Anyone ever look into a mod that would provide opening rear windows?

With so many buyers getting an R55 because they want to have the rear seat(s) occupied it would seem to make sense.

Not fancy, just flip open like an old bimmer or veedub. Perhaps the rear door windows or rear passenger.

Guess would be cost prohibitive. Less costly would be to have window glass modified then installed. Could always revert that way too.

 

The lack of a "B" pillar post in the Mini is very distinctive, and I think it has something to do with the fixed rear windows being necessary. Since I have the sunroof, I figure it vents the rear compartment well enough, but I can see why the hardtop owners might be looking at that kind of mod.

 

Cool idea, I miss the pop out hatch style vents from say an old Saab 900 fastback.

I'd say this is a nearly impossible project considering how the windows are bonded to the body. So they would have to be broken to remove them... Plus the rear body/roof/sill trim would get in the way.

And, the small passenger window is frameless to the club door. And it's also bonded.

I'd venture that part of that side glass in the rear might be partly structural..

And, I think the numbers of owners willing to do this would not support a business making these..

Years ago, I was part of a beta project for another car line (VW Golf GTI).. A car much more popular.. And with a much bigger modding fan base... .. Nothing ever materialized due to the issues listed.

 

Barn door windows that open would be mega cool.

 

I've seen concept r55 models that had roll-down rear glass...

Except it would kill you while driving... Fumes backup into the cabin..

 

It would probably nix the storage bins in the doors, too; and they probably would weigh a lot more as well.


Now that I think about it, any of that would likely add measurable amount of weight to the car, and to me that's going abit against the whole point of a MINI.