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As with most industries, the automotive industry has an entire lexicon of slang and shorthand terms for various kinds of car or feature. Not unlike trying to get into a popular TV show in its fifth season, these various terms can feel somewhat impenetrable to anyone not in the know. A good example of this is the practice of referring to lightweight, convertible cars as “spiders.”

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Without context, what the heck is a “spider” supposed to be in an automotive context? The obvious answer is a car that can climb around on walls, but unfortunately, the closest thing we have to that are Jeeps climbing cliffs. Like most slang, the term “spider” has its roots in both casual conversation and a bit of miscommunication. Though, with this specific term, the precise origin actually varies a bit depending on who you ask. Some believe the practice of referring to convertibles arose due to a garbled phone call in the 1950s, while others believe it arose from a slang term from the earliest days of personal transportation.

Chronologically, the first potential origin for the term “spider” comes from the very earliest days of personal transport in the early 1800s. While inventors were tinkering with motor-powered transport as far back as the 1700s, the prototypical automobiles weren’t commercially available until the tail end of the 1800s. Before that, it was all horse-drawn carriages, which is when our story takes place.

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According to legend, a particular model of horse-drawn carriage called the Phaeton was a popular choice. These carriages had lightweight bodies, not built for lengthy cross-country rides, but perfect for a casual jaunt around town. The lightest model of Phaeton carriage had a small and slim body, as well as wheels with notably thin, lightweight spokes. With the small body and spindly “legs,” people naturally started calling them “spiders,” and the name stuck. 

Once carriages were succeeded by automobiles, the term stuck around to refer to compact, lightweight vehicles. Assuming this story is true, the fact that convertibles are called spiders has more to do with their size and performance than the absence or presence of a top.

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The second potential origin for the term “spider” has a bit of a tighter timeframe than the other origin. Specifically, this story takes place in the year 1953: The global automotive industry was in full swing by this point, with journalists coming from all parts to see what each country’s brands were cooking up. One such journalist was visiting an auto show in New York on a trip from his home country of Italy. 

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While perusing the vehicles on display, he happened upon the streamlined form of the roofless Porsche 550 Speeder — the same kind of car that legendary actor James Dean drove in when he passed. Interested in the car, the journalist found an old phone and placed a call to his office in Italy. Unfortunately, phone lines weren’t exactly high-quality at the time, especially over such a vast distance, so the call between the journalist and his associates ended up a bit garbled. 

He was able to convey that this impressive car had no roof, but when they asked for the name, they couldn’t quite hear him when he said “Speeder.” As a result, the name was incorrectly printed as “Spider,” and despite the inaccuracy, it ended up sticking. It’s also occasionally printed as “Spyder,” which is the name you’re likely to get if you look up the 550.

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It’s borderline impossible to verify either of these stories, but the term “spider” has become ubiquitous enough that it doesn’t really matter anymore. Even if nobody knows why, convertibles are Spiders, and that’s just the way it is.