Opera window

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Opera Windows were small porthole sized side windows in the C-pillar of cars. Typically offered in unison with a vinyl roof, they were a common feature of American automobiles during the 1970s.

A feature that automobile designers hoped would convey in their cars the elegance and romance of a night at the opera, these glorified portholes are regarded today as one of the worst design innovations in automotive history. They were very common design elements of two-door hardtop or coupe models in all types of vehicles, from compacts to luxury brands. The windows were intended to offset the significant blind spots created by the very wide C-pillars that were characteristic of American cars produced at this time. However, they often made the car's exterior look busy and cluttered. In some cars, the rear passengers sometimes felt claustrophobic, because the windows gave the illusion of smaller space inside. Opera windows had fallen into disuse by the mid-1980s.

These windows were usually non-functional and most often did not help improve the visibility for drivers. However, in the case of the AMC Matador coupe NASCAR racers, the small windows in the Barcelona trim package actually helped to clean up the aerodynamics when such windows were open to the wind under racing conditions.