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'Roadster' is the North American term ('spyder' in England and a 'barchetta' in Italy) for a 2-seater without a permanent top and without rollup windows (if it has rollup windows it is a cabriolet, not a roadster), and the windshield is bolt on rather than integrated as in modern cars.
Even with the lightweight convertible top raised and the clear plastic "windows" snapped in, the driver and passenger remain somewhat exposed to the elements. "Convertible" is an abbreviation of "convertible coupe" or "convertible sedan" which in 1920s-30s parlance indicated that the car had roll-up side windows instead of removable windows. In modern times, the word is often used to describe a two-seat convertible without fixed window frames, especially a light-weight sports car. Most modern day production "roadsters" only meet one of the three criteria. Here, the use of the name ''roadster'' is more a marketing gimmick than a technical label, invoking the feeling of an open-top machine for enjoyment, like those of the past.

Contents

Old roadsters

Hot Rod Roadsters

Modern roadsters

Notable roadsters

Modern

Classic

Gallery

See also

Roadster Pedal Toys

References

Old roadsters

Traditionally, roadster bodies were used on anything from a Ford Model T to a Cadillac V-16. It was a body style favored by those who preferred enjoyment to practicality. Roadster-bodied cars are popular with collectors, and are often valued higher than even other open styles.

Hot Rod Roadsters

The American Hot rod is largely based on Ford roadsters and coupes. Late Model T Fords, and 1932 Fords are by far the most popular starting points.

Modern roadsters

The roadster name experienced a resurgence in 1989 with the introduction of the Mazda Miata/MX-5. Though not roadsters in the traditional open sense, many manufacturers today offer "roadsters". They can be described as "convertible sports cars" because they stress driving rather than practicality - like sports cars, modern roadsters are 2-seaters.
While some makes prefer the word 'Spyder' for a completely open-topped vehicle, Italian makes favor the term 'Barchetta', which means "small boat". The term "Spyder" originated from a small two-seat horse-cart with a folding sunshade made of four bows. With its black cloth top and exposed sides for air circulation, it resembled an eight-legged spider.

Notable roadsters

Modern

★ Audi TT (Germany)

★ BMW Z3/Z4/Z8 (Germany)

★ Cadillac XLR (USA)

★ Chevrolet Corvette (USA)

★ Chrysler Crossfire (USA)

★ Daihatsu Copen (Japan)

★ DeLaChapelle Roadster (France)

★ Fiat Barchetta (Italy)

★ Honda S2000 (Japan)

★ Lotus Elise (England)

★ Mazda Miata (Japan)

★ Mercedes SLK (Germany)

★ MG F/TF (England)

★ Morgan Roadster (England)

★ Nissan FairLady Z (Japan)

★ Opel GT (Germany)

★ Pontiac Solstice (USA)

★ Panoz Esperante (USA)

★ Porsche Boxster/911 Carrera S Cabriolet (Germany)

★ Saturn Sky (USA)

★ Smart Roadster/Roadster-Coupe (Germany)

★ Tesla Roadster (USA)

★ Toyota MR-S (Japan)

★ Opel Tigra TwinTop (Germany)

★ Venturi Fétish (Monaco)

Classic

★ Alfa Romeo Spider (Italy)

★ Duesenberg (USA)

★ Lotus Elan (England)

★ MG A (England)

★ MG B (England)

★ MG C-Type (England)

★ MG M (England)

★ MG P (England)

★ MG T (England)

★ Triumph Spitfire (England)

★ Triumph TR3 (England)

★ Triumph TR4 (England)

★ Triumph TR250 (England)

★ Triumph TR6 (England)

★ TVR 3000S (England)

Gallery

See also

★ Cabriolet

★ Convertible

★ Coupe roadster

★ Hot rod

★ Sports car

★ Spyder

★ Runabout

Roadster Pedal Toys

★ Classic Reproductions of 1932 Ford Roadsters and other Vintage Pedal Car models

References