Car Body Types
• 4x4 or 4WD ("four-by-four" or "four-wheel drive") : A four-wheeled vehicle having a drivetrain that facilitates the channeling of power to all the four wheels all at the same time.
• Cabrio coach or Semi-convertible : A kind of vehicle with a roof, where a retractable textile cover often acts as a large sunroof. A fundamental part of the old models such as the Citrogen 2CV, this style is found but sparingly in modern cars.
• Cabriolet : A kind of convertible.
• Convertible : A body style with a completely retractable and removable roof and rear window. This also comes geared up with roll-up side windows.
• Coupe : A 2-door, 2 or 4 seated vehicle with a fixed roof. Its rear passenger area is smaller, roof is lower and its doors are often longer than that of a sedan. When it comes with very small rear seats which are not intended for regular use it is termed as 2+2 (pronounced as 'two plus two"). Earlier, a coupe had only one window per side but this format is obsolete now and has not been used in the recent past.
• Coupe convertible : A type of convertible coupe with a rigid roof (as opposed to a fabric or vinyl roof) that can be retracted inside the lower part of the vehicle.
• Coupe utility (or ute) : A passenger-car derived light truck with an internal cargo bed and coupe passenger cabin lines.
• Crossover SUV (or XUV) : A kind of sport utility vehicle (SUV) that combines the design elements of an SUV, a minivan and a wagon and is based on a car platform rather than a truck chassis.
• Estate car (or just "estate") : A British English name for a car that is known in the North America as a station wagon.
• Fastback : The roof slopes down at a smooth angle to the tail of the car and there is no separate "door" at the rear end for the windows.
• Hardtop : Originally designed with a removable solid roof on a convertible, it evolved into a fixed-roof car whose doors have no fixed window frames.
• Hatchback : Consists of a rear door including the back window which opens vertically to access a storage area attached to the passenger compartment.
• Liftback : A hatch-backed coupe with a sloped open area which is lifted up to open.
• Limousine : Large, six seated passenger compartment and often driven by a chauffeur, this vehicle typically has glass windowed divisions between the front and rear seats.
• Pickup truck (or pick up) : A small or medium sized truck, this light commercial vehicle has got a separate cabin and a separate cargo bed area at the rear end.
• Saloon : Chiefly British term for a sedan.
• Sedan : A car with a seating capacity of 4 or more people and a fixed roof which is full height up to the rear window, this vehicle can have 2 or 4 doors and is the most popular body style.
• Station wagon : A car with a significant load carrying capacity, it has got a full-height body all the way to the rear end. Its load carrying space can be accessed from the rear door/doors. Popularly it is termed as just 'wagon'.
Van : A truck-based commercial vehicle of the wagon style and often called as the 'van' in North America, it is used for both passenger and commercial use. Although a van doesn't have windows at the rear side, for passenger use side windows are custom built. In other parts of the world, a 'van' is referred to as a passenger based wagon which doesn't consist of any rear side windows.
Two wheeler Body Types
• Cruiser : The riding position of these bikes places the hands up and the feet forward with the spine erect or leaning back slightly, which according to many is quite comfortable for long distance riding. The saddle and riding position of the Western cowboys can be held responsible for the evolution of the riding position of the American styled Cruisers and Choppers.
• Sport bike : Much lighter and smaller than the cruisers, sport bikes are often referred to as 'performance bikes'. Its riding position places the hands low, the feet backwards and the spine inclined forward.
• Full Dress Tourers : Extremely large fairings and bodywork characterize full-dress touring motorcycles. They have a very upright and comfortable riding position. Complete stereos (AM/FM plus CD or cassette and of course the latest satellite radio), heated seats and hand grips, GPS navigation systems, selective venting and power windshields are some of the special features that one would not come across in an ordinary motorcycle.
• Standard Tourers : These bikes offer fewer amenities and less weight when compared to full-dress tourers but are ergonomically designed to lay back for miles comfortably. Some examples are HondaST1300, BMW R1200RT and Yamaha FJR1300.
• Sport Tourers : A hybrid between sport bikes and tourers, this genre of bikes offer long distance traveling at higher speeds. The originator of these kinds of bikes was 1976 BMW R100 RS. Some contemporary examples are HondaVFR (Interceptor) and ST series, Yamaha FJR 1300, the Triumph Sprint and Sprint ST, and SuzukiKatana (GSXF series).
• Naked bike : Basic form of the motorcycle stripped down to its fundamental form, this type of motorcycle is also known as 'standard' or 'street bike'. Some of the popular examples of naked bikes are BMW's K1200R, R1200R and F650CS, Ducati Monster, Yamaha FZ1, Honda919, HondaHornet and SuzukiGSF 600 Bandit.
• scooters : In a scooter, the engines travel up and down with the suspension. Smaller wheels, automatic transmissions, small engines and a step-through configuration allowing the rider to ride with both feet on a running board and knees together are what characterize a scooter. Some examples of scooters available in the US are HondaSilver Wing, HondaReflex, Yamaha Majesty and SuzukiBurgman.
• moped : Loaded with a lower caliber engine such as a 50 cc one, mopeds are a hybrid between a bicycle and a motorcycle.
• Off-road bikes : As the name suggests, off-road bikes are meant for off-road use and light weight vehicles with small engines. Some of the specialities of these vehicles are, long suspension travel and high ground clearance, simple rugged construction with little bodywork without any fairing, large wheels with knobby tires which are often clamped to the rim with rim locks. They are mainly used for motocross (a race over jumps), enduro (a long distance competition), rallies, trials (competition on balancing skills), track racing (high speed oval racing) etc.
• Farm bike : First used by the dairy farmers of New Zealand in the early 1960's these bikes are light and simple machines that could be started easily and can run through muddy paddocks and steep hillsides with utmost ease.
Derny : It is a specialized kind of motorcycle that is built for use in track cycling events where it blocks the air resistance for a racing bicycle that comes close behind it.
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