Roadster is the North American term (spyder in England) used for a 2-seater lightweight car without a permanent top. The term was also used for a light carriage, synonymous with "buggy".

Even with the soft top convertible raised and deflecting "windows" (if existing) snapped in, the driver and passenger remain somewhat exposed to the elements. "Convertible" is an abbreviation of "convertible coupe" or "convertible sedan" which in 1920s-30s parlance indicated that the top of the car can "convert" the car from a car with the passenger habitacle covered into a car without having the passenger habitacle covered, transforming vehicle into a "cabrio". Thus, the term is used for describing also vehicles with more that two seats for which the roof can transform the general aspect of the car from coupe / sedan into a "cabriolet".

Most modern day production roadsters do not meet all of the above criteria. Here, the use of the name "roadster" is more of a marketing gimmick than a technical label, recalling the feeling of an open-top machine for enjoyment, like those of the past.

The SLK is a compact roadster manufactured by Mercedes-Benz in two generations, R170 and R171, since 1997.

As one of the first modern retractable hardtop convertibles, the SLK followed the 1995 Mitsubishi 3000GT Spyder and preceded other retractable hardtops such as the Peugeot 206cc, Lexus SC and the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class.

The designation SLK derives from the company's design mission to create a roadster that was at once sporty, light and short — in German: Sportlich, Leicht und Kurz. The roadsters are back TIME'' William A. McWhirter / Detroit December 02, 1996

The term SLK-Class is a Mercedes marketing term referring to the vehicle in all its engine configurations across both design generations.

The BMW Z4 is a rear-wheel drive sports car by the German automaker BMW, known as the E85 in roadster form and E86 in coupe form. Production started in 2002, and thus replaced the BMW Z3. The design addresses many criticisms of the Z3; the Z4 is larger, and has a significantly stiffer chassis. It is built in Spartanburg, South Carolina. Initially, the Z4 was available only as a roadster, but in 2006 a coupé version was officially launched.

The Z4 was designed by Chris Bangle and began the controversy over his "flame surfacing" design and aggressive styling choices, which can also be seen on most modern BMW cars, most noticeably the 7 Series and 5 Series. As of 2007, the entire BMW car line, including the BMW 3 Series and X5 SAV, had incorporated Chris Bangle's design theme.

The Z4 features a strut type front suspension like its predecessor, the Z3. The rear suspension, however is considerably different from that of the Z3, which was based on that of the E30 BMW 3 Series. Instead of a semi-trailing arm suspension, the Z4 uses a more advanced multi-link suspension.

It is due to be complemented by a new model, the Z2, in 2009.

The XLR is a retractable hardtop marketed by the Cadillac division of General Motors, assembled in Bowling Green, Kentucky. It is based on the Y-body platform shared with the Chevrolet Corvette. The XLR uses the Cadillac Northstar engine rather than the GM LS2 engine found in the Corvette — along with its own styling, interior, and suspension, and power-retractable aluminum hardtop. The engine is Cadillac's 4.6 L Northstar tuned for 320 hp, mated as of the 2007 model year to a 6-speed automatic transmission.

Cadillac introduced the XLR at the 2003 Detroit Motor Show, and it entered production in the 2004 model year. Prior to production the XLR appeared as the Evoq in auto shows. It has a base price of US$76,650. Sales have been below expectations. Rather than reaching 6,000 per year, Cadillac had sold just 4,745 in 18 months as of March 2005. According to Cadillac, 3,730 were sold in the United States in all of 2005.

Designed for both performance and luxury, the XLR comes with heated and cooled leather seats, wood interior trim, 18 inch alloy wheels, and side airbags. Navigation, audio, and DVD are all displayed via a 7-inch dashboard screen, and Remote Keyless Access is included. All of these features are standard.

The XLR is the second roadster offered by Cadillac in recent years. The first was the Cadillac Allanté, produced from 1987 to 1993.

The XLR was nominated for the North American Car of the Year award for 2004.

Competitors include the Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, Lexus SC, BMW 6 Series, Jaguar XK, Porsche 911 and Maserati Spyder.

Engine:

* 2004 Northstar 4.6 L (280 in³) V8

The Chevrolet Corvette is a sports car that has been manufactured by Chevrolet since 1953. Today it is built at a General Motors assembly plant in Bowling Green, Kentucky, but in the past it was built in Flint, Michigan and St. Louis, Missouri. The National Corvette Museum and annual National Corvette Homecoming are also located in Bowling Green, Kentucky.

The Crossfire is a rear-wheel drive, sports car marketed by Chrysler as both coupé and roadster and built for Chrysler by Karmann of Germany.

The two-seater arrived in 2001 as a concept car designed by Eric Stoddard with further refinement by Andrew Dyson before production in 2003.

The name Crossfire refers to the two character lines that run from front to rear along the body sides — crossing each other midway through the door panel. Conceived during the period of Chrysler's ownership by Daimler-Benz, the name also refers to the collaboration of the two companies.

The Dodge Viper is a V10-powered sports car manufactured by the Dodge division of Chrysler LLC. Production of the two seat sports car began at New Mack Assembly in 1992 and moved to its current home at Conner Avenue Assembly in October 1995. The car, as well as numerous variations of it, has made countless appearances in TV shows, video games, movies, and music videos.

The Honda S2000 is a roadster manufactured by the Japanese automaker Honda Motor Company. It was launched in April 1999 and was created to celebrate the company's 50th anniversary.

The Mazda MX-5, also known as Miata () in North America and Roadster () in Japan, is a two-seater sports car built by Mazda in Hiroshima, Japan — introduced in 1989 and now in its third generation.

According to a 2003 Edmunds.com article, "the Miata deserves credit not only for reviving a dormant passion for roadsters, but for emboldening other manufacturers."