Often Confusing? Lemme Sort It Out-2

Roadsters vs. Convertibles vs. Cabriolets and Sports

What are Roadsters?

A roadster is an open (without a fixed roof or side weather protection) two-seat car with emphasis on sporty handling. While roadsters often have soft-tops, retractable hard-tops are becoming more common.

BMW Z4 Roadster With a Retractable hard top

Pontiac Solstice Roadster with a Soft Top (vinyl)

What are Convertibles?

Convertible is a mid-size and/or large-size 2-door 5-passenger convertible which is also available has a 4-door sedan. BMW is an example of this., their 325I is a 4-door mid-size sedan the equivalent of it is the 325IC mid-size convertible.

BMW 2014 325I

BMW 2014 325IC

What are Cabriolets?

Cabriolet is the name use for a small-size 4-passenger convertible. Is also the name use by Audi and Volkswagen to distinguish their convertibles from other manufacturers.
It is a German word meaning convertible.

Audi S5 Cabriolet 2013

What are Sports?

Sports Car - 2 seat, 2 door, lightweight, front engine/RWD, open top (convertible/Targa), focus on nimble handling.

Sports Coupe - Any 2-door coupe with focus on performance. any driveline and seating configuration

Roadster - tricky...very similar to a traditional Sports Car, but often less emphisis on handling performance and more on comfort. Most early cars that got this designation had no tops at all...just an open cockpit.

2014 Porsche 911 Turbo (Sports Car)

Mazda Shinari Concept

Mazda Shinari Concept is unique four door coupe.

For Coupes, Visit Often Confusing? Lemme Sort It Out

Often Confusing? Lemme sort it out

Coupé vs. Sedan vs. Hatchback vs. Station Wagon.

What is a Coupé?

Coupé is originally a two door car with a permanently attached roof and a sloping rear. It is generally a two seater sports car with occasionally two separate tiny rear seats for children or adults with no limbs (JK!)

 

Mercedes Benz S-Class Coupe 2014

What is a Sedan?

Sedan is originally a four door car again with a permanently attached roof and a full 4-5 seater vehicle.

Mercedes Benz E-Class Sedan 2014

Actually there are four-door coupes, and two-door sedans, so the differences between a coupe and a sedan automobile may not always be quite clear. In reality, a coupe is strictly defined by its interior volume or space.

The real distinction between a coupe and a sedan has little to do with doors and are made clear by the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), which standardizes definitions of the different types of cars on the market. Measurements of these cars are as follows:

• A coupe has an interior space of less than 33 cubic feet (0.934 cubic m).
• A sedan has an interior that is equal to or greater than 33 cubic feet (0.934 cubic m).

As a result, volume alone is the real difference. A two-door car with a large interior space is essentially a two-door sedan. Likewise, a four-door car with a small volume is a four-door coupe.

Nevertheless, many manufacturers call a car a coupe when they want to evoke a sportier concept for it.

Some people mistakenly think a coupe and a sedan are differentiated by whether the car has a hatchback.

What is  hatchback?

A hatchback is designed in such a way that its rear door swing upward to provide access to a cargo door.  Its more often regarded as a smaller segment of cars.

Mercedes Benz Hatchback Amg

There are four-door coupes and four-door sedans with a hatchback, which are more properly called station wagons.

What is a Station Wagon?

An automobile with one or more rows of folding or removable seats behind the driver and no luggage compartment but an area behind the seats into which suitcases, parcels, etc., can be loaded through a tailgate.

1967 Mercedes 230s Universal Station Wagon (Rare)

BMW E-46 Wagon