Pontiac Trans Sport and Oldsmobile Silhouette, the Lumina APV competed against the Dodge Grand Caravan/Plymouth Grand Voyager, the extended-length Ford Aerostar, and the Mazda MPV.
American Specialty Cars was an automobile supplier of highly engineered and designed roof systems, body systems and other specialty-vehicle systems for the world’s automakers. The company was headquartered in Warren, Michigan, in the United States and was one of several coach convertible builders. ASC sold assets to its Creative Services division in late 2016 to Roush Industries. In late June 2017, ASC effectively ceased operations, laying off all staff and had tooling and production equipment removed from the manufacturing plant in Lexington, Kentucky.
The Ford EXP is a sports compact coupe that was produced by Ford Motor Company from 1982 to 1988. The first two-seat Ford since the original Ford Thunderbird, the EXP was derived from the American Ford Escort. In contrast to its platform counterpart, the model line was not a "world car", developed entirely for North America. For 1982 and 1983, the EXP was also sold as the Mercury LN7.
A T-top is an automobile roof with a removable panel on each side of a rigid bar running from the center of one structural bar between pillars to the center of the next structural bar. The panels of a traditional T-top are usually made of auto grade safety glass, or acrylic – but they can also be black or body-colored and made of other materials.
The Pontiac Grand Safari was Pontiac's top-of-the-line full-size station wagon offered from 1971 to 1978. The Grand Safari used the grille and interior trim of the Bonneville and Grand Ville passenger car series, and most examples were trimmed with woodgrain paneling on the sides and tailgate.
The Porsche 991 is the seventh generation of the Porsche 911 sports car, which was unveiled at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show on 15 September as the replacement for the 997. The 991 was an entirely new platform, only the third since the original 911 launched in 1963. Production of the 991 generation ended on December 20, 2019, with 233,540 units produced.
The Porsche 911 is a two-door 2+2 high performance rear-engined sports car introduced in September 1964 by Porsche AG of Stuttgart, Germany. It has a rear-mounted flat-six engine and originally a torsion bar suspension. The car has been continuously enhanced through the years but the basic concept has remained unchanged. The engines were air-cooled until the introduction of the 996 series in 1998.
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