Sports Car
What is a sports car? A car may be a sporting automobile without being a sports
car.
A sports car, or sportscar, is a small, usually two-seater, two-door automobile
designed for spirited performance and nimble handling. The term "sports car" was used in The
Times, London in 1919. According to USA's Merriam-Webster dictionary, USA's first known use of
the term was in 1928. Sports cars started to become popular during the 1920s.
Sports cars may be spartan or luxurious, but high maneuverability and light weight
are requisite. Sports cars are usually aerodynamically shaped (since the 1950s), and have a low
center of gravity compared to standard models. Steering and suspension are typically designed
for precise control at high speeds.Traditionally sports cars were open roadsters, but closed
coupés also started to become popular during the 1930s, and the distinction between a sports car
and a grand tourer is not absolute.
Seating Layout
Traditional sports cars were typically two-seat roadsters.
Although the first sports cars were derived from fast tourers, and early sporting
regulations often demanded four seats (even three-seaters were often produced by coachbuilders),
two seats became common from about the mid-1920s. Modern sports cars may also have small back
seats that are often really only suitable for luggage or small children; such a configuration is
referred to as a 2+2 (two full seats + two "occasional" seats).
Over the years, some manufacturers of sports cars have sought to increase the
practicality of their vehicles by increasing the seating room. One method is to place the
driver's seat in the center of the car, which allows two full-sized passenger seats on each side
and slightly behind the driver. The arrangement was originally considered for the Lamborghini
Miura, but abandoned as impractical because of the difficulty for the driver to enter/exit the
vehicle. McLaren used the design in their F1.
