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Re: Roadster season has arrived

To: "Jim & Ann Brown" <thebrowns@pdq.net>,
Subject: Re: Roadster season has arrived
From: TeriAnn Wakeman <twakeman@cruzers.com>
Date: Tue, 23 May 00 06:42:30 -0700
>Many agree with you, to the extent that I have heard the Miata referred to
>as a "Chick Car," 

Considering that until very recently the Miata was the only modern 
roadster out there in the mainstream market, maybe women are more the 
roadster type then men if you add the word reliable to the word roadster.

I've noticed that most of the SUV drivers around here are women too.  I 
see a lot more women then men drive CJ or Wrangler jeeps around here.  I 
remember chatting with the sales manager at San Jose Land Rover a few 
years back.  He mentioned he sold a lot more Land Rover Defenders to 
women than to men.  The men generally came in, talked off roading, 
gearing & all sorts of technical stuff then bought a Discovery or a Range 
Rover.  He was trying to understand why so many more women were 
purchasing their most rugged lest plush model while the men ended up 
purchasing the more "comfortable, plush" models.

So what do you guys drive as daily transportation? A "sporty" coupe? 
Volvo? BMW, Mercedes?

>The difference between a "roadster" and a "convertible" (or "drophead," if
>you will) is often not recognized, surprisingly enough even on this list.
>:-(

Back in the olde days, a roadster used to be an open car that did not 
have a coupe equivalent and had side curtains instead of roll up windows. 
 Removable hard tops became OK.

Then in the early fifties Jaguar redefined roadster with their XK120.  
They had the fixed head coupe, drophead coupe and their roadster 
versions.  The Drophead coupe had all the trim and same basic interior 
trim as the fixed head coupe.  The roadster was basically the drop head 
coupe with different interior trim and less exterior trim.  The roadster 
was their "basic no frills model"  Jaguar redefined roadsters to have 
roll up windows.

Of the originally defined classic roadsters, I believe the TR3B was the 
second to last and Morgan was the last.

The more modern definition of a roadster (Thanks to Jaguar) is an open 
body car that does not have a hard top version of the same thing.  This 
makes Miata a roadster and not a convertible or drophead coupe version of 
a fixed head coupe.

 
TeriAnn         
                      http://www.overlander.net

  The world's most complete set of links connecting Rover 4X4 owners
  with Rover parts, service, accessory & sales companies world wide.


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