Suicide doors - Definition and Overview

Rear suicide door on a 1967 Thunderbird

suicide doors in a 1952 Saab 92B

Suicide doors are automobile doors that are hinged on the edges closer to the back of the vehicle. The name refers to the perceived greater danger of such a door falling open at speed.

Such doors were commonly seen on cars manufactured in the first half of the 20th century. Post-World War II examples are almost universally the rear doors of four-door cars. The last true, independently opening suicide doors were fitted to the 1971 Ford Thunderbird, after which their use ceased due to safety concerns.

More recently, rear suicide doors that cannot be opened until the regular front doors are open have been used on a number of vehicles.

Models of automobile that featured suicide doors include:

• Citroën 2CV - early models
• Citroën Traction
• Chrysler Imperial Parade Phaeton
• Chrysler Royal
• Facel Vega - 4-door models
• Fiat Topolino
• Ford Thunderbird - 1967-1971 4-door models
• Honda Element - 2003-present. Has conventional front, with suicide half doors in rear
• Lincoln Continental - 1961-1969 4-door models
• Mazda RX-8 - Has conventional front doors, with suicide half-doors in rear
• Panhard Dyna
• Pierce Silver Arrow
• Renault 4CV
• Rolls-Royce Phantom
• SAAB (92, 93 and 95/96 early models)
• Saturn ION coupe - Has conventional front doors, with suicide half-doors in the rear.
• Saturn SC series - Predecessor to ION coupe; second-generation models feature one rear suicide half-door on driver's side