Definition

Noun: A touring car is a large, open automobile designed to seat four passengers and typically equipped with a folding fabric roof (a "folding top").

Usage

The term "touring car" is used to describe a specific type of vintage or classic automobile body style. It emphasizes the car's open design, spacious seating for multiple passengers, and its suitability for long-distance travel or touring.

Examples

• Early automobile enthusiasts often preferred a touring car for weekend trips into the countryside.
• The 1923 Model T Ford was available as a touring car, complete with side curtains for bad weather.
• Museums of automotive history usually have at least one classic touring car on display.

Advanced Usage

• Historical Context: In the early 20th century, the "touring car" was one of the most popular body styles before enclosed sedans became commonplace. The term is now almost exclusively used in a historical or classic car context.
• Technical Specification: The "folding top" (also called a "soft top" or "convertible top") is a key defining feature, distinguishing it from a permanently open "roadster" or a fixed-roof "sedan."

Variants and Related Words

• Touring (adj): Used to describe vehicles or equipment suited for long journeys (e.g., , ).
• Phaeton: A historical term for a light, open four-wheeled horse-drawn carriage, later used for similar early automobiles, often synonymous with "touring car."
• Convertible: A modern general term for a car with a folding or retractable roof. A classic touring car is a specific type of convertible.
• Open car: A broader category that includes touring cars, roadsters, and speedsters.

Synonyms

• Open tourer
• Tourer (common abbreviated form)
• Convertible (in a broad, modern sense)

Antonyms

• Sedan
• Coupe
• Hardtop (a car with a fixed, rigid roof)

Noun

1. large open car seating four with folding top