What Ever Happened To Fender Skirts?

In the 1950s and up until as late as 2006, there were models of cars built that included fender skirts as an accessory. Their purpose was both practical and aesthetic. On the practical side, they helped make the car more aerodynamic by allowing air to pass over the skirt instead of getting caught inside the rear fender well. They also helped to keep items in the road from being sucked under the wheels.

From the aesthetic side, they enhanced the appearance of many cars by covering the top portion of the rear wheels. These items were most often seen on large, luxury cars, though the very last to include them commonly was the Honda Insight.

While some may have argued that they were in the way when it came to changing a flat tire, most fender skirts were detachable to accommodate the need to reach into the area they covered.

So, what happened to them? Nobody really knows for sure. They just seemed to stop being popular among auto makers and were gradually left off of new body designs when car makers were upgrading their lines.

Today, these little pieces of practical decoration are little more than a memory for anyone who does not collect antique cars.