out-sell the open cars. Demi-Limousine For a brief time, touring sedans were offered with a solid back and permanent roof, unlike the roof on a touring sedan which could be folded back and stowed. Neither version offered permanent protection from the elements. Tourer in British English Tourer is used for open cars. The belt lines of 1930s tourers were often lowered at the front doors to suggest a more sporting character (however, this only allowed for removable glass or Perspex/Plexiglas side screens; wind-up windows, introduced later, required a more horizonal belt line on the doors). Just as in the U.S, all-weather tourers are cars with high quality tops and glass side windows; they were later called convertibles. Torpedo body The torpedo was a style of 4-seat or 5-seat tourers built from 1908 until the mid-1930s. The design consists of a hood/bonnet line raised to be level with the car's waistline, resulting in a straight beltline from front to back. See also Barchetta – an Italian style of roadster or spyder developed for racing cars after World War II Phaeton body – similar to a touring car, but initially lighter and more sporting Runabout – a light, open two-seat car, similar to a roadster but with emphasis on economy instead of performance. References Car body styles