Trunk (automobile) – Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The trunk (North America and Jamaica) or boot (Commonwealth English) of an automobile or car is the vehicle's main storage compartment. In South Asia the trunk is usually called a dickie/dicky or slang diggy (Native: /// ).

The trunk or luggage compartment is most often located at the rear of the vehicle. Early designs included an exterior rack mounted on the rear of the vehicle to which it was possible to attach a real luggage trunk.[1] Later designs integrated the storage area into the vehicle's body and evolved to provide a streamlined appearance.[2][3] The main storage compartment is normally provided at the end of the vehicle opposite to which the engine is located.

Some mid-engined cars have luggage compartments both in the front and in the rear of the vehicle.[4] Examples include the Volkswagen Type 3, Porsche Boxster, and Toyota MR2. The mid-engined Fiat X1/9 also has two storage compartments, although the rear one is small, easily accessible, and practically cuboid in shape.[5]

Rear-engined cars (such as the Volkswagen Beetle, Tucker 48, and the Porsche 911) have the trunk situated in front of the passenger compartment.[6][7]

Sometimes during the design life of the vehicle the lid may be restyled to increase the size or improve the practicality and usefulness of the trunk's shape. Examples of this include the Beetle redesign to the 1970s 'Super Beetle' and the pre-war and 1950s post war Citron Traction Avant.

The door or opening of a trunk may be hinged at the top, side, or bottom.

If the door is hinged at the bottom it is termed a tailgate, particularly in America. A bottom opening door is common on a station wagon, pickup truck, or sport utility vehicle (SUV).[8][9] Traditional U.S. station wagons included a roll down window. Because of the potential for carbon-monoxide fumes, the tailgate window on station wagons should be closed whenever the engine is running.[10] Tailgates may contain accessories like a "pocket" for storage purposes. Traditional station wagon and pickup tailgates can also serve as a mount for a workbench.[11] A 3-way tailgate is hinged at the side and bottom so it can be opened sideways like a car door, or downwards like a truck tailgate.[citation needed] The window can be opened to load small items. The door and hinge mechanisms of the 3-way tailgate are designed with special handle(s) for opening in the selected direction. In the late 1970s, it was the most common station wagon tailgate arrangement.[citation needed]

If the door is hinged at the top it is termed a hatch, and is used on a hatchback.[9][12]

The trunk lid (in the U.S. automotive industry sometimes also called decklid or deck lid[13][14]) is the cover allows access to the main storage or luggage compartment. Hinges allow the lid to be raised. Devices such as a manually positioned prop rod can keep the panel up in the open position. Counterbalancing torsion or other spring(s) can also used to help elevate and hold open the trunk lid. On cars with their trunk in the rear, lids sometimes incorporate a center mounted third brake light. A rear lid may also have a decorative air spoiler. On many modern cars, the trunk lids can be unlocked with the car's key fob.

The locking of the trunk may be achieved together with the passenger compartment.

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Trunk (automobile) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia