Spyder
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For the gun brand, see Paintball.Spyder or Spider is a term for a rear mid-engine rear wheel drive convertible car body style (see Porsche 550 Spyder).
The term derives from horse-drawn carriages, as do other automotive terms. A spider phaeton was a lighter version of a phaeton, having narrower, spindly wheels and two-seat accommodation. This term was subsequently applied to cars.
The first car to be officially called a "spyder" was the Porsche 550 Spyder — the name implied an extremely rudimentary top mechanism originating 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
Other later spyders include the Fiat 850, numerous Ferraris, later Porsches, the Chevrolet Corvair, and the Triumph TR7 Spider.
In more recent times, the term has been used by many automakers as a synonym for convertible. Examples include the Toyota MR2, Mitsubishi Eclipse, Lamborghini Gallardo, and the Mitsubishi 3000GT.
See also
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