Car enthusiasts often speak in a language incomprehensible to an amateur. They have their own "troubles" and, as a rule, incomprehensible slang for many. And to be as if in another world among people, "excitedly" discussing the next automotive history or collectively problem solving someone's breakdown iron horse, cozy far away few.
Naturally, not everyone gets into the company of ardent car fans and not at every turn. But there are moments when people get lost in the seemingly very basics of automotive theory. We will conduct an educational program on one of these points.
So, you must have heard a lot about the fact that there are sedan, hatchback, station wagon, cabriolet cars ... maybe you can name a couple more, but not everyone is able to describe them all with confidence and accuracy. And even if I'm wrong here, then I'm still almost sure that you won't be able to name 10 car body types. By the way, this is not at all surprising, because in life many of them we may not even meet. But it's still worth knowing that they exist.
So let's look at what types of bodies passenger cars mobile devices exist today.
So, the classification of cars by body type.
1. Sedan.
One of the most sought after types closed body with two rows of seats. The trunk in such a car is structurally separated from the passenger compartment and does not have an opening door in the rear wall. The sedan can be found with both four doors and two (Volga; Zhiguli 1,3,5,7th models; Zaporozhets; Volkswagen Polo, Jetta; Peugeot 406, 607, BMW 3, 5, 7 series; Audi 80, A4, A6; Opel Vectra, etc.).
2. Station wagon.
If the body cover of the sedan is extended to its rear bumper, while making the hatch in its rear part openable, then the sedan will just turn out to be a station wagon, which is most often chosen by those who need large trunk or a place for the transportation of certain goods.
The station wagon most often has 2 rows of seats (VAZ-2102,2104), but sometimes you can also find 3 (Volga GAZ-24). At the same time, a car with this type of body (Volkswagen Passat, Golf; Opel Astra, Vectra; Citroen Khantia, Fort Escort; Peugeot 307, etc.) will be 10 percent more expensive than its sedan counterpart.
3. Van.
Outwardly, this body may resemble a station wagon, but at the same time it will lack side doors and windows (“Moskvich” -412 “heeled”; Volkswagen Transporter, Grafter, Cady; Peugeot Boxer; Ford Transit Custom, etc.).
4. Hatchback.
A car with this body will be able to cope with the tasks of a station wagon for transporting luggage, but at the same time it will remain smaller and more attractive.
The hatchback (Toyota Yaris; Opel Astra; Peugeot 206; Kia Kid, etc.) has an open rear hatch and a short rear overhang. It can be both three-door (VAZ-2108) and five-door (VAZ-2109). In this case, the rear hatch is taken into account as a door.
5. Coupe.
Coupe - a closed car body with 2 doors and two rows of seats (Honda Civic, Ford Mustang, Audi A5, Fiat Coupe, etc.). At the same time, the front row has a normal appearance, and the rear row, due to the falling roof, is decently narrow and, in practice, uncomfortable for an adult. For this, the coupe is often referred to as "2 + 2", i.e. two adults and two children.
I note that in such a car it is very convenient to just go to work, but without fellow travelers. And for a family, of course, it will be more comfortable to buy a car with a sedan or station wagon body type.
6. Phaeton.
Body type with two rows of seats, as well as a soft folding top in the absence of side windows. For travel to bad weather instead of the latter, celluloid sidewalls are fastened to the car.
With us, most likely, you will not be able to meet a similar car, but in the West at one time cars of this kind were very popular.
7. Roadster.
This type of car body is distinguished by one row of seats and a soft opening top. You can meet him (for example, Smart Roadster) only in a country with a hot climate.
8. Convertible.
It has an open view: the soft roof of the car easily folds back, while the windows and door frames remain motionless. Unlike the phaeton, this type of body has a supporting structure due to rigid door frames.
Examples of convertibles: Pobeda, Opel Cascada, Audi A3, BMW 2 and 4 series, Ford Mustang, etc.
9. Limousine.
This type of body, as a rule, have cars of the highest class. It is characterized by:
- a rigid partition between the driver and passengers,
- at least two rows of seats;
- and long design.
Examples: "Seagull" ZIS-110, Mercedes-Benz W100, etc.
10. Pickup.
A body having a cropped rear end designed to carry passengers and cargo. This is something similar either to a small truck, or to a large passenger car.
Examples: Nissan Navara, Titan, Dodge Ram, Ford F-150, etc.
11. Minivan.
It can be described as a "wagon with increased capacity", which includes a maximum payload("Austin-mini", Volkswagen Multivan, Sharan, Caddy, Opel Meriva, Zafira, etc.).
The minivan has 3 rows of seats with a more upright position (than the same station wagon).
12. Crossover.
Body type, which includes in its characteristics a high seating position, high ground clearance and a high ceiling. Such cars (Kia Sportage, Volkswagen Tiguan, BMW X5, Toyota Rav 4, etc.) usually have all-wheel drive, but they are not designed for difficult terrain. For this, the people call him "SUV".
13. Liftback.
The body type, which has a rear overhang, is about the same as a car with a sedan body type, but its rear hatch rises like a hatchback.
Examples: Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Yaris, Citroen C5, Fiat Stilo, Opel Astra, etc.
14. Fastback.
This is the so-called "mixture" of body types. The fastback has a sloping roof, a rear hatch similar to a hatchback, but without a door in the rear wall and with a fixed rear window.
Examples: Fort Mustang Fastback, Honda Civic Fastback, etc.
Bodies of passenger cars are designed to carry the driver and passengers and are classified according to the number of volumes and design. According to the number of volumes, one-volume, two-volume and three-volume bodies are distinguished.
One volume body has one visible volume, which combines the passenger compartment and compartments for the engine and luggage. Such a body looks like a minibus body.
Two-volume body consists of a passenger compartment combined with a trunk, and the engine compartment occupies a separate volume, i.e. the engine is separated from the passenger compartment by a rigid partition. In such a body there is no separate trunk, and the luggage compartment can be accessed from the passenger compartment.
Three-volume body consists of three compartments clearly separated by rigid partitions - passenger, luggage and engine. Direct access to each of the compartments is possible only from outside the car.
By design, there are many types passenger bodies. The main ones are phaeton, limousine, convertible, sedan, roadster, coupe, pickup, station wagon and hatchback. In addition, there are such names for car body structures as an SUV, minivan, minivan and some others. At the same time, the same body structure in different countries may have different name, for example, a sedan in England is called a "saloon", in Italy - a "Berlin", etc.
Car body types
The sedan is the most common car body type today. The sedan is a three-volume body (separate luggage, engine compartment and passenger compartment). Such a body can be two- or four-door with two (in some cases - with three) rows of seats. There is no back door in the sedan. The sedan has the most "pun" names. In the USA and Japan, sedans are called "hatchback", in Italy - "Berlin", in England - "Saloon", and in Austria and Germany they are even sometimes called "limousines". Two-door sedans in the US and England are sometimes called "Kotch" or "Tudor", and four-door - "Fordor".
Station wagon - used on passenger cars of small and medium classes. This is a two-volume closed three- or five-door cargo-passenger body, in which the luggage compartment increases when the rear row of seats is folded down. There is a back door. In the USA, station wagons are called "station wagon", in England - "estate", in France - "break", and in Italy - "familiale".
Hatchback (or hatchback) is a very common body used on cars of especially small, small and medium classes. It also has several names, for example, “combi”, “liftback”, “swingback”. The name "hatchback" (English hatchback) comes from "hatch" - a hatch and "back" - behind. The hatchback is a two-volume closed three- or five-door body with two rows of seats. As the name of the body implies, there is a back door. Structurally, the hatchback occupies an intermediate position between the station wagon and the sedan. The trunk in such a body is separated from the passenger compartment by an easily removable shelf. When folding the rear row of seats, the volume of the luggage compartment increases, so that in a hatchback you can transport significantly more cargo than in a sedan, but less than in a station wagon of the same class.
Sometimes in a series of hatchback bodies, a liftback body is separately distinguished. The liftback differs from the hatchback in the longer rear overhang: in the liftback it is about the same length as in the sedan of the same class. At the same time, the rear part of the roof can be both sloping and (less often) stepped, reminiscent of a sedan. In fact, the liftback is a transitional body type between a sedan and a hatchback.
Coupe - used on cars of a particularly small class. This is a closed three-volume two-door body with one (rarely two) rows of seats. Sometimes the name "coupe" is extended to two-door sedans. There is no rear door in the coupe, as in the sedan. A coupe with a smoothly descending back roof is called a "fastback". In Italy, the body of the coupe is called "Berlinetta".
The phaeton is used on passenger cars of the middle and higher class. Previously, phaetons were often called "torpedos". This is a fully opening two- or three-volume body with two or four doors, two (rarely three) rows of seats, a folding fabric top and removable fabric sidewalls with windows.
The cabriolet is used on passenger cars of the middle and higher classes. This is a partially opening three-volume two- or four-door body with two (rarely three) rows of seats, a folding fabric top and rigid sidewalls, which are sometimes made in the form of window frames that can be pulled out of the doors.
The limousine is applied on cars of the highest class. This is a closed three-volume body with two or three rows of seats, having a glazed partition behind front seat. The middle row seats are sometimes reclining. Thanks to the glazed partition, the limousine could be classified as a four-volume body type, but some possibility of access between the driver and passenger compartments should be taken into account.
A separate type of car body - stretch, resembles a limousine body with an elongated base. Stretch differs from a limousine in that the lengthening of the cabin is achieved through a physical tie-in into the body additional section located between the front and rear doors. In fact, the stretch is an elongated sedan.
Two more rare types of car bodies that were the forerunners of the limousine are brogues and rondos.
Brogam - a body that has a closed back for passengers (with a hard top) and an open front for the driver (reminiscent of a cabman's seat in a horse-drawn carriage). The Rondo is reminiscent of the brogues, but the opposite is true here: the front, where the driver sits, has a hardtop, and the passenger compartment is equipped with a folding roof.
Bodies such as brogues and rondos are currently not mass-produced and are rare.
A roadster is a fully opening three- or two-volume body with one (rarely two) rows of seats. Some roadsters have two extra seats instead of a trunk. Structurally, the roadster resembles a phaeton, but, unlike it, has a shortened base. The second name of the roadster - "spider" is more often used in European countries. Roadsters are very popular in countries with hot climates.
A variation of the sports two-seater roadster is the targa body. Targa - a three- or two-dimensional car body with one row of seats, with a rigidly fixed windshield, a safety arc behind the seats, a removable roof and a rear window.
Pickup refers to the passenger-and-freight bodies of cars. This is a two-volume body based on a passenger model with a closed cabin, one (rarely two) rows of seats, and a cargo platform, often equipped with folding seats in the form of benches.
A separate body type is a van. This name stuck to the closed bodies of trucks, but there are vans based on cars. The body of such vans is designed for the carriage of goods, and the driver and passenger are located in a separate cabin. The upper part of the van body of a passenger car can be removable, then the van turns into a pickup truck.
Minivan - the body of a car with increased passenger capacity. Cars of this class have a high large body, trunk and spacious salon designed for 5-7 passengers. Considered a vehicle ideal for large families And family travel. Cars with a capacity of 8 ... 9 passengers are classified as minibuses, which occupy an intermediate position between cars and buses.
Sometimes, among the body designs of passenger cars, an SUV and a crossover are distinguished.
SUV - a type of closed two or three-volume body of a three- or five-door car with increased cross-country ability and increased ground clearance. The SUV body usually has high ceilings and a high seating position.
A crossover is a type of closed car body that combines the design features of an SUV and a station wagon or hatchback. In terms of cross-country ability, crossover cars are significantly inferior to SUVs and, as a rule, are more compact.
All types of bodies are divided into 3 groups: three-volume, two-volume, one-volume. Each of them is created for different purposes, has its pros and cons. Next, we will consider each of them in more detail.
Three-volume body
The body in a three-volume version has three separate volumes: a protruding hood, interior and trunk. This type is the least universal, the possibility of their transformation is very limited.
Sedan and coupe
Example of a sedan: 4 doors, fairly long hood, trunk lid not connected to the glass.
The sedan is present in almost all car manufacturers. This is the most pronounced representative of the three-volume. From Latin "sedan" is translated as "trough". Indeed, a machine of this type resembles an inverted trough.
Most of all, this name is suitable for domestic classics. But with all the shortcomings of a car in the back of a "sedan" is considered prestigious.
"Coupe" from "sedan" is distinguished only by the fact that the car in the body type "coupe" has only two doors. On French"coupe" means "cut off". These cars are built on the basis of a sedan for sports versions, they have an engine high power and usually lower height.
The coupe does not have a distinct three-volume body structure and is more like a hatchback with three doors, but with the most horizontal rear end.
Roadster, Convertible, Coupe Convertible
The convertible is no different from the coupe in its form, but has a “soft” roof-tend. The roof can be removed behind the rear seat, and if necessary, raised. The “soft” roof made it impossible to operate the car in the cold season, and then a coupe-cabriolet appeared.
Unlike a convertible, this car has a rigid metal roof. With the roof up, it's classic convertible, but it is worth activating the desired function by pressing just one button, and the roof goes into the trunk. Now the car has turned into a convertible. A roadster is a convertible with only two seats.
Pickup
The pickup has an open area for cargo, separated from the passenger compartment by means of a rigid partition. This is a small truck. Pick-up in translation from English means “pick up”, “pick up”, that is, quickly throw something into a kind of trailer. Basically, pickups are made on the off-road platform and all of them, as a rule, have increased cross-country ability. Pickup trucks are very popular in the US.
Two-volume body
This car does not have a clearly defined trunk protruding from the passenger compartment. The trunk lid is considered a door and is structurally made together with the rear window. Their advantage is in the large volume of the trunk and compactness.
Hatchback, station wagon
An example of a spectacular wagon.
The hatchback and station wagon differ in the length of the trunk. Translated from English, "hatchback" is translated as "rear door". Cars with this design have transformable rear seats, which makes it possible to greatly increase the volume of the luggage compartment.
The technical data always gives the minimum and maximum boot volumes. IN last years body type "liftback" appeared. Outwardly, it does not differ from the classic sedan, but has a rear door that is integrated with the rear window. Hatchback cars are popular in the European part. Hatchbacks are agile and compact, while station wagons have large volume trunk.
SUV
Most SUVs are, in general, station wagons, but they are distinguished because of off-road and large sizes. The SUV has a high ground clearance (at least 200 mm), four-wheel drive and a frame body, and therefore is always higher than a station wagon.
crossover
The appearance of crossovers is similar to the appearance of an SUV, but its clearance is less and not frame body, therefore, the height of the car with such a body is less. Another name for a crossover has taken root among the people - “SUV”, probably because it is better for such an SUV to drive on parquet, and not off-road. Crossovers are often designed on the basis of hatchbacks, they are distinguished only by big wheels and slightly more ground clearance. The popularity of crossovers around the world is high and continues to grow.
One volume body
There are no protruding hood and trunk. The engine and trunk are located almost in the cabin. This type of body has great opportunities Salon transformations.
When we say "car", we most often proceed from its appearance, where the most noticeable detail is the body. It can be called a kind of vessel, which unites all the components of any car. What can this detail be, and how to learn to distinguish vehicles by the shape of their body? We will talk about this now.
Car body: what is it?
The body is the most important part of any modern car. It is attached to the frame of the vehicle (although frameless designs are also found) and can have a wide variety of shapes. Based on the purpose of the cars, their bodies are divided into cargo, passenger (Cars and buses) cargo-passenger and special options. In the back of trucks, various goods are transported, in the passenger one - people drive, but in the cargo-and-passenger one, both people and goods can move. bodywork special purpose designed to transport various specialized equipment: for example, medical or laboratory.
Depending on the design features given element, it can be frame, semi-frame (skeletal) and frameless. Taking into account the perceived loads, all types of bodies can be divided into load-bearing, semi-bearing and unloaded. All of them have their own specific functions, which are also associated with the design.
Body functions
All parts that are part of the body structure are directly involved in the process of using the vehicle. So, in the body is located car showroom, transmission elements, motor, control mechanisms, as well as electrical and other equipment. Besides, it is on the body that the "minus" of the electrical circuit closes. In a word, the importance of this element of the vehicle cannot be overestimated, but the main function of the body was and remains to ensure the maximum possible safety of passengers in the event of a collision with another car or roadside object, as well as their protection from external factors: for example, rain, snow, wind and etc.
Body types
Given the purpose of a particular vehicle, the design of the car body may have certain differences. Let's take a look at the most typical species body.
Load perception
Based on the nature of the perceived loads, all car bodies divided into: bearing, semi-bearing and unloaded.
For most passenger cars, it is the supporting structure that takes on all the loads acting on the car. Such a body completely lacks a frame, and given the used power circuit, it is possible to distinguish machines with a bearing base and a bearing body. In the first case, the main part of the workloads that appear during the movement of the vehicle falls on the reinforced bottom, while in the second case, this is done by a three-dimensional body frame or a three-dimensional structure formed by body panels with local reinforcement.
In addition, load-bearing structures can have a closed power structure (thanks to the roof, a closed loop is formed, bringing together all the vertical power elements) or an open structure (for example, convertibles, roadsters, pickup trucks or vans where the roof of the load compartment is not a load-bearing part).
Unloaded body
In an unloaded body type, there is no rigid connection to the frame. And the body itself is attached to it with the help of rubber and other gaskets (or pillows) and, in addition to the load from the transported luggage, it no longer perceives any other loads. This design is used not only on trucks, but also on cars. So, off-road vehicles, which are equipped with an unloaded body having an elastic connection with the frame, should also be attributed to the representatives of such “cars”.
Semi-supporting body
The semi-supporting body differs from the previous version by a rigid connection with the frame, which is why it perceives only part of the loads that fall on it. This type found its application in the design of buses. 
By design
The device of the vehicle provides for the presence of a wide variety of elements, which means that the car body cannot also be called a universal part. There are three main types of it: one-volume(presented in minivans, minibuses and vans); two-volume(this category includes station wagons, SUVs and crossovers) and three-volume(sedan, coupe, pickup).
Single volume
The one-volume body provides for the combination of the passenger and cargo compartments into one. good example this design are minivans and vans. The minivan is closed car, having a single-volume closed passenger body type, in which three to four rows of seats are installed and it is possible to transport from 6 passengers. Also, the specified vehicle is distinguished by an increased roof height.
Minivans produced today are based on golf-class cars, middle class cars and vans. The minivan, designed on the basis of a van, has its own name - a minibus and is used to carry up to 16 passengers.
A van is usually called a vehicle with a one-volume body type. In construction this vehicle the presence of a partition is provided, which makes it possible to distinguish such two parts of the body as the cargo compartment and the passenger compartment. The van does not have rear side windows, and the height of the body itself is increased. The body type "van" should also include a hatchback and station wagon without rear side windows, which are designed to transport small loads.
As the name implies, the two-volume body consists of two parts: the engine compartment and the passenger part, which is combined with the cargo compartment. Among the most common cars with the specified body type are station wagons. They are presented as a two-volume closed passenger vehicle with three or five doors and a single-level roof.
by the most characteristic features station wagons that distinguish them from hatchbacks are the length and significant slope of the window in the rear of the car. Having folded the rear row of seats, the car will automatically turn into a passenger-and-freight vehicle. However, the presence of these features does not yet make the car a "station wagon", and to a greater extent this name is determined by the automaker itself.
Interesting! In the UK, station wagons are called "Estate car", in France - "Break", in Portugal - "Carrinha", and in Italy - "Giadinetta". Some manufacturers give station wagons proper names: for example, Audi is “Avant”, Opel is “Caravan”, and Skoda is “Combi”.
Another member of the group Vehicle with a two-volume body type is a family of SUVs, or, as they are also called, “jeeps”. They have a two-volume closed passenger body type, have five or six doors (one or two rear) and two or three rows of seats for passengers. SUVs stand out large dimensions, all-wheel drive, downshift and increased which allows the car to move freely not only on public roads, but also off-road. In fact, an SUV is a “station wagon”, only with increased level patency.
Body elements and parts of two-volume bodies are also characteristic of the previous vehicle. It is distinguished by a load-bearing body, compactness and somewhat lower ground clearance. Often such cars are based on golf-class cars.
The three-volume body already has three compartments: motor, passenger and cargo. This group of vehicles includes sedans, coupes and pickups. The sedan is equipped with two rows of seats, four doors and a hardtop, the level of which remains unchanged along its entire length. I must say that this is the most common body type. A coupe is a car with a three-volume closed passenger body, two (rarely four) doors and one (or two) rows of seats. The dimensions of the doors of the coupe are slightly larger than those of the sedan, while the second row of seats, on the contrary, is reduced. In addition, the roof at the rear has a flat shape, which gives the car sporty look. In everyday life, such cars are called 2 + 2.
Do you know? A coupe that does not have a B-pillar is called a hardtop coupe. If the windows are completely lowered, then an open space will turn out between the front and rear pillars.
Pickup - designed for the transport of goods and, like the previous version, has a three-volume body type with open platform. Among body elements of this type of car, a stationary partition is also distinguished, which separates the cab from cargo platform. Pickup trucks produced today are based on SUVs and passenger cars.
4. Body device
The general layout of all body parts is as follows:
motor part (created to accommodate the engine, and also performs the function of passive safety of the machine).
passenger compartment(required for the transportation of passengers and the placement of vehicle controls).
luggage compartment(used to carry luggage).
In turn, each of these components also has its own structural parts, which occupy not last place V common device car (the names of these elements are known to a few motorists). For example, the engine compartment includes front upper and lower cross members, front and lower cross members designed to accommodate the motor. In addition, the layout of the engine compartment provides for the transfer of energy from impact in a collision directly to the front beam and spars. Their deformation reduces the load on the passenger compartment, increasing the chances of the driver and passengers to avoid injury.
The design of the passenger compartment of a car includes the following elements: lower front beam, located under the windshield; front and rear cross members of the roof; side roof spar; front, side and rear racks, bottom and reinforcing structures of the bottom.
If you are interested in what the luggage compartment consists of, which is also integral part car body, it should first of all be noted that its design allows you to withstand the impact of luggage, as well as provide passive safety when hitting the rear of the car.
Total, metal part bodywork includes: bottom, roof, fenders, panels, doors (including locks), hood and trunk lid. The front and rear of the body are installed, which in modern version made of plastic or other similar metals. In a situation, it is the bumper that takes the first blow.
The design features of the body of passenger vehicles largely depend on the model, manufacturer and other parts, but on most mass-produced cars (except for sports models), the arrangement of body parts is approximately the same.
A number of requirements are imposed on the structure of the body of any passenger car, not only of an aesthetic nature, but also of an aerodynamic nature, since when a car moves with high speed a significant part of the power of its motor is spent on overcoming oncoming air currents. To reduce this resistance, the body is given a streamlined shape.
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Passenger cars are represented by a wide range of models, differing in price, purpose, comfort class and other parameters. The characteristics of the car and the requirements for it leave a serious imprint on the types of car bodies. The body of the machine determines its appearance and acts as the main supporting structure, therefore, depending on the requirements, the appearance of the part also changes.
In some model lines the main supporting structure is the chassis and frame.
The body is the main part that determines:
- appearance;
- volume (for both passengers and cargo);
- number of passengers;
- aerodynamic performance.
The detail largely determines the further layout, and as a result, the behavior of the car on the road. Therefore, the most common classification of passenger cars by body type.
There are 3 main types of car bodies:
- single volume.
- two-volume.
- three-volume.
The number of volumes of the part - separate blocks.
Three-volume
They are characterized by a distinct engine compartment And luggage compartment. The advantage is easy access to parts, which made the design classic. However, it offers little room for change. Popular types of three-volume models are as follows:
- convertible, roadster, brogue and targa.
Sedan
Distinctive features of the body structure of a sedan car are a clearly protruding luggage and engine compartment, 4 doors and 2 rows of seats. The height of the roof of the entire cabin is the same. There is no liftgate on the back of the car. This arrangement is convenient for the transport of passengers, which made it popular. Many manufacturers divide the sedan into subclasses. One of these is the class of elongated machine (marking L). Typically, elongated parts are found in business class sedans. These include town cars - sedans with an increased roof height.
There are also two-door sedans. Distinctive feature cars - the presence of two rows of seats, for example - "Zaporozhets".
coupe
Feature - two elongated doors. Usually the car body is equipped with two seats, but in some cases rear end equipped with two additional passenger seats. Unlike a two-door sedan, these seats are uncomfortable and not designed for long trips. The shape of the roof of the coupe is always sloping, with a slope back, which improves the aerodynamic characteristics of the car.
Cars of this type are sports class, so they are represented mainly by high price category. They are equipped with a high power engine, reinforced suspension and low ground clearance for improved driving performance. These machines are very elegant, which also adds prestige to them.
Open top car
Such cars are especially popular in countries with a hot climate. A car without a roof is an original and prestigious solution. These classes also include models with a folding roof. These types of devices include:
- landau;
- phaeton;
- roadster;
- brougham.
The cabriolet body is a classic type of car without a roof or with a folding device. It is designed on the basis of the "Coupe", less often - "Sedan", has a frame structure of this type. Most often, this class of cars is equipped with a soft folding roof.
Phaeton body class - a car with a folding soft roof. The difference from a convertible is the complete absence of a frame structure above the cabin. Due to this, the windows of the side doors in such machines are removable. Phaetons are the most open cars. Classic phaetons - government cars without a roof with three rows of seats, intended primarily for parades. Currently, types on an extended wheelbase without a roof are not available.
The word "phaeton" in the automotive industry also focuses on the luxury of the car and the increased space inside the car. Thus, the Volkswagen Phaeton, launched in 2002, is a classic sedan in terms of body type.
The body of the roadster is open, on a shortened base with two doors. Such cars are also distinguished by collapsible side windows or their complete absence, a soft roof. A roadster without a roof is called a spider. Historically roadsters other than the main ones comfortable seats, were completed with an additional folding, popularly called "Teschin's place". Modern roadsters are often represented by sports cars, among which is the Lada Revolution.
A kind of roadster, equipped with a rigid arc behind the seats, is called a targa. Cars also have removable side windows and no side windows. frame structures, but more often they are equipped with a rigid removable or collapsible roof.
Pickup
Pickup trucks are three-volume. The main features of the models are open trunk. They are designed not only for driving, but also for transporting a large amount of cargo.
Pickup trucks were originally distributed in North America among farmers and ordinary people, later spread throughout Europe and around the world. A modern pickup truck is a comfortable car based on an SUV. There are both two-door and four-door cars with a comfortable cabin.
The pickup features are:
- high power;
- high permeability;
- large engine size;
- spacious, comfortable cabin.
Limousine
This type of machine is designed for executive class and is distinguished by an increased level of comfort, the body type is based on the concept of a sedan. The design of the limousine is a passenger car on an extended base with a mandatory partition between the driver and passengers. It is completed with 2 or even 3 rows of seats, 4 doors. It is the rigid partition that distinguishes this class from the elongated sedan.
Classic limousines were created on the basis of a sedan, however, now there are also cars based on SUVs. Limousines are quite rare, which is why they are even more spectacular.
Two-volume
Bodies of this type are distinguished by a separate separate engine and passenger compartment. The cargo part of the car is merged into one space with the passenger. This allows you to increase the cargo area or interior without increasing the length of the wheelbase. Finding the passenger and cargo parts of the car in the same space gives auto designers more room to maneuver. Popular types of two-volume models include:
- hatchback;
- crossover;
station wagon
The station wagon body is a cargo-passenger type car. This type of car got its name due to its multi-purpose use. Combi cars have 3 or 5 doors, 2 rows of seats with a large volume. In most models, the rear seats fold down, increasing the trunk to a huge size. At the beginning of the new century, station wagons are market leaders, overtaking sedans in sales.
One of the station wagon subtypes are shooting break bodies. These are two-door premium cars with a straight roof, developed on the basis of sports cars.
hatchback
The hatchback body style resembles a station wagon, but differs by a sloping roof. These cars are often referred to as fastbacks. Hatchbacks are often made as light vehicles with large trunk. They are great for urban conditions, they do an excellent job of transporting passengers and goods. Available as 3 or 5 door cars. Examples domestic hatchbacks are VAZ-2108 and VAZ-2109.
liftback
The liftback body is a middle option between a hatchback and a sedan. By appearance the body resembles a sedan or coupe, but is structurally more similar to a hatchback. The trunk of such a car is opened with a hatch, leans back with the rear window. between trunk and rear seats soft barriers are installed. If necessary, they are removed, after which the machine is ready for transportation of oversized cargo.
SUV
Auto this class similar to generalists, but have big size and high ground clearance. Distinctive feature a powerful frame protrudes, making the case more durable. These cars are designed for off-road driving, so they have high traffic. Almost all of them have powerful engine and all-wheel drive, sometimes with a differential lock. Among the people, SUVs, and sometimes other cars similar in external characteristics, are called jeeps.
The creators of off-road vehicles came to the conclusion that reducing the weight of the car can increase its driving performance. So there was an SUV without a body - a buggy.
crossover
This type of body is quite similar to an SUV, but much lighter. Cars of this class are a hybrid between a station wagon and an SUV: a variant of a city car adapted for off-road driving. It also has a high ground clearance, but does not have frames and locks. More different from SUV high class comfort, while the permeability is an order of magnitude lower.
A variety of crossovers is the SUV class. This is an enlarged station wagon with a high seating position, characterized by high ground clearance and ground clearance. Such types have a simplified all-wheel drive. SUV (like most crossovers) is a hybrid of station wagon and SUV.
Van
This body is fully adapted for the carriage of goods. Vans are a transitional option between cars and trucks. Equipped with an extensive high cargo compartment with a large back door, no windows. In some cases they are executed as deep modernization car body devices ("Moskvich" -412 "pie"), but more often as a separate structure. Part of modern vans - monocab cars. Some of them have a specific purpose, for example, contain special devices, medical equipment or refrigerator.
One-volume
bodywork of this type have no protruding parts and represent an all-metal construction. Motor and luggage compartments merged with the interior of the car into one block. Most buses belong to this class. Among passenger cars, they are represented by the youngest classes:
- compact van.
Minivan
The body of the minivan is a one-volume structure with a length of at least 4.5 meters. This car combines the comfort of a station wagon with the capacity of a van. The large volume allows room for a third row of seats and makes them ideal family cars. In terms of body type, a minivan resembles a minibus, with the difference that it can accommodate no more than 8 seats.
compact van
A compact van is a smaller version of a minivan. Often accommodates 3 rows of seats. At the same time, it differs in a smaller interior and trunk volume, but wins in maneuverability.
Microvan
This variety is often referred to as a hatchback. For the most part, the characteristics of the cars are similar to single-volume cars in this class. A distinctive feature is the high height of the passenger part, which provides comfort to those in the cabin, which is especially pleasant on long trips.
Trucks
body type truck byvyet two-volume (KAMAZ) or three-volume (KRAZ). However, this is not a defining feature. The main gradation of bodies is the type of cargo department. They are divided into:
- airborne;
- dump trucks;
- scows;
- tented;
- tanks;
- platforms;
- bodies for special purposes.
The boundaries between classes of cars are gradually blurred. There are more and more models of cars on the market that combine the characteristics of certain classes. This makes it possible to create universal cars meeting the needs of drivers and passengers.
