Sportscar vs. Roadster: What’s the Difference?

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Sometimes, it can be confusing to tell a sports car apart from a roadster because of the minor differences between the two. Since almost every roadster is a sports car but not every sports car is a roadster, it can be difficult for a Dubai used car owner who doesn’t drive the two to decide which is which. However, there are a few telltale signs that can help you differentiate between the two.

Sports Car Are Faster Than Roadsters

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Chevrolet Roadster

Since a roadster is designed to be comfortable and emphasize the handling of the vehicle, it is often considered a sports car. This was back when the fastest car had just two to four cylinders and not that much horsepower. However, these days a roadster is just as fast as the BMW M3. However, the engine output of the two is usually different so while roadsters are great when it comes to performance, in reality, they can never outpace a sports car.

Both The Cars Have Different Engines

Sports cars are usually defined by the kind of engine they have. The engine should have eight cylinders or more for a vehicle to be called a sports car. Of course, turbochargers and suspension are crucial parts of it too, but it usually boils down to how many cylinders the vehicle has. Moreover, the car must be able to go from 0 to 100 km/h in just a matter of a few seconds to be considered a sports car. This is something that a roadster can’t achieve.

Sports Car Usually Have Engine On The Front

Chevrolet Corvette Sportscar

These days most sports cars are front-wheel drive and front-engine vehicles. Some car makers also crank out sports cars with rear-wheel driveability and rear-engines such as the R8. The design has been changed because giving torque from the front is better for the performance of the car as this layout makes the car faster without requiring a lot of push.

The Seat Layout Is Different

Roadsters usually have a 2 seat layout. This helps to increase engine performance as excess weight is shed. So, a 2 seat sports car is sometimes a roadster too. Engineers have also tried to increase the practicality of sports car to accommodate luggage and more passengers.

The four seating layout is referred to as “2+2”, which signifies the existence of two additional seats alongside the general driver and shotgun seats. A roadster is usually a high performance, open top/convertible vehicle. However, sports cars are usually available in both convertible and hardtop variants.

Both sports cars and roadsters need particular types of wheels and tires to maintain an optimum driving force. So, it’s essential that wheel suppliers are mindful of this. Moreover, the wheels should also be capable of handling tights corners and high speeds.

Although roadsters and sports car might seem similar to someone who isn’t a lot into cars, an enthusiast would easily be able to tell them apart. However, for an average Dubai used car user, both cars can save the same purpose.

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