Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Hatchbacks with Dramatically Curved Rear Quarter Glass

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Quite out of the blue, Mrs. Tanshanomi suggested that my weekly adventure in pedantry should task all of you with naming hatchbacks that had, “those wraparound rear windows — you know, like the AMC Pacer.” Why that? I asked. [Actually, it was more like, “Huh?…Why?…What?”] “Because,” she explained, “you never see those sort of curved side windows on hatchbacks nowadays. It was cool, and it’s gone.” The fact that that specific thought popped into her head unprompted made me realize how incredibly lucky I am. But, in any case, here we are. I have no idea what we’ll end up with, but SWMBO is being obeyed; today’s entry in the Canon of Hoonatic Lore requires you to name hatchbacks with dramatically curved rear quarter glass. Is that bit of styling really gone, or can you name one among current or recent cars? Or perhaps your favorite vintage ride? Was it ever really here?
The Caveats (there are always caveats):

  • H-A-T-C-H-B-A-C-K. Not sedan, coupe or pickup truck. If it doesn’t have a hatch out back, it’s a no-go. Got it?
  • We are talking specifically about the windows on either side of the hatch, not the part that lifts up. One-piece glass hatches don’t count.
  • The line between hatchbacks and wagons — and wagons and SUVs — can be a bit of a judgement call. So you can go there, as long as the rear door is hinged upwards, like a hatchback’s. [Yes, I know there are potentially a metric bunchload of old ’40s–’50s wagons that fit the description, but they’re cool, so what could it hurt to list them all. See? I’m feeling generous today.]
  • Customs, kit cars, concept cars, etc. are fair game, but they should be at least moderately cool and interesting. Duh.

Difficulty: Maximum 4 lb. test (6 lb. test for fluorocarbon)
How This Works: Read the comments first and don’t post duplicates. Bonus points for adding photos. Remember, you can simply paste in the raw image URL now, thanks to the magic of Disqus.
Image Source: AMC press photo via oppositelock.kinja.com.

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58 responses to “Encyclopedia Hoonatica: Hatchbacks with Dramatically Curved Rear Quarter Glass”

  1. stigshift Avatar
    stigshift

    The other Pacer…
    I

  2. hubba Avatar
    hubba

    Mazda RX-7. Them black thingies lift up the big door thingy.

  3. hubba Avatar
    hubba

    Toyota Matrix

    1. salguod Avatar

      Are those big enough to be dramatically curved?

  4. hwyengr Avatar
    hwyengr

    Even though it isn’t all see-through, that’s one piece of glass on the back of the R50/R53 MINIs.
    http://www.northamericanmotoring.com/forums/attachments/tires-wheels-and-brakes/24022d1187966847-15-aftermarket-wheels-on-a-mini-rear3_4viewafterdetailing….jpg

    1. fede Avatar
      fede

      same with the alfa 145

      1. fede Avatar
        fede

        i can’t add an image to the original comment, so here it is

    2. JayP Avatar
      JayP

      Those wheels and tires make the car.

  5. Citric Avatar
    Citric

    Whichever Ford Probe you choose, I’ll use a first gen for illustration.
    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Ford_Probe_GT_Heck.JPG

  6. Pauly WallNutz Avatar
    Pauly WallNutz

    gremlin concept i found the XP prototype;

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      I’ve never seen that concept before. And there’s a SUB-compact Gremlin prototype next to it!

  7. Rennsport 964 Avatar
    Rennsport 964

    Integra three door. All three generations had it in some form or another, but the one that fits this category best is the DB2. Picture not of mine, but is essentially identical.

  8. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
    Age_of_Aerostar

    Windows are dramatically curved… it’s a hatchback… sort of… so….I nominate:
    http://www.truckaddons.com/images02/suspension/skyjacker/Ford-Bronco-II.jpg

  9. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
    Age_of_Aerostar

    because he said he’s feeling generous…. and because it’s cool:
    http://blog.hemmings.com/wp-content/uploads//2011/08/1960MercuryCommuter_03_700.jpg

    1. Krautwursten Avatar
      Krautwursten

      Oh, he’s feeling generous? In that case this encyclopedia lacks the supreme king of all curved quarter windows.

  10. PotbellyJoe★★★★★ Avatar
    PotbellyJoe★★★★★

    http://images.thetruthaboutcars.com/2013/04/17.jpg
    At least on one side it does…

    1. 0A5599 Avatar
      0A5599

      I thought those are side hinged and was looking for a picture of one that had rolled over. I’ll stop looking now.

      1. PotbellyJoe★★★★★ Avatar
        PotbellyJoe★★★★★

        It’s side-hinged, but based on the liberties in other posts, 2 out of three ain’t bad.

    1. Rover 1 Avatar
      Rover 1

      The Frua/Lamborghini Faena adjacent is too crisply creased to care about ‘dramatic curves’.

  11. engineerd Avatar
    engineerd

    “Dramatic” is quite subjective, and it’s hard to enforce pedantry on a subjective…er…subject. Therefore, I’m going to look at the forward end of the glass for my inspiration…
    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5a/Saturn_SW1_–_01-28-2010.jpg/1920px-Saturn_SW1_–_01-28-2010.jpg

    1. Tiberiuswise Avatar

      How dare you subject your subjects to your subjective.. wait, where was I?

    1. Tanshanomi Avatar

      OH! Didn’t see that one coming. Awesome. A foul and an out-of-the-park homer at the same time.
      http://www.reactiongifs.us/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/picard_clapping.gif

    2. Pauly WallNutz Avatar
      Pauly WallNutz

      i was looking for a good photo of this very thing, good one.

  12. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    Ford/Merkur Scorpio

  13. Hatchtopia Avatar

    Of course you knew that I would have one to contribute here.

  14. 0A5599 Avatar
    0A5599

    There’s bound to be a hinge somewhere in the glass retraction mechanism.
    http://img156.imageshack.us/img156/2042/73estwag4r45t3c118524dfwe4.jpg

  15. tonyola Avatar
    tonyola

    1951 Packard Henney ambulance

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      Nice!

  16. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    http://carimages.org/car/nissan-240sx-s13-hatchback_0.jpg
    The curved glass helps when you’re sideways… Or something like that.

    1. Vairship Avatar
      Vairship

      So does the airbrake on the side!
      And the fart can helps melt the bumper when you’re sideways…

  17. Madoc Avatar
    Madoc

    Ha! Jensen Interceptor III for the win!

  18. Guest Avatar
    Guest

    1914 Alfa Romeo 40-60 Aerodinamica

    http://www.carpedia.ru/wp-content/uploads/2007/07/007_sm.jpg

    But that’s not a hatchback, you say, the back doesn’t lift up, you say.

    I smile coyly, and say quietly that, oh, it does.

    You just need a saw.

    http://i1.wp.com/laughingsquid.com/wp-content/uploads/1914_Castagna_Alfa_40-60HP_Aerodinamica_Torpedo.jpg?fit=640%2C356

    And therefore, I have also found the first hatchback with curved rear quarter windows that also double as the windshield.

    I shall now accept your praise.

    1. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
      Age_of_Aerostar

      This was one time when the “load more” of the post option gave perfect dramatic pause!
      I show you praise with an arrow up click.

  19. Krautwursten Avatar
    Krautwursten

    The rear window on the Studebaker Land Cruiser is so ridiculously curved that it basically fulfills the role of quarter windows as well.
    And no, Toyota didn’t invent this name. In fact by mere or not so mere coincidence they thought up the name in very exactly the last year it was used by Studebaker, and more or less seamlessly introduced it on their own car which would go on to become far more iconic than the original Land Cruiser.

    1. Krautwursten Avatar
      Krautwursten

      And speaking of Toyota’s Land Cruiser, I finished the other post without even realizing that the Toyota model features some equally groovy windows, and this time they’re actually quarter glasses.

    2. Krautwursten Avatar
      Krautwursten

      And speaking of Toyota’s Land Cruiser, I finished the other post without
      even realizing that the Toyota model features some equally groovy glasses, and this time they’re actually quarter windows.
      Edit: Also I just realized that the Studebaker isn’t actually a hatchback and that I once again completely missed the objective with my first post. The Toyota is though, at least the upper 60%, and that’s a pass.

  20. PotbellyJoe★★★★★ Avatar
    PotbellyJoe★★★★★

    http://www.wintonsworld.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Lexus_CT200h_6.jpg
    I think this is the only one on this entire list that is still for sale with this feature. Considering that Lexus was also the last company with a tape player, this may not be good news…

  21. Maymar Avatar
    Maymar

    http://www.conceptcarz.com/images/Saab/2005-Saab-92X_Image-015-1024.jpg
    2nd-gen Impreza/Only Gen Saabaru!
    https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6c/Volvo_C30_1.6D_rear_20100503.jpg
    This might be a bit of a stretch, but the body does taper in, and ergo, those rear side windows curve.

    1. JayP Avatar
      JayP

      This may be the 3rd place after the Pacer and 928.

    2. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
      Age_of_Aerostar

      Excellent answer!!! yes yes and yes!

  22. elan Avatar
    elan

    I hope you’re feeling generous enough to accept this, because, having read all the caveats very closely I cannot find a reason not to add this one. If anyone else can find a reason why my post, (a Land Rover Discovery 4/LR4 is not valid please tell me. By the way, the curved glass is on the roof at the rear 3/4.
    http://image.trucktrend.com/f/36841371/2011-land-rover-LR4-drivers-side-rear-three-quarters-view.jpg

  23. marmer Avatar
    marmer

    Those quarter windows, like those on the Land Rover posted below, wrap up onto the roof to create little dual one-inch skylights. https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Honda_Civic_wagon_–_03-21-2012_rear_1.JPG

  24. KentMB1 Avatar
    KentMB1

    Boat tail Riv

    1. KentMB1 Avatar
      KentMB1

      Aww, dang. My reading skills are lacking today. I saw curved glass and immediately thought of the Riv. Sorry everybody. I’ll go sit in the corner now.

      1. Age_of_Aerostar Avatar
        Age_of_Aerostar

        It’s the first one that came to my mind too.

  25. karonetwentyc Avatar
    karonetwentyc

    The obscure-when-new, even-fewer-left-now Subaru RX.