All glass design for panoramic roof
01-16-19, 09:33 PM
#1
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All glass design for panoramic roof
I like my wife's ES panoramic roof design which gives the impression of one continuous piece of dark glass from the windshield to the rear window looking from the outside. The roof of my RX has a non-glass section toward the rear. I wonder if there is a mechanical reason due to the hatch back door (that forces this design), or was it done for look?
01-18-19, 10:46 AM
#2
I like my wife's ES panoramic roof design which gives the impression of one continuous piece of dark glass from the windshield to the rear window looking from the outside. The roof of my RX has a non-glass section toward the rear. I wonder if there is a mechanical reason due to the hatch back door (that forces this design), or was it done for look?
01-18-19, 10:59 AM
#3
I believe the "Pano Roof" glass is made of "Tempered Glass" and is a single layer that is designed to break into multiple small pieces. Unlike the windshield which is laminated (2 pieces of sandwiched glass) and designed to crack and hold it's integrity when hit with a foreign object. I too am not a fan of tempered glass Pano roof glass. I have read that sometimes, the pano roof glass is not covered under your car warranty, but by your auto glass "insurance"?
01-18-19, 08:33 PM
#4
I'm one of those that doesn't like the pano roof! For me it's deal killer. The glass of the roof is NOT the same glass as the windshield and when it shatters you get shards flying inside the cockpit. It is rare, but roofs have shattered due to various factors. Open roofs are a left-over of when cars did not have A/C, MB was the 1st to come out with it, I believe.
One factor I can think of why it’s not all glass is that big and tall suv like the RX has higher center of gravity, thus, higher chance of being up side down in an accident. Also, all glass roof will be weaker than regular roof and less safe for the passenger. To be able to put all glass roof on the RX, lexus need to find a way to strengthen the roof. RX is longer, taller, and heavier than ES, so this is hard. Also, the new ES is built on new architecture, so that’s also why lexus can do it on the ES.
Tesla is able to put the one piece of glass from windshield to the rear because the battery is placed at the bottom. There is lower center of gravity. Tesla said the chance of being up side down is small.
01-19-19, 06:55 AM
#5
[QUOTE=qvtruong;10414061]
That's what I thought too, then I saw a program on TV recently where they expressed surprise & dismay at the fact that it wasn't so, apparently the law doesn't require sun roofs to be made of tempered glass. I sure hope that if it's true they'd change the law.
All glass on cars are tempered “safety” glass that breaks into small pieces, not sharp shards. Auto manufacturers, especially luxury cars like lexus, won’t be willing to bear the risk of lawsuit from shards that could injure or kill the passengers, so they will never use glass that breaks into shards just to save a couple bucks. Sunroof are tempered just like the windows. Just look at the print on the glass and you will see they are the same.
One factor I can think of why it’s not all glass is that big and tall suv like the RX has higher center of gravity, thus, higher chance of being up side down in an accident. Also, all glass roof will be weaker than regular roof and less safe for the passenger. To be able to put all glass roof on the RX, lexus need to find a way to strengthen the roof. RX is longer, taller, and heavier than ES, so this is hard. Also, the new ES is built on new architecture, so that’s also why lexus can do it on the ES.
Tesla is able to put the one piece of glass from windshield to the rear because the battery is placed at the bottom. There is lower center of gravity. Tesla said the chance of being up side down is small
One factor I can think of why it’s not all glass is that big and tall suv like the RX has higher center of gravity, thus, higher chance of being up side down in an accident. Also, all glass roof will be weaker than regular roof and less safe for the passenger. To be able to put all glass roof on the RX, lexus need to find a way to strengthen the roof. RX is longer, taller, and heavier than ES, so this is hard. Also, the new ES is built on new architecture, so that’s also why lexus can do it on the ES.
Tesla is able to put the one piece of glass from windshield to the rear because the battery is placed at the bottom. There is lower center of gravity. Tesla said the chance of being up side down is small
I believe the "Pano Roof" glass is made of "Tempered Glass" and is a single layer that is designed to break into multiple small pieces. Unlike the windshield which is laminated (2 pieces of sandwiched glass) and designed to crack and hold it's integrity when hit with a foreign object. I too am not a fan of tempered glass Pano roof glass. I have read that sometimes, the pano roof glass is not covered under your car warranty, but by your auto glass "insurance"?
01-20-19, 07:36 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
All glass on cars are tempered “safety” glass that breaks into small pieces, not sharp shards. Auto manufacturers, especially luxury cars like lexus, won’t be willing to bear the risk of lawsuit from shards that could injure or kill the passengers, so they will never use glass that breaks into shards just to save a couple bucks. Sunroof are tempered just like the windows. Just look at the print on the glass and you will see they are the same.
One factor I can think of why it’s not all glass is that big and tall suv like the RX has higher center of gravity, thus, higher chance of being up side down in an accident. Also, all glass roof will be weaker than regular roof and less safe for the passenger. To be able to put all glass roof on the RX, lexus need to find a way to strengthen the roof. RX is longer, taller, and heavier than ES, so this is hard. Also, the new ES is built on new architecture, so that’s also why lexus can do it on the ES.
Tesla is able to put the one piece of glass from windshield to the rear because the battery is placed at the bottom. There is lower center of gravity. Tesla said the chance of being up side down is small.
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01-20-19, 07:41 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
One benefit is: when waxing my car, there is a lot less work not having to deal with the roof top.
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kent2174 (01-21-19)
01-21-19, 03:54 PM
#9
01-31-19, 03:52 AM
#10
Adding to this, I would say that I wish Lexus had colored that rear section behind the glass of the pano roof black. That way the entire roof-line was black. It would have hidden the fact that the pano was not the entire length of the vehicle. The front section before the glass that rises when the moonroof is open is black, so just continue that trend on the back section.
01-31-19, 04:07 PM
#11
Adding to this, I would say that I wish Lexus had colored that rear section behind the glass of the pano roof black. That way the entire roof-line was black. It would have hidden the fact that the pano was not the entire length of the vehicle. The front section before the glass that rises when the moonroof is open is black, so just continue that trend on the back section.
01-31-19, 05:54 PM
#14
