Retractable glass roof and liftgate open air vehicle system

A vehicle configured to operate in a plurality of modes with a retractable roof and liftgate system, comprising:

• a carrier disposed within a rear frame of the vehicle;
• a liftgate attached to the carrier through one or more hinges and gas struts;
• a roof configured to slidingly engage tracks on the carrier;
• a carrier folding mechanism attached to the vehicle and the carrier;
• wherein the plurality of modes comprise:
• a liftgate mode with the roof disengaged from the tracks in a closed position and the liftgate one of open and closed;
• a retract-ready mode with the carrier folded into a rear interior of the vehicle with the carrier folding mechanism exposing the tracks;
• a sunroof mode with the roof slidingly positioned on the exposed tracks in an open position;
• and
• a maximum-open air mode with the roof fully positioned on the exposed tracks and with the carrier folded substantially inside the rear interior of the vehicle with the carrier folding mechanism.

A retractable roof and liftgate method for operating a vehicle in a plurality of modes, comprising:

• operating the vehicle in a liftgate mode comprising a roof in a closed position and a liftgate configured to rotatably open and close for access to a, rear interior of the vehicle;
• engaging a sunroof mode, wherein a carrier attached to the liftgate folds into the vehicle to expose a track and the track is slidingly engaged by the roof for the roof to move to an open position;
• and
• engaging a maximum-open air mode, wherein the roof is fully engaged in the open position on the carrier and the carrier folds into the rear interior of the vehicle.