The First Car With Sliding Doors Wasn't A Minivan (It Was A Sports Car)

The sliding side door is arguably one of the minivan's most recognizable features. While highly functional, this design also resulted in a driver immediately losing cool points, instantly being labeled as a soccer parent. It didn't help that early minivans sure were weird. This stigma is why many still choose an SUV over a minivan, alongside its sportier look that still retains much of the same functionality. However, the sliding door didn't start with the minivan. It was available decades before, in a unique American sports car.

With a body made from fiberglass (which was nearly unheard of at the time) and doors that pushed forward into the fender, the 1954 Kaiser Darrin 161 was the result of Howard Darrin's automotive design experience in both Europe and the U.S. The visual standout feature, the doors, featured no mechanism like a conventional handle on the interior. They relied on a hook to latch them in place. 

During WWII, American soldiers had been exposed to smaller and sportier vehicles abroad. This went counter to the designs American automakers were churning out, which focused on big bench seat cars with large engines. Once service members returned, there was a call for a U.S. equivalent to the European designs. Plus, the early '50's gave way to iconic models like the Corvette. While the very first Chevrolet Corvette had debuted a year before the Kaiser Darrin, the unique sports car had been in the works for several years prior and was meant to compete for the same customers. Unfortunately, things for the Kaiser Darrin didn't quite go as planned.

The American sports car with sliding doors had a number of positives going for it. While its grille design was divisive, the exterior of the Kaiser Darrin had fervent supporters, including Henry J. Kaiser's wife. According to Silodrome, she stated, "This is the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." The car received little negative feedback among automotive review outlets at the time, suggesting it was certainly worth a look for buyers interested in a sports car. However, there were some inherent weaknesses preventing it from gaining more widespread success.

For one thing, the Kaiser Darrin 161 came equipped with a 161 cubic inch six-cylinder, outputting 90 bhp. That's brake horsepower, meaning the figure represents the power right out of the engine, not including the loss that occurs through mechanical transfers of energy. Simply put, it wasn't able to be much of a standout in terms of performance.

In addition, it was priced at around $4,000, a figure that demanded more than the Kaiser Darrin was able to give. It didn't help that rival models underwent big price drops on their own. The Corvette underwent a massive drop from '53 to '54, listing for just $2,774, which was a move that helped prevent GM nearly shutting down the Corvette program – although Ford might have helped by accidentally saving it, too.

While they were certainly eye-catching and amusing, the Kaiser Darrin's doors have been described as a gimmick. Unlike the sliding doors of a modern minivan, which allow for unparalleled access to the rear rows, those featured on the Kaiser Darrin reportedly made entering and exiting more difficult. The doors had the potential to move on their own if the car was on a steep enough incline, and the mechanism responsible for sliding them didn't always work properly.

The public soon grew tired of a feature which was meant to set the car apart, instead leading to it becoming infamous. Even after drivers attempted to correct malfunctions, the unique doors continued to frustrate, which is likely why they haven't made another appearance since. You can mock the minivan all you want, but the fact remains that they're functional — including their sliding doors. Fortunately, enough people still recognize this. The minivan is included in the list of cars you would pardon from public criticism. As for the Kaiser Darrin, you may be able to find one of these rare cars up for auction today, but 1950s nostalgia doesn't come cheap.