Fastback
For the DC Comics superhero, see Fastback (comics).A
Fastback is an
automotive bodystyle characterised by a continuous slope from the roof to the base of the decklid. Fastbacks can be two-door
coupés or two- or four-door
sedans. Unlike the
hatchback, a fastback car has a fixed rear window and a trunk separate by a bulkhead from the passenger cabin.
Fastbacks are often designed for dramatic impact, but the form is also an advantage in developing
aerodynamic vehicles with a low
drag coefficient. The
Kamm tail is a related concept.
Confusion with Hatchback and Liftback cars
In profile,
hatchbacks and fastbacks can occaisionally be confused, since both are two-box designs.
Like hatchbacks, some fastbacks have a trunk area that is not discrete or separate from the cabin, while others are just like notchback sedan/coupe layouts but with a very steep rake for the rear window.
A hatchback that
looks like a fastback, but has a rear window integral to the hatch and a luggage compartment integral to the cabin, is properly termed a
liftback. All liftbacks are hatchbacks with a fastback's profile, but a true fastback is neither a liftback nor a hatchback.
The
Fiat 127 presents a challenge to these distinctions, as one model had a prototypical hatchback outline (e.g., the
Volkswagen Golf), but a separate trunk. Technically, it is not a fastback, but can be considered with them for sake of convenience.
While very few true fastback designs have been made, the liftback has seen a great deal of popularity, especially in the United States, where the traditional hatchback shape was widely shunned through the 1980s and 1990s.
*1953-1955
Bentley Continental R-Type*1965-1967
AMC Marlin*1965-1973
Ford Mustang GT (several generations)
*1966-1970
Oldsmobile Toronado*1966-1967
Dodge Charger*1966-1973
Volkswagen Type 3 Fastback (dates are from U.S. lineup)
*1968-1973
Ford Fairlane Torino/Torino SportsRoof*1968-1972
Oldsmobile Cutlass Sport*1968-1974
Volkswagen Type 4 *1970-1977
Toyota Celica*1970-1977
Ford Maverick*1971-1980
Ford Pinto*1978-1979
Buick Century*1978-1979
Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon*1964-1969
Plymouth Barracuda*1986-1988
Ponticac Fiero GT
*2003-2005
Smart Roadster Coupe*1968-1974
Volkswagen Type 4 *1970-1979
Citroën GS *1973-1981
Volkswagen Passat*1974-1990
Citroën CX*1978-1980
Buick Century*1978-1980
Oldsmobile Cutlass Salon Brougham*2005-Present
Mercedes-Benz CLS-Class*List of
car body styles*
Sedan*
Hatchback*
Coupe*
Combi coupe*
Kammback*
Notchback*
Liftback*
Station wagon
