spider/spyder

[slant6]

This Monday I will be working on a Fiat 124 Sport Spider, not sure what year, but thats not to point. Im wondering why so many manufacturers call the convertible versions of their car spider, or spyder. Ive looked and seen on the Porsche forum took credit, but so did the Alfa Romeo forum, ect, ect.,ect. Does anyone know where this might have come from? It just doesnt make any sense to me to call a convertible a "spyder" (or spider).

[ra7c7er]

I had never heard of convertibles being called spiders/spyders. Sounds like an interesting bit of trivia.

[Crazy Ed]

According to Wiki:

Spyder (or Spider)

Similar to a roadster but originally with less weather protection. The term originated from a small two-seat horse cart with a folding sunshade made of four bows.[citation needed] With its black cloth top and exposed sides for air circulation, the top resembled a spider. Nowadays it simply means a convertible sports car.

Works for me

Ed

[Darin Bastedo]

Spyder is derived from the 1890's open topped two seat horse drawn carrages where the rear wheels were very large with small front wheels. The driver sat outside in the elements. Originally Spider that became spyder. The reason for the expression is that the carrage with the small front wheels , narrow body. eye like oil lanps on the front and latge rear wheels looked like a Spider. Europeans modified the word to read spyder.

[Jamez]

I never gave it a second thought.... chocked it up to a euro thing

[Harry P.]

Do a google image search for "spider carriage" and you'll see why they were called that. They're spindly looking, sort of spiderish. I can see why they got that name.

[Jon Cole]

And in the case of GM, it's just a cool sounding name they likely used without much research.

[slant6]

It make some sense now, I always thought it sounded kinda stupid though, and I agree, most companies probably have never done the research.