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2 plus 2



 
 
The term 2+2 (pronounced "two plus two") is a phrase used to describe the configuration
Car classification

Car classification is subjectivity since many vehicles fall into multiple categories or do not fit well into any. Not all car types are common in all countries and names for the same vehicle can differ by region....
 of a car
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 with seating for two passengers in the front, plus two smaller seats for occasional passengers (or children) in the rear.

2+2s have only two rear seats rather than the more common three. Reasons for this include the fact that they may be sporty in nature and typically have a low roof line, wide wheel arches, and/or (because of being front engined with rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive

Four-wheel drive, 4WD, 4x4 , or AWD is a four-wheeled vehicle with a Powertrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously....
) wide central transmission tunnels, the last of these being the most pressing problem for a third (middle) seat.






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The term 2+2 (pronounced "two plus two") is a phrase used to describe the configuration
Car classification

Car classification is subjectivity since many vehicles fall into multiple categories or do not fit well into any. Not all car types are common in all countries and names for the same vehicle can differ by region....
 of a car
Automobile

An automobile or motor car is a wheeled motor vehicle for transportation passengers, which also carries its own car engine or motor. Most definitions of the term specify that automobiles are designed to run primarily on roads, to have seating for one to eight people, to typically have four wheels, and to be constructed principally f...
 with seating for two passengers in the front, plus two smaller seats for occasional passengers (or children) in the rear.

2+2s have only two rear seats rather than the more common three. Reasons for this include the fact that they may be sporty in nature and typically have a low roof line, wide wheel arches, and/or (because of being front engined with rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive
Four-wheel drive

Four-wheel drive, 4WD, 4x4 , or AWD is a four-wheeled vehicle with a Powertrain that allows all four wheels to receive torque from the engine simultaneously....
) wide central transmission tunnels, the last of these being the most pressing problem for a third (middle) seat. The Porsche 911
Porsche 911

The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche Aktiengesellschaft of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design is notable for being rear engined like the Porsche-designed Volkswagen Beetle it had been based on....
 is a rear engined, rear wheel drive
RR layout

In automotive design, a RR, or Rear-engine design, Rear-wheel drive layout is one which places both the Internal combustion engine and drive wheels at the rear of the vehicle....
, so lacks a large transmission tunnel, but loses space in the rear due to its wheel arches, reducing the space to 2 passengers.

Space in the rear is most noticeably absent in terms of longitudinal leg-room. This is again often due to the low roof line, and other elements of body styling, in addition to large engine compartments and sometimes also large areas given over to the convertible roof in the case of a 2+2 convertible
Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
.

Many vehicles may fall into the definition, and there is no official body offering a strict definition, but cars called 2+2s tend to have:
  • only space for a maximum of 2 rear passengers rather than 3;
  • a more sporting nature than the average vehicle;
  • coupé
    Coupé

    A coup? or coupe is a closed car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coup?s are often hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a Close-coupled sedan interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating ....
     bodies;
  • two doors.
Many convertible
Convertible

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different car body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form....
, targa top
Targa top

Targa top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full width roll bar behind the seats....
 and hatchback
Hatchback

Hatchback is a term designating an automobile design, containing a passenger cabin with an integrated cargo space, accessed from behind the vehicle by a single, top-hinged tailgate or large flip-up window....
 cars are strictly within this definition, but are rarely deemed 2+2s.

Few cars have ever been specifically marketed as 2+2s — most prominent are the classic Jaguar E-type
Jaguar E-type

The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar Cars between 1961 and 1974. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing resulted in a great success for Jaguar, with more than 70,000 E-Types being sold over its lifespan, and became an icon of 1960s motoring....
 fixed-head coupé
Coupé

A coup? or coupe is a closed car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coup?s are often hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a Close-coupled sedan interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating ....
 2+2, the Lotus
Lotus Cars

File:Final assembly.jpgLotus Cars is a United Kingdom manufacturer of sports car and race car automobiles based at Hethel, Norfolk, England. The company designs and builds race and production automobiles of light weight and high Car handling characteristics....
 Elan
Lotus Elan

Lotus Elan is the name of two convertible cars and one fixed head coup? produced by Lotus . The original Type 26, 26R Racing version, 36 Fixed Head Coupe, 45 Drop Head Coupe, and the "Type 50" +2 Coupe, circa 1962 to 1975, are commonly known as the '60s Elans....
 +2, the Nissan 300ZX
Nissan 300ZX

The Nissan 300ZX, also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z, is a sports car that was produced by Nissan. It comprises the third and fourth generations of the Nissan Z-car line-up, respectively given the chassis designations Z31 and Z32....
 2+2 and the various Pontiac
Pontiac

Pontiac is a brand of automobiles, produced by General Motors Corporation that has been sold in the United States, Canada and Mexico since 1926....
 2+2 models, including the aerodynamic Grand Prix
Pontiac Grand Prix

The Pontiac Grand Prix was an automobile produced by the Pontiac division of General Motors. First introduced as part of Pontiac's full-size model offering for the 1962 model year, the Grand Prix name was also applied to cars in the personal luxury car market segment and the mid-size offering, slotting below the large Pontiac Bonneville in th...
 of NASCAR
NASCAR

The National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing is the largest sanctioning body of stock cars in the United States. The three largest racing series sanctioned by NASCAR are the Sprint Cup Series, the Nationwide Series and the Camping World Truck Series....
 fame.

Variations

The TVR Cerbera
TVR Cerbera

The TVR Cerbera is a sports car manufactured by TVR between 1996 and 2003. The name is derived from Cerberus the three-headed beast of Greek legend that guarded the entrance of Hades....
 has its front passenger seated slightly forward to allow more room for a passenger in the back, as well as having very large side doors to make access to the rear seats easier.

The Mazda RX-8
Mazda RX-8

The Mazda RX-8 is a sports car manufactured by Mazda. It first appeared in 2001 at the North American International Auto Show. It is the successor to the Mazda RX-7 and, like its predecessors in the RX range, it is powered by a Mazda Wankel engine....
 has two small "half-length" rear suicide doors to make access to the back seats easier.

Examples of cars available in a 2+2 version

These are examples, and are not intended to represent a complete list.
  • Aston Martin DB7
    Aston Martin DB7

    The Aston Martin DB7 is a grand tourer made by Aston Martin from September 1994 to December 2003. The grand tourer was available either as a coup? or a convertible and debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March, 1993....
  • Aston Martin DB9
    Aston Martin DB9

    The Aston Martin DB9 is a grand tourer launched by Aston Martin in 2004.The DB9 is the first new car to be built at Aston's Gaydon facility. The name "DB" stems from David Brown , the owner of Aston Martin for a significant part of its history....
  • Aston Martin Vanquish
  • Chevrolet Camaro
    Chevrolet Camaro

    The Chevrolet Camaro is a pony car manufactured by the Chevrolet division of General Motors. It went on sale on September 29, 1966 for the 1967 model year and was designed as a competing model to the Ford Mustang....
  • Ferrari Mondial
    Ferrari Mondial

    The Ferrari Mondial is a 2+2 coupe automobile produced by Ferrari from 1980 through 1993. It replaced the angular Ferrari GT4. The "Mondial" name came from Ferrari's history — the famed Ferrari 500 Mondial race car of the early 1950s....
  • Ferrari 456M GT
  • Ford Mustang
    Ford Mustang

    File:Ford mustang badge.jpgThe Ford Mustang is an automobile manufactured by the Ford Motor Company. It was initially based on the Ford Falcon , a compact car....
  • Honda Prelude
    Honda Prelude

    The Honda Prelude was a sports coupe produced by Japanese automaker Honda from 1978 until 2001. The two-door coupe spanned five generations and was discontinued upon the release of the fourth-generation Honda Integra in late 2001, due to its decreasing sales and popularity....
  • Infiniti G35 Coupé
  • Jaguar E-Type
    Jaguar E-type

    The Jaguar E-Type or XK-E is a British automobile, manufactured by Jaguar Cars between 1961 and 1974. Its combination of good looks, high performance, and competitive pricing resulted in a great success for Jaguar, with more than 70,000 E-Types being sold over its lifespan, and became an icon of 1960s motoring....
     2+2
  • Jaguar XJS
    Jaguar XJS

    The Jaguar XJ-S is a luxury car grand tourer produced by the British manufacturer Jaguar Cars. The XJ-S replaced the legendary Jaguar E-type in September 1975, and was based on the Jaguar XJ....
  • Jaguar XK
    Jaguar XK

    The Jaguar XK series is a grand tourer produced by United Kingdom carmaker Jaguar Cars since 1996. The car was introduced in Geneva Motor Show on March 5th 1996....
  • Lotus Evora
    Lotus Evora

    The Lotus Evora is a sports car to be produced by United Kingdom car manufacturer Lotus Cars. The car, which was developed under the project name Project Eagle, was launched as the Evora on 22 July 2008 at the British International Motor Show....
  • Maserati Ghibli
    Maserati Ghibli

    The Maserati Ghibli is a sports car, produced by Italy manufacturer Maserati in two generations: first from 1966?73, and again as the Maserati Ghibli II from 1992?97....
     II Coupé
  • Maserati Gran Turismo Coupé
  • Mazda RX-7
    Mazda RX-7

    The Mazda RX-7 is a sports car produced by the Japanese automaker Mazda from 1978 to 2002. The original RX-7 featured a twin-rotor Wankel engine and a sporty FMR layout, rear-wheel drive layout....
  • MGB GT
    MGB

    The abbreviation MGB may refer to:* MG MGB, a sports car produced by the British Motor Corporation and British Leyland in the 1960s and 1970s and early 80's....
  • Mitsubishi Eclipse
    Mitsubishi Eclipse

    The Mitsubishi Eclipse is a coupe that has been in production since 1989 for left hand drive markets. It was named after an eighteenth century England racehorse which won 26 races, and has also been sold as the Eagle Talon and the Plymouth Laser captive imports through Mitsubishi Motors' close relationship with the Chrysler Corporation....
  • Mitsubishi 3000GT
  • Nissan 240SX
    Nissan 240SX

    The Nissan 240SX was a car introduced to the North American market by Nissan in 1989. It replaced the 200SX in 1989. The 240SX was equipped with a 2.4-litre straight-4 engine, rear wheel drive....
  • Nissan 300ZX
    Nissan 300ZX

    The Nissan 300ZX, also known as the Nissan Fairlady Z, is a sports car that was produced by Nissan. It comprises the third and fourth generations of the Nissan Z-car line-up, respectively given the chassis designations Z31 and Z32....
  • Nissan GT-R
    Nissan GT-R

    The Nissan GT-R is a sports car created by Nissan Motors, released in Japan on 6 December 2007, United States July 07, 2008, and expected to be released in the rest of the world by March 2009....
  • Pontiac Firebird
    Pontiac Firebird

    The Pontiac Firebird was built by the Pontiac division of General Motors between 1967 and 2002.The Firebird was introduced the same year as its platform-sharing cousin, the Chevrolet Camaro....
  • Porsche 911
    Porsche 911

    The Porsche 911 is a sports car made by Porsche Aktiengesellschaft of Stuttgart, Germany. The famous, distinctive, and durable design is notable for being rear engined like the Porsche-designed Volkswagen Beetle it had been based on....
  • Porsche 968
    Porsche 968

    The 968 is a sports car sold by Porsche Aktiengesellschaft from 1992 to 1995, it took over the entry-level position in Porsche's lineup from the Porsche 944, with which it shared about 20% of its parts....
  • TVR Cerbera
    TVR Cerbera

    The TVR Cerbera is a sports car manufactured by TVR between 1996 and 2003. The name is derived from Cerberus the three-headed beast of Greek legend that guarded the entrance of Hades....
  • Volvo 1800


See also

  • Car body style
    Car body style

    Automobile can come in a large variety of different body styles. Some are still in production, while others are of historical interest only. These styles are largely independent of a car classification in terms of price, size and intended broad market; the same car model might be available in multiple body styles ....
     and particularly:
    • Coupé
      Coupé

      A coup? or coupe is a closed car body style, the precise definition of which varies from manufacturer to manufacturer, and over time. Coup?s are often hardtopped sports cars or sporty variants of sedan body styles, with doors commonly reduced from 4 to 2, and a Close-coupled sedan interior offering either two seats or 2+2 seating ....
    • Targa top
      Targa top

      Targa top, targa for short, is a semi-convertible car body style with a removable roof section and a full width roll bar behind the seats....
    • Grand tourer
      Grand tourer

      File:1962 Ferrari 250 GTO 34 2.jpgA grand tourer is a high-performance luxury automobile designed for long-distance driving. The most common format is a two-door coup? with either a two-seat or a 2 plus 2 arrangement....
    • Sports car
      Sports car

      A sports car is a term used to describe a class of automobile. The exact definition varies, but generally it is used to refer to a low to ground, light weight vehicle with a powerful engine....
  • Car classification
    Car classification

    Car classification is subjectivity since many vehicles fall into multiple categories or do not fit well into any. Not all car types are common in all countries and names for the same vehicle can differ by region....