The Suzuki R3 Concept
In a welcome return to the ‘technical’ or explanatory articles, here I take a quick look at suicide doors and the reason why they aren’t used in many cars (yes, they do have some disadvantages.
What suicide doors are
Suicide – or carriage, rear hinged or reversed doors – are doors that open the reverse of the standard, i.e. rather than being hinged from the front wing of the car, they are hinged from the back. The name was earned early on due to an increased risk of the door opening, or the fact that oncoming traffic may not see the door being opened. They are almost always a feature of a rear set of doors, rather than the front.
Disadvantages of suicide doors
Aside from a potential safety issue, this type of door is more difficult to manufacture within a frame of an automotive vehicle. It takes more time and effort to design well and frequently results in only ‘half-doors’ rather than full doors. With a ‘B’ pillar in place (between doors) the car can look unsightly, but without it can lose rigidity. If a car happens to still be moving as you get out from the back seat, you will receive a clout from the door for your efforts!
Cars that suicide doors feature on
- Jaguar Mk4
- Mazda RX-8
- Vauxhall Meriva
- Rolls-Royce Phantom
- MINI Clubman
- Spyker D12
Are they any good?
That’s harder to quantify. Let’s put it another way. If practicality rules your world, buy a Range Rover. If you love luxury (and can afford the price) you will probably have a Rolls-Royce Phantom and be enjoying some wonderful suicide doors.
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