Lamborghini was the first and one of the few automotive companies utilizing the scissor door system (aka doors that go upwards). They are almost so exclusive that they are commonly called the “Lambo Door”, even though some other brands use it.
This door design started with the now legendary Countach. However, this door style has continued with every generation of V12 Lamborghini since then, including the Diablo, Murcielago, Aventador, and even the newly introduced Revuelto.
Having doors that go up has allowed these massive supercars to have better visibility in a vehicle that isn’t known for it, it allow for more accessible parking (without damaging neighbor vehicles, or hitting curbs). Of course, the final reason is to give the V12 Lamborghini it’s distinctive styling to set it further apart from the competition.
Let’s dig into these reasons to understand how vital scissor doors are to Lamborghini’s lineup.
At a Glance
1. To improve rear visibility while backing up
The Countach was the first production vehicle to offer any form of door that goes upwards (Sure, the 1968 Alfa Romeo Carabo technically beat it to the punch; however, it was just a concept car and never reached production.).
While the Countach was (and still is) a revolutionary design and is to the point of iconic and legendary, it had one weak point. Visibility. When looking in the rearview mirror of this supercar, you have a fantastic view of its massive V12 and little else. Having doors that went upwards meant the driver could lean out the door to see behind without worrying about ripping the door off its hinges when backing into something.
Before you get too mad at me that I would ever point out an issue with the Countach, Lamborghini themselves has made this point.
2. The wider vehicle makes parking difficult.
It’s difficult to understand how wide a V12 Lamborghini is without seeing one up close. However, to give you some idea of its width, the Aventador is over an inch wider (at 82.6″) than a Hummer H2 (at 81.2″), yes, THAT Hummer H2. Fitting into parking spots can be difficult for such an expensive supercar (by the way, this is how much they cost).
Scissor doors that go upwards allow the door to clear curbs when the door opens and to be still able to open completely when sitting next to other cars in a standard parking lot. This means you don’t have to play that game of sliding between your vehicle and the door without hitting the car next to you in a vehicle that likely costs the price of many homes in America.
3. Extreme and unique styling
Finally, while most people would think that scissor doors are the primary characteristic of lambo doors, this reason really sits low on the list. However, if you are like me, it is one of the best characteristics of a V12 Lamborghini super car. Nothing feels quite like leaving a vehicle with doors that go upward (not that I have ever done this), and no one can tell you anything different (this differentiation is also why Lamborghini doesn’t do much traditional advertising).
While the above reasons may have been the functional reason, styling is a big part of what makes scissor doors iconic.
Why doesn’t the Huracan have scissor doors?
The scissor door (Lambo door) is a big part of what makes the V12 Lamborghini so unique. However, when Lamborghini launched the Gallardo and, subsequently, the Huracan, these two models were noticeably missing their Lambo doors and instead had standard doors that everyone is used to.
While I don’t believe Lamborghini has ever explained the reasons behind this choice, it is obvious.
The V10 versions (and the V8 in the case of the Urus) don’t have scissor doors to set themselves apart from the flagship Lamborghinis. While pulling up in a Huracan is unique, nothing quite makes the statement of pulling up in an Aventador, where the doors go upwards. Lamborghini wants to save this iconic feature for the clients who splurged and got the best of their lineup.
What Lamborghini’s do not have Lambo Doors?
While every single V12 Lamborghini since the Countach has had the scissor doors, there are quite a few other vehicles from the italian brand other than the flagship lineup that never came from this feature, whether it be by choice, or that they came out before this door existed. This leaves an extensive list of Lamborghinis that have never had Lambo doors, and here they are:
- Lamborghini 350 GT
- Lamborghini Espada
- Lamborghini Gallardo
- Lamborghini Huracan
- Lamborghini Islero
- Lamborghini Jalpa
- Lamborghini Jarama
- Lamborghini LM 002
- Lamborghini Miura
- Lamborghini Sillouette
- Lamborghini Uraco
- Lamborghini Urus
Butterfly Doors vs. Scissor Doors
Scissor doors (aka Lambo Doors) and butterfly doors are commonly mistaken for each other but are very different designs.
Scissor doors operation is much more vertical than a butterfly door. While a butterfly door goes upwards, it also goes outwards, resembling a butterfly. Some people may think that the butterfly door look cooler than scissor doors. However, they lack the functionality in parking garages that scissor doors offer.
What cars other than Lamborghini have scissor doors?
While scissor doors are most well-known for being on Lamborghinis, they are not an exclusive design, and a few other vehicles have offered this feature.
1. Vector W8
This oddball supercar has to be one of the strangest vehicles of its time (or even all time), as it did its best to emulate a fighter jet. It also featured scissor doors, putting it in this exclusive club with Lamborghini that offer scissor doors.
2. Bugatti EB110
After going defunct in 1963, Bugatti was revived in 1987 to start the process of creating one of the most incredible supercars of its time. The EB110 was a V12 3.5 liter quad-turbocharged mid-engine car.
It arrived to mixed reception, but it is one of the most fantastic supercars from the 90s. Of course, as we know now, under VWs direction, the Bugatti Veyron took the company to new heights, but unfortunately, the doors didn’t go up to new heights, as they reverted to standard doors.
Conclusion
This was quite a fun article to put together; I hope it helped you fully understand what a scissor door is, what it does well, and why Lamborghini was one of the few companies ever offering this feature.
