In 2020, Eikōn Motorsports started offering a vertical Door system for the Chevrolet Corvette C8. Their kits cost $4,299 including installation, allowing you to have “Lambo” scissor doors on your ‘Vette. You can buy similar kits for C5, C6, and C7 Corvettes.
Other American companies have also jumped on board, which means you have a handful of options to choose from no matter what Corvette you own.
To the dismay of some, Chevrolet has never offered butterfly doors as a factory option. But here, we’re diving into how you can get that coveted butterfly-door look on your Corvette with aftermarket mods—plus how it could affect your car warranty and car insurance
. MORE: Introducing the ‘E-Ray’, the First Hybrid Corvette
What Corvette has butterfly doors?
There aren’t any Chevrolet Corvette models that come with standard or optional butterfly doors—but thanks to aftermarket modifications, you still have some options if you want that unique look.
What are butterfly doors?
So what exactly do we mean when we mention “butterfly doors”? And what don’t we mean?
If we’re going to get all technical about it, butterfly doors attach to a car’s A-pillar. This is the structural part of the car that starts under the bottom of the windshield. The distinguishing feature of butterfly doors is that they open up and out from their A-pillar hinges. These doors were first popularized by the Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale in 1967, and later by FIA Group C race cars. The Toyota
Sera was the first mass-produced vehicle featuring butterfly doors, and you’ll also see You’ll see them on models like the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren, McLaren F1, and Enzo Ferrari. Butterfly car doors are often confused with scissor doors, which open by rotating up from an A-pillar hinge. Scissor doors are often referred to as Lamborghini doors since they have become a recognized feature of various Lamborghini models. These are the types of “vertical” doors that you’ll see being offered as aftermarket modifications for cars like the Chevy Corvette Stingray.
Another alternative door design that you might run into is the gull wing door. These doors have hinges on the roof and swing out and up on a single axle. Many will recognize this design from the DMC DeLorean featured in the Back to the Future films, but it was first popularized by the Mercedes-Benz 300-Sz. Gullwing doors are now most commonly seen on the rear passenger doors of the Tesla Model X
. You’ll also see cars with suicide doors, which are hinged on the door’s back end, rather than the front. Certain Lexus
, Nissan
, or Porsche
vehicles with suicide doors in the back. Finally, there’s the swan door design, which is a slight variation of the conventional door. These doors open on an angle to allow for easier clearance on cars with lower chassis.
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Can you add butterfly doors to a Corvette?
Yes, but you won’t see them referred to as such. Vertical Doors, Inc. (VDI) refers to them as ZLR Doors
—a reference to the Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren—and offers kits for the C5 through C8 Corvette models. These kits include mounting hardware that mounts directly to the Corvette’s pre-existing factory bolt pattern. Bear in mind that most vertical door kits you’ll find for the Corvette are scissor doors. They’re commonly referred to by modders as Lambo door conversion kits. The VDI ZLR Doors are the only bolt-on door/hinge kits available for the Corvette that are actually butterfly doors. You can also get them for a whole list of other models, from Ford
to Audi
, and even the Chevy Camaro! Does adding butterfly doors impact the vehicle warranty and insurance?
If you decide to modify your Corvette with a vertical door kit, make sure you understand how it could impact your warranty and car insurance coverage.
Vehicles with aftermarket modifications often cost more to insure than standard factory vehicles. This is because they cost more to repair or replace in the event of a claim. Before you modify your Corvette, check with your insurance company to see if you’ll need to alter your insurance policy.
You should also ask your dealer how it might impact your warranty coverage. In some cases, modified vehicles have limited coverage in the areas that have aftermarket mods. You’ll want to fully understand the limitations before switching up your Corvette’s doors.
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