Opera window

The Opera window ( German : Opera window ) is a design element in vehicle construction. The Opera window is a porthole in the C-pillar . Typically, Opera Windows were installed in connection with vinyl roofs . This was particularly the case with US manufacturers in the 1970s.

Oval Opera window on a Lincoln Continental

Rectangular opera window on an AMC Matador Barcelona with gold-colored engraving and the imaginary coat of arms modeled on Barcelona as a type logo

history

Opera Windows were a major styling feature in the 1930s. In the 1950s they were reintroduced with the Ford Thunderbird . The Opera Windows were reintroduced a second time with the Continental Mark IV . There they were initially offered as an extra, but they were still ordered by a large majority of buyers. A special feature of the Lincoln was that in the interior, in addition to the reading lamps, there was also lighting for the Opera Window. During the 1970s, the Opera Window was offered in two-door coupes of all American vehicle classes.

The purpose of the Opera Windows was - in addition to the traditional appearance - to improve the all-round view in the area of the C-pillar. They also gave the rear passengers a better view of the outside world. In addition to Opera Windows, some vehicle manufacturers offered so-called Opera Lights on the B-pillar. An atypical representative for Opera Windows was the Daihatsu Charade from 1978. From the 1980s, Opera Windows gradually disappeared from automotive design. In the 2000s, they were cited as a retro element on the Ford Thunderbird .