Phaeton body almost any vehicle with two axles and a row or rows of seats across the body could be called a phaeton. Convertibles and pillarless hardtops were marketed as "phaetons" after actual phaetons were phased out. The term "phaeton" had historically described a light, open four-wheeled carriage. When automobiles arrived it was applied to a light two-seater with minimal coachwork. The term was interchangeable with "spyder", derived from a light form of phaeton carriage known as a "spider". Originally meant to denote a faster and lighter vehicle than a touring car, the two terms eventually became interchangeable. A detachable folding or
Phaeton body passengers were separated from the driver and the front passengers by a cowl or bulkhead, often with its own folding windshield. The phaeton and the touring car were popular up to the 1930s, after which they were largely replaced by the convertible, which also had a retractable roof, but also included side windows so that the car could be completely enclosed. The Willys-Overland Jeepster was the last true phaeton produced by a major US automaker, and was introduced ten years after the previous phaeton to be offered by an American manufacturer. In 1952, a year after Willys last offered the