The torpedo body style was a type of automobile body used from the early twentieth century until the mid-1930s, and which fell quickly into disuse by the Second World War.

The name was introduced in 1908 when a Belgian car dealer Captain Theo Masui who was the London importer of French Gregoire

Automobiles Gregoire

Automobiles Grégoire was a French car manufacturer, established in 1902, that operated for about twenty years in the early 20th century. The company was the creation of Pierre Joseph Grégoire ....

 cars designed a streamlined body and called it "The Torpedo". This developed into its final form and became a generic term when the bonnet line was raised to be level with the car's waistline so giving a straight line from front to back.

The Torpedo body style was usually fitted to 4 or 5 seat cars and was an open tourer

Touring car

A touring car, or tourer, is an open car seating five or more. Touring cars may have two or four doors. Often, the belt line is lowered in the front doors to give the car a more sportive character. They were often fitted with a folding roof and side curtains. Engines on early models were either in...

 with detachable or folding hood (top) and low side panels and doors, but no B pillars: the only uprights present were those supporting the windscreen (windshield).

Other similar styles are phaeton

Phaeton body

A Phaeton is a style of open car or carriage without proper weather protection for passengers. Use of this name for automobiles was limited to North America or its products....

 and baquet.

The name is still being used for trucks with a bonnet.