You all remember the marketing hype about the GMC Envoy XUV with its retractable rear roof section? No? Well, I'm not surprised; it didn't sell particularly well.
Anyway, the "novel new idea" of a retracting rear roof was originally debuted in the Studebaker Wagonaire in 1963—and actually, possibly even earlier...although I don't know of anything earlier than the Stude.
The Chevrolet Nomad was purportedly going to sport a similar roof when it was introduced in 1955, but Chevrolet couldn't figure out how to keep the roof from leaking. And to be honest, Studebaker couldn't figure it out either, but they didn't let it stop them from selling the Wagonaire.
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