I was watching Barrett Jackson last night ( like all good car guys ) and a Austin Healy came up and they were talking about the difference between a roadster and a convertible. As they describe a roadster is a car that has no roof, but has a temporary one that you have to assemble the supports and snap the cover and side windows in place. And a convertible is a car with a roof that goes down and side windows that roll ( or power ) down.

Anyone want to sound off with some thoughts on this? I always say I have a roadster, I think it sounds cooler.

 

I always thought a roadster was a 2 seater rag-top.

 

For me ...ONE HEEELVA LOT OF FUN!!

 

That's the definition as I understand it.

Wiki-here I come!

A roadster, also known as a spyder or spider, is a two-seater car, traditionally without a roof (or with a detachable roof) and no side or rear windows. Modern day two-seaters commonly have windows and feature retractable roofs (and are thus convertibles). While retractable soft-tops are still marketed as roadsters/spyders, retractable hard-tops are commonly designated as coupe roadsters.

Or:

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different automobile body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form.
Roof designs vary widely, but a few characteristics are common to all convertibles. Roofs are affixed to the body of the vehicle and are usually not detachable. Instead the roof is hinged and folds away, either into a recess behind the rear seats or into the boot or trunk of the vehicle. The roof may operate either manually or automatically via hydraulic or electrical actuators, and the roof itself may be constructed of soft or rigid material. Soft-tops are made of vinyl, canvas or other textile material, while hard-tops are made of steel, aluminum, plastic or other rigid materials.
Contemporary convertibles are known and marketed under several different terms due to the convergence of body styles over the years. A soft-top convertible may also be referred to as a cabriolet, although two-seater soft tops often retain the name roadster, referring to their body style. Hard-tops are marketed under the terms coupé cabriolet, coupé convertible or simply retractable hardtop, while two-seaters more commonly use coupé roadster/roadster coupé.

I think that since our cars give the appearance of a detachable roof, I'll call it a roadster!

 

This should sufficiently obfuscate the issue:

Convertible:
Generally this is a two-door automobile without a fixed roof. Instead, the roof folds up or is removed in some way so that the passenger compartment is exposed to the open air. Some roofs are made of flexible fabric or plastic which folds up behind the passenger compartment. Other roofs are not flexible and retract into the trunk. Some retract automatically while others must be manually removed and placed in the trunk. The term was introduced in the 1930s. In the 1950s, a "hardtop convertible" was introduced to look like a convertible with its top up; but its fixed roof did not fold or retract. It was also called a "drophead coupé" or "open car."
Hardtop Convertible:
An automobile with a fixed roof that does not retract into the trunk, but gives the appearance of being a convertible.
According to Car and Driver, the term "sedan" refers to a fixed-roof car with at least four doors or any fixed-roof two-door car with at least 33 cubic feet (934 liters) of rear interior volume, according to measurements based on SAE standard J1100.
Roadster:
(Rdstr) This term derives from equestrian vocabulary where it was applied to a horse used for riding on the roads. Old dictionaries define the roadster as an open-type car designed for use on ordinary roads, with a single seat for two persons and, often, a rumble seat. It is an open-type body with one bench seat and a luggage compartment in the rear deck. The weatherproof fabric top may be folded, and side curtains may be removed. The windshield usually may be folded down. The original concept is maintained by the Morgan Plus 8 but modern roadsters include power features such as power steering, electric windows, etc. as in the Mercedes-Benz SL. Also see "sport roadster".
Sport Roadster:
In addition to being a roadster, it has provision for a rumble seat in the rear deck, along with a golf locker for storage.
Sports Car:
Term commonly used to describe a relative small, low slung car with a high performance engine and excellent handling. Originally, sports cars were faster than sedans; today, many sedans can easily out-perform sports cars in terms of top speed as well as acceleration.
Sports Racer:
A two-seat race car with enclosed wheels.

 

It's an often mis-used term. It's generally understood that it's used to describe nearly any soft top sports car now-a-days.
But my Father told me over 50 years ago (when I asked him the same question) that any car that had a soft top that went down and used "side curtains", (or had no roll up window option) was considered a Roadster.
Of course I'm sure that discription was coined at the dawn of the Automotive era, and probably pervailed at least thru the 60's. But other than a Shelby AC Cobra "Recreation", I really can't think of any modern day car that actually qualifies.

 

Ford, while producing their Model A beginning in 1928 and ending with the 1931 model, manufactured two softtops: a roadster and cabriolet, among other models. The roadster had folding stanchions, so the windshield could lay flat, whereas the cabriolet, as I recall, had non folding ones or posts. Back then, the roadster and phaeton (four seater roadster) were less expensive than the coupes and sedans. However, somewhere between then and the 1960s, the vintage vehicle market began favoring the softtop. You may have heard: "If the top goes down, the price goes up."

MG produced a coupe and roadster from about 1956 thru 1962. Neither the Ford roadster nor MG roadster had side windows which rolled up and down, but side curtains. The MGs slid back and forth as did the Austin Healy's (100-6) of the same era. The Triumph TR-2 and TR-3 probably had the same set up for their tops.

In the early 1960s VWs softtop was called a convertible -- never heard it called a roadster. May be because it was a four-seater. VW called their late 1990s four-seater softtop a "Cabrio", and probably a sizable portion of the general public was not familar with the derivation of the name. Over the years, there has probably been a blurring/blending of body style terms so that a softtop goes by roadster, convertible, vert, convert, etc.

The roadster term was even used by the great British motorcycle manufacturer, Norton, on their Commando line which was introduced about 1969. Roadster and Interstate were several of the models. I don't remember any other manufacturers calling their product a roadster.

When it came to making a decision on a Crossfire roadster or coupe, it was very difficult to decide which. Each had their advantages, space being one, plus the styling. However, roadsters have always had a certain charm, may be the bends in the canvas where it passes over the bows. Most cars, not all, look better in roadster form (in my opinion).

 

We need to change wiki to define a roadster as a topless Crossfire.

 

Yeah...I was watching that also (10 hrs.)....I feel sorry for those early Austin Healy owners.

 

xFLTD!

I haven't seen you in a while?

 

LOL....that's what I was thinking as well!

 

...You might want to see my Morgan Plus 8

 

When I made that statement, I knew I was going to be "brought up to speed" by somebody (so to speak). That's why I made it.
But Veloce I do have an honest question, because I was speaking about actual "Production" cars.
Can I go to my friendly neighborhood "Morgan Plus 8" Dealer, and order a "turn key" roadster from them? Or is a Morgan more like a "kit"?
My dental hygienists has one. So it's not like I forgot em.
But I did forget to mention the pre-1996 Vipers, which is pretty bad when I have a GTS sitting in my garage.

 

The Morgan has been in production since 1909. In fact, the centenary is being celebrated all over the Morgan car community this year. They began with 3 wheelers and added 4 wheelers in 1946. They began adding V-8 engines in 1968. The car has, and will always be, a production turn key car. It is not a kit and every Morgan owner I know would be insulted if the work 'kit" came up in a conversation.

Mine is a 2003, 35th Annivesary Plus 8 and last year of the Traditional body style for the V-8- Mine is one of the very last off the production line that made it to the USofA. The roadster body style is still being made in England with either a V-6 or 4 cylinder engine. They also produce a BMW V-8 engined car called the Aero 8. Unfortunately, none of the Morgan cars are being allowed in to this country because of various federal regulations.

You will find my car at the top of this listing:
http://smogthis.net/indextrophycase.html

 

Well, I like the name "roadster" for mine and I'll keep calling it that.

 

No insult was intended, just a lack of knowledge on my part. That's why I asked.
For the record, I refer to my Viper, as a "factory built" kit car all the time.

 

No offense taken.
And, to me, your Viper is a limited production roadster on steroids.

On my way back from picking up the Crossfire from Grapevine we stopped at a rest area. What should pull in beside me...a new Viper that had just been picked up at another dealer in the DFW area. We talked and parted ways...he leaving much more of his tires on the road than us.

And, to be sure, the Crossfire drop-tops are roadsters!

 

Veloce, it looks like we need to get together and share notes. My car being GTS means it's a coupe.
And I agree, if it's a sports car, and the top goes down, I call it a Roadster too.

 

Max, Apkano........I am always lurking in the background on a daily basis, unfortunately the XLR forums are not as exciting and fun as this one. Really pondering the thought of trying to pick up an SRT6 Roadster this coming Spring/Summer if the price/milage is right. There are days that I regret my decision to trade-in my Roadster Limited should have tried harder to keep her.

 

The pre 1997 RT/10 Vipers are good examples of contemporary roadsters