Why does Ralph call it a Roadster?

[Coloviper]

Finally just got my November/December Viper Magazine in the mail yesterday. In Ralph's letter, he breaks some myths and says it will debut as a coupe with a "Roadster" later. He clearly and deliberately said roadster and not convertible.

Is it a return to the GEN I look for those with a need for a tan? I am willing to bet so, as the VOI11 car did have an optical illusion from the back when looked straight on where it really did look like a roadster (I made that very comment to my wife when we saw it). But from the side there was clearly no roadster as it was a coupe.

I can see it happening, your thoughts?

 

[01sapphirebob]

That would be sweet but I don't think it will happen. I'm pretty sure they will stay with the vert format. A boy can dream though.

 

[Grisoman]

They both fit the definition of a roadster (a two-seat open car). BMW refers to their Z-series that way.

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

That would be sweet but I don't think it will happen. I'm pretty sure they will stay with the vert format. A boy can dream though.

Agreed, especially since we already know they are trying to expand the market.

 

[georgethedog]

Roadster sounds better... It may be that simple.

 

[jwolf]

In purest definition a Roadster doe not have windows it has nothing or side curtains.

 

[bluesrt]

roadster is a vert- 2 seatr

 

[steve911]

Because he is the Boss and can call it whatever he wishes to call it...

 

[bluesrt]

corvettes are called roadsters in the 86 to 96 i remember - it sounds spunky- merchandising words.....

 

[Mopar Steve]

roadster is a vert- 2 seatr

Not really, these terms have been diluted in recent history and the term "roadster" sounds cooler, but roadster has no top (gen 1 RT/10) a convertible has a folding top (SRT10). People often interchange these terms but that is not correct. To take it a step further a "Cabriolet" is a convertible that has the top lines go all the way to the back of the car. This term originated with covered carriages.

This VW is a good example of a cabriolet:

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People will also call these Cabrio's convertibles.

There are different names for different cars to differentiate between them. People call Vipers "corvettes" to me that sounds as wrong as Roadster to Convertible.

Still want more? (sorry I can't help myself) A Drop head coupe is also the name for a Convertible/Cabriolet on European pre-war cars.

This concludes today's lesson. I will now step down from my soap box, please keep the tomato and egg throwing to a minimum, thank you.

 

[VYPR BYT 94]

No egg throwing here Steve... I like all that.
My understanding was always this ;

A convertible actually "converts" the car back and forth from roadster to coupe.
A roadster doesn't "convert" to anything by design.

 

[MikeG]

Jaguar called their convertible XKE sports cars ..... Roadsters. So the term, which has been around at least since the early 60s if not earlier, seemingly does intertwine with convertible. Maybe it was a British thing?

 

[BLK04]

Mines a drop top

 

[1HOTV10]

Not that we all agree with Wikipedia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roadster

 

[FrgMstr]

I think all official Dodge channels have referred to the Viper as either a roadster or a coupe since Gen 3. Not sure about before. If you call mine a "convertible," I am calling yours a "hatchback."

I thought the Wiki definition of Roadster was interesting:

A roadster is a two-seat open car with emphasis on sporty handling and without a fixed roof or side weather protection. While roadsters usually have soft-tops, retractable hard-tops are becoming more common, which while they are not traditional roadsters, manufacturing companys are changing the definition to fit modern cars. The term "speedster" is closely related, and shares near identical terminology. However, it is normally reserved for cars which rely on very minimalist use of a windscreen, if at all, in addition to the altogether lack of any form of weather protection.

 

[Coloviper]

Fun!

Anyway my point was I thought GEN I/GEN II RT/10 was called a "roadster", Gen III/GEN IV was called a "convertible". There is no reason to call GEN V open top a "roadster" from the previous generation being a more conventionable convertible, unless there is a good reason to call it a "roadster".

The corvettes call their convertibles roadsters because the complete convertible top folds away and is then entirely hidden under the fiberglass top, almost like a speedster.

 

[Twister]

Actually it was never called a convertable or roadster.............


The verts are simply called Viper SRT10s

While the hardtop is a Viper SRT10 coupe


By this logic......


Srt=convertable
Srt coupe= hardtop
Srt rodster=hardtop with removavable roofline aka vette/supra/nsx


Wouldnt surprise me at all. The gen2 intruduced the double bubble but a removeable targa style top would be even better. Add this plus a paddle shifter and nannies with better interior materials and carbonfiber and its easy to see how thesebeaste could cost 130k

 

[shine]

Actually it was never called a convertable or roadster.............

My window sticker quite clearly says "Roadster".

Also, I think the RT/10 guys would be pretty amused to hear their cars called "SRT10"s

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[Coloviper]

Huh.......Interesting. Cool car Shine!

 

[Cobraken]

Pre WWII roadsters were distinguished from convertibles by side curtains instead of roll up windows. Both had fold down tops. Speedsters had no tops or windows. Four door soft tops with curtains were called phaetons. Four door convertibles were called convertibles. Convertibles were more expensive than roadsters which were more expensive than speedsters.

 

[Matt M PA]

I've always though the 1992-1996 RTs were true roadsters with the side curtains. Anything with roll-up windows...especially if the roof is permanently attached...is a convertible. Why Chrysler calls these obvious convertibles a roaster is beyond me. As soon as the side windows roll up and down...it's a convertible.

 

[Sonoman]

So the dark window tint is a modern curtain and my Viper is a 2-door phaeton???

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

I couldn't care less.

 

[shooter_t1]

My window sticker quite clearly says "Roadster".

Also, I think the RT/10 guys would be pretty amused to hear their cars called "SRT10"s

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Underneath the base price it says "Dodge Viper SRT 10 Convertible".
And down close to the bottom left it says" Convertible top"

 

[Bill Pemberton Woodhouse]

Thanks Shine and one can see from Shooter's comments also that the two names are often used in conjunction. I believe the concept of a roadster is a vehicle without a top and the use of the word convertible conveys that it can switch from top to *******. Hence a AC Cobra is almost always just considered a roadster ( though tops were made later ), yet an 08 Viper can be considered both a roadster and convertible.

Whether right or wrong ( my example was told to me years ago by an old racer ) it is obvious today they are quite interchangeable.