A moonroof is a tinted glass panel in the roof of a car. It may or may not tilt or slide to allow air into the cabin. Some manufacturers use the term “moonroof” interchangeably with “sunroof.” Some differentiate, referring to an opaque panel covering as a sunroof and a see-through panel as a moonroof. Both terms are loose, more a marketing usage than a technical one. A large moonroof installation may also be called a “panoramic roof.”
The 1973 Lincoln Continental Mark IV luxury car featured the first factory moonroof. John Atkins, a Ford marketing manager, gets credit for coining the feature’s name. During the first year of production, Ford sent the Lincoln Continental to the American Sunroof Company for moonroof installation. The Nash Motor Company was the first car manufacturer to make the sunroof available on some of its models in 1937.
