convertible

Other terms for convertibles include cabriolet, cabrio, drop top, drophead coupé, open two-seater, open top, rag top, soft top, spider, and spyder, although companies use many of these terms interchangeably. Thus, nomenclatural consistency is rare.{{cite web |url= http://www.convertiblecarmagazine.com/features/the-difference-between-a-convertible-and-a-cabriolet/ |title=Convertible and Cabriolet what's the difference? |date=31 December 2016 |publisher=Convertible Car Magazine |access-date=10 March 2022}} The term cabriolet originated from a carriage cabriolet: "a light, two-wheeled, one-horse carriage with a folding top, capable of seating two persons"; however, the term is also used to describe other convertibles.{{cite web |title=Definition: Cabriolet |website=dictionary.com |url= http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/cabriolet |access-date=10 March 2022}}

In the United Kingdom, the historical term for a two-door convertible is drophead coupe, and a four-door convertible was called an all-weather tourer.{{cite book |last=Beattie |first=Ian |title=The Complete Book of Automobile Body Design |year=1977 |publisher=Haynes Publishing Group |isbn=0854292179 |pages=36, 42–43}}

File:Daimler Grafton Phaeton 1897 - rear.jpg Grafton Phaeton]]

Most of the early automobiles were open-air vehicles without any roof or sides.{{cite web|title=Beginnings of the automobile: the predecessor companies (1886-1920)|url= https://www.daimler.com/company/tradition/company-history/1886-1920.html |website=daimler.com |access-date=14 April 2018}}{{cite web|title=British Motor Manufacturers (1894-1960), Arnold |url= http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=63 |website=britishmm.co.uk|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110616192632/http://www.britishmm.co.uk/history.asp?id=63 |archive-date=16 June 2011}}{{cite web |title=Early American Automobiles Pre 1900|url= http://www.earlyamericanautomobiles.com/1890b.htm |website=earlyamericanautomobiles.com |access-date=14 April 2018}}{{cite web|title=Hurtu|url= https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Hurtu |website=gracesguide.co.uk |access-date=14 April 2018}} As car engines became more powerful by the end of the 19th century, folding textile or leather roofs (as had been used on victoria or landau carriages) began to appear on cars.{{cite web|title=The Evolution of the Convertible- slide 2|url= https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/g876/the-evolution-of-the-convertible/?slide=2 |website=popularmechanics.com |date = 25 June 2012|access-date=14 April 2018}}{{cite web |title=A brief history of the convertible |url=http://www.autofocus.ca/a-brief-history-of-the-convertible |website=autofocus.ca |access-date=14 April 2018 |archive-date=14 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180914211519/http://www.autofocus.ca/a-brief-history-of-the-convertible |url-status=dead }} Examples of early cars with roofs include the phaeton (a two-seat car with a temporary roof), the brougham or a coupé de ville, having an enclosed passenger compartment at the rear, while the driver sat in front either in the open, or the landaulet, where the driver has a fixed roof and the passenger compartment has a folding roof. Less expensive cars, such as the runabouts, sporting roadsters, or sturdy touring cars, remained either completely open air or were fitted with a rudimentary folding top and detachable clear side curtains.

File:HelenGeorgia1929Ford1975Gas.jpg Roadster]]

In the 1920s, when steel bodies began to be mass-produced, closed cars became available to the average buyer, and fully open cars began to disappear from the mainstream market.{{cite web|title=The up-and-down history of the convertible|url= https://www.cbsnews.com/news/the-up-and-down-history-of-the-convertible/ |website=cbsnews.com |date= 13 July 2014 |access-date=14 April 2018}} By the mid 1930s, the remaining small number of convertibles sold were high-priced luxury models. In 1939, Plymouth introduced the first mechanically operated convertible roof powered by two vacuum cylinders.{{cite web|title=The Evolution of the Convertible- slide 5 |url= https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/g876/the-evolution-of-the-convertible/?slide=5 |website=popularmechanics.com |date=25 June 2012 |access-date=14 April 2018}}{{cite web |title=The Deluxe Plymouth for 1939 (brochure) |url= https://www.xr793.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/1939-Plymouth-Deluxe.pdf |via=xr793.com |page=15 |access-date=26 December 2022}}

Demand for convertibles increased as a result of American soldiers in France and the United Kingdom during World War II familiarizing themselves with small roadster cars, which were not available in the United States at that time. These roadsters included the MG Midget and Triumph Roadster. The convertible design was incorporated into the mass market unibody by Hudson in 1948.{{cite web |last1=Lewis |first1=Corey |title=Rare Rides: A Hudson Commodore Brougham From 1950, Complete With Celebrity Ownership |url= https://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/2019/03/rare-rides-a-hudson-commodore-brougham-from-1950-complete-with-celebrity-ownership/ |website=thetruthaboutcars.com |date=7 March 2019 |access-date=26 December 2022}}{{cite web |last1=Salmi |first1=Steve |title=1948 Hudson 'step-down' was a brilliant car with tragic flaws |url= https://www.indieauto.org/2022/02/10/1948-hudson-step-down-was-a-brilliant-car-with-tragic-flaws/ |work=Indie Auto |date=11 February 2022 |access-date=26 December 2022}} United States automakers manufactured a broad range of convertible models during the 1950s and 1960s – from economical compact-sized models such as the Rambler American{{cite magazine|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=AFIEAAAAMBAJ&dq=Rambler+American+lowest+priced+convertible&pg=PP2 |title=All new! A convertible with Rambler Excellence (advertisement) |date=2 June 1962 |magazine=Life |volume=50 |issue=22 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}} and the Studebaker Lark, to the more expensive models, such as the Packard Caribbean, Oldsmobile 98, and Imperial by Chrysler.{{cite book |last1=Mort |first1=Norm |title=American 'Independent' Automakers: AMC to Willys 1945 to 1960 |date=15 September 2010 |publisher=Veloce Publishing |isbn=9781845842390 |pages=29–30 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=yZo8GKToqqcC&dq=last+Packard+convertible&pg=PA30 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}} Automakers often included a convertible body style as an available body style in a model range.{{cite web |title=1967 Rambler Rebel brochure |url= http://oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/AMC/1967_AMC/1967_Rambler_Rebel_Brochure/slides/1967_Rambler_Rebel-13.html |website=oldcarbrochures.org |access-date=10 March 2022 |page=13}}{{cite magazine |last1=LaChance |first1=Dave |title=Daytona Delight - 1964 Studebaker Daytona |magazine=Hemmings Classic Car |date=July 2006 |url= https://www.hemmings.com/stories/article/daytona-delight-1964-studebaker-daytona |access-date=26 December 2022}}{{cite book |last1=Schild |first1=James J. |title=Original Dodge and Plymouth B-Body Muscle 1966-1970 |date=2004 |publisher=MotorBooks International |isbn=9781610591324 |page=78 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=SUfwxG5O-uAC&dq=Dodge+convertible+sedan+wagon+hardtop&pg=PA78 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}

Convertibles in the U.S. market peaked in sales around 1965, and fell in popularity over the next five years.{{cite web |last1=Hunting |first1=Benjamin |title=How ASC brought convertibles back from the dead |url= https://www.hagerty.com/media/automotive-history/how-asc-brought-convertibles-back-from-the-dead/ |work=Hagerty |access-date=26 December 2022 |date=15 February 2022}} Optional air conditioning was gradually becoming more popular, and the availability of sunroofs and T-tops limited the appeal of the open body style. Noise, leaks, and repairs associated with fabric tops also contributed to issues that many customers had. The popularity of convertibles was reduced by the increased travel speeds on roads (resulting in more wind and noise for occupants) and the emergence of more comprehensive vehicle crash safety standards in the United States.{{cite web|title=The Evolution of the Convertible- slide 8 |url= https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/g876/the-evolution-of-the-convertible/?slide=8 |website=popularmechanics.com |date=25 June 2012 |access-date=14 April 2018}}

The market share of convertibles fell to two or three percent of total sales and the U.S. automakers discontinued the body style from their lineups. American Motors stopped making convertibles after the 1968 model year, Chrysler after 1971, Ford after 1973, and most divisions of General Motors after 1975. Cadillac held out until 1976, when they made about 14,000. The last 200 had a red, white, and blue motif and a dashboard plaque. The very last was offered to the Smithsonian Institution, whose trustees turned it down as it was not at that moment a historic artifact, "Though it might well be in three generations ... or at the Tricentennial."{{cite news |first=Stephen |last=Lynton |title=The gilt edged Cadillac |date= 6 April 1976 |work=The Guardian |page=4}} After the last Cadillac Eldorado convertible was made in 1976, the only factory convertibles sold in the United States were imported. Making convertibles on the assembly line was both expensive and time-consuming, thus not worth the problems needed to sell the limited number of cars.

File:1981 AMC Eagle Sundancer 4WD convertible 2014-AMO-NC-f.jpg

File:1985 Chrysler LeBaron Convertible, front right, 06-04-2023.jpg

Specialized coachbuilders were contracted to make dealer-available cars such as the Targa top versions of the AMC Concord and Eagle "Sundancer" as well as the Toyota Celica "Sunchaser" as specialty models.{{cite web |last1=Niedermeyer |first1=Paul |title=The AMC I Forgot About: Sundancer – The Only Way To Top A Concord Or Eagle |url= https://www.curbsideclassic.com/blog/the-amc-i-forgot-about-sundancer-the-only-way-to-top-a-concord-or-eagle/ |work=Curbside Classic |date=24 January 2014 |access-date=26 December 2022}}{{cite web |last1=ODonnell |first1=Jim |title=Rare SunChaser! 1980 Toyota Celica Convertible |url= https://barnfinds.com/rare-sunchaser-1980-toyota-celica-convertible/ |work=Barn Finds |date=27 November 2020 |access-date=26 December 2022}} American Sunroof Company (ASC), which was responsible for popularizing the sunroof option for regular body styles, converted a Buick Riviera into a full convertible that compelled General Motors to market it as part of the 1982 Buick models. Chrysler Corporation also introduced a convertible body style in its 1982 lines that was based on the K-Car. These models were the LeBaron, produced under Chrysler, and the 400, manufactured under Dodge.{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1981/03/02/business/the-us-convertible-making-a-comeback.html |title=The U.S. Convertible Making a Comeback|last=Holusha|first=John |work=The New York Times |date=2 March 1981 |access-date=14 August 2019}}{{cite news|url= https://www.nytimes.com/1984/01/29/automobiles/the-k-car-variations-on-a-theme-helped-to-save-chrysler.html |title=The K Car: Variations on a Theme Helped to Save Chrysler |newspaper=The New York Times |date=29 January 1984 |access-date=14 August 2019}} Ford reintroduced a convertible Mustang for 1983, while American Motors Corporation (AMC) added a convertible version of the Renault Alliance in 1984.{{cite book |last1=Stone |first1=Matthew L. |title=Mustang 5.0 and 4.6, 1979-1998 |publisher=MotorBooks International |isbn=9781610591089 |page=28 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=gURwClIjeFkC&dq=Mustang+convertible+reintroduced&pg=PA28 |date=1998 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}{{cite magazine |last1=Ross |first1=Daniel Charles |title=AMC's Sunny Side Up |magazine=Popular Mechanics |date=October 1984 |volume=161 |issue=10 |page=99 |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=f-QDAAAAMBAJ&dq=AMC+introduced+convertible&pg=PA99 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}

In 1989, Mazda released the first generation Mazda MX-5 (called "Miata" in North America), which has become the best-selling convertible with over 1 million cars sold.{{cite web|title=Mazda builds 1 millionth MX-5 |url= https://www.autoblog.com/2016/04/25/mazda-millionth-mx-5-miata/ |website=autoblog.com |access-date=14 April 2018}} Also in 1989, Toyota released the Toyota Soarer Aerocabin, which uses an electrically operated retractable hardtop roof.{{cite web|title=A Soarer Aerocabin Found In LA |url= http://www.speedhunters.com/2015/06/toyota-soarer-aerocabin/ |website=speedhunters.com |date=June 2015 |access-date=14 April 2018}} A total of 500 were produced.{{cite web|title=This One Of 500 Toyota Soarer Aerocabin Can Be Yours |url= https://www.carscoops.com/2016/09/this-one-of-500-toyota-soarer-aerocabin/ |website=carscoops.com |date= 21 September 2016 |access-date=14 April 2018}}

Models dedicated to the convertible body style include the Mazda MX-5, Porsche Boxster, and Opel Cascada.{{cite web |title=2019 Buick Cascada Buyer's Guide |url= https://www.motortrend.com/cars/buick/cascada/ |work=MotorTrend |access-date=25 June 2022}}

File:BMW Z8 Heck.JPG with a fabric roof in up position]]

A "soft top" is made from a flexible textile material:

• Early convertibles used cotton canvas woven so tightly that it was waterproof. Automakers had problems in securing raw materials to fulfill orders after World War II, including canvas in various shades for convertible tops, therefore limiting their manufacture.{{cite magazine |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=9EVWAAAAMAAJ&q=automakers+were+found+hustling+secure+raw+materials+to+fulfill+orders+Securing+canvas+in+various+shades+convertible+top+manufacture+was |page=42 |title=The Last Roadster |magazine=Cars and Parts |volume=43 |year=2000 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}
• A cloth-based material has become more common in recent years.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=IjoS3stx2s0C&q=Haartz+cloth+is+found+mostly+on+newer,+more+expensive+convertibles.+It+actually+holds+up&pg=PA120 |page=120 |title=Muscle Car Interior Restoration Guide |first=Daniel |last=Stroll |publisher=CarTech |year=2009 |isbn=9781932494983 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}}

Other materials are also used in the convertible top. By 1955, the most popular materials were latex and butyl rubber fabrics that each accounted for around 35% of the convertible top's weight, with others included vinyl (12%), jute (8%), along with rayon and acrylic fibers (Orlon), amounting to about 1% each in the compositions.{{cite book|url= https://books.google.com/books?id=rNA8AAAAYAAJ&q=Automobile+Convertible+materials |pages=8, 40–41 |title=Fabrics and Fibers for Passenger Cars: Automobile Manufacturers' Views, 1955 Compared with 1950, Issue 152 of Marketing research report |first=Milton |last=Jacobs |publisher=U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Marketing Service, Marketing Research Division |year=1957 |access-date=26 December 2022 |via=Google Books}} Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) material was used for many convertible tops. The material consists of two layers: a top layer made of PVC, which has a specific structure depending on the vehicle model, and a lower layer made of fabric (usually cotton).

The collapsible textile roof section over an articulated folding frame may include linings such as a sound-deadening layer and/or an interior cosmetic lining, to hide the frame.

The folded convertible mechanism with the top is called the stack.{{cite web |last1=Powell |first1=James C. |title=Convertible vehicle top stack mechanism |url= https://www.freepatentsonline.com/7032951.html |website=freepatentsonline.com |date=25 April 2006 |access-date=26 December 2022}} Designs that fold down to a lower stack height offer a smoother silhouette for the car with the top down while concealed side rails allow room for three passengers in the back seat such as on the 1967 Rambler Rebel convertible.{{cite web |title=1967 AMC Data Book - Rambler Rebel convertible |page=34 |url= http://oldcarbrochures.org/United%20States/AMC/1967_AMC/1967_AMC_Data_Book/slides/1967_AMC_Data_Book-034.html |website=oldcarbrochures.org |access-date=26 December 2022}}

Rigid removable hardtops, many of which can be stored in a car's trunk/boot, have been available at least since the 1950s.{{cite web|title=356 Porsche Removable Hardtops |url= http://derwhites356literature.com/356PorscheRemovableHardtops.html |website=derwhites356literature.com |access-date=15 April 2018}} These usually provide greater weatherproofing, soundproofing, and durability compared to fabric-based tops; some are available with integrated rear-window defrosters and windscreens. Examples include the Ford Thunderbird (1st-generation and 11th-generation), Mercedes SL (2nd-generation and 3rd-generation), Porsche Boxster, Jeep Wrangler, Ford Mustang Cobra (1995 Only), and Mazda MX-5.

During the 1950s and 1960s, detachable hard-material roofs were offered for various convertible sports cars and roadsters, including the 1955–1957 Ford Thunderbird and Chevrolet Corvette, as well as the 1963–1971 Mercedes-Benz W113 series of two-seaters. Because the convertible top mechanism is itself expensive, the hard roof was customarily offered as an additional, extra-cost option. On early Thunderbirds (and Corvettes through 1967), buyers could choose between a detachable hardtop and a folding canvas top at no additional cost, but paid extra for both.

The metal-framed "Carson top" was a popular addition for the 1930s Ford convertibles or roadsters because it turned these models into an almost instant hardtop.{{cite magazine |last=Howley |first=Tim |title=A History of Hardtops |magazine=Hemmings Classic Car |publisher=Hemmings Motor News |date=April 2006 |url= https://www.hemmings.com/blog/article/a-history-of-hardtops |access-date=26 December 2022}} The design mimicked a convertible top, but lacking the bulky folding mechanisms enabled the removable hardtop to have a much lower and more rakish profile.{{cite web |url=http://auto.howstuffworks.com/pisano-ogden-buick-custom-car.htm |author= |title=Pisano/Ogden Buick: Profile of a Custom Car |date=19 September 2007 |website=howstuffworks.com |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201129112135/http://auto.howstuffworks.com/pisano-ogden-buick-custom-car.htm |archive-date=29 November 2020 |access-date=10 March 2022}}

Improvements in canvas tops have rendered the detachable hard roof less common in part because the top cannot be stored inside the vehicle when not in use, requiring a garage or other storage facility. Some open cars continue to offer it as an option. For example, the Mazda MX-5 has an accessory hardtop, which is compulsory for some auto racing series.

File:VOLVO C70(in transforming).JPG retractable hard roof with folding segments]]

{{main|Retractable hardtop}}

A retractable hardtop — also known as "coupé convertible" or "coupé cabriolet" — is a car with an automatically operated, self-storing hardtop (as opposed to the textile-based roof used by traditional convertibles).

The benefits of improved climate control and security are traded off against increased mechanical complexity, cost, weight, and often reduced luggage capacity.{{Citation needed|date=September 2021}}

File:MG TD - Flickr - exfordy (4).jpg open two-seater with tonneau cover over the passenger seat and luggage space]]

{{main|Tonneau}}

Folding textile convertible tops often fail to completely hide their internal mechanism or can expose their vulnerable underside to sun exposure and fading. A tonneau cover provides a solution.

Rear windows are often part of the roof assembly. Traditionally, the rear window in a soft-top was made from plastic; however, more recently some convertibles have used glass for the rear window.{{cite web|title=Convertible Buying Guide|url= https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/cars/convertibles/buying-guide/index.htm |website=consumerreports.org |access-date=29 April 2018}}

A windblocker or wind deflector minimizes noise and rushing air reaching the occupants.{{cite web|title=Convertible buying info: Top-down driving |url= https://www.edmunds.com/convertible/ |website=edmunds.com |access-date=29 April 2018}} According to the engineer responsible for the 2008 Chrysler Sebring, its windblocker reduces wind noise by approximately 11 to 12 dB.{{cite press release|title=2008 Chrysler Sebring Convertible's Solid Structure and Systems Deliver Smooth Driving, Tight Handling and a Quiet Ride |via=prnewswire |work=Chrysler Group |date=30 March 2007 |url= http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2008-chrysler-sebring-convertibles-solid-structure-and-systems-deliver-smooth-driving-tight-handling-and-a-quiet-ride-51677072.html |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20121013091849/http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2008-chrysler-sebring-convertibles-solid-structure-and-systems-deliver-smooth-driving-tight-handling-and-a-quiet-ride-51677072.html |archive-date=13 October 2012 |access-date=10 March 2022}}

Several convertibles are available with a heating duct to the neck area of the seat, which is often called an "Air Scarf". Examples of cars with this feature include Mercedes-Benz SLK-Class, Mercedes-Benz SL-Class, and Audi A5/S5.

Modern safety features specifically for convertibles include:

• rollover protection structures (ROPS) with pyrotechnically charged roll hoops hidden behind the rear seats that deploy under rollover conditions
• heated rear window (for improved visibility)
• boron steel-reinforced A-pillars
• safety cage construction – a horseshoe-like structure around the passenger compartment 
• door-mounted side-impact airbag which inflates upward (instead of downward like the typical curtain airbag) to provide head protection even with an open window{{cite web|url= http://www.autoblog.com/2005/09/30/volvo-c70-safety-the-next-generation |title=Volvo C70 - safety, the next generation| website=autoblog.com}}

Convertibles have offered numerous iterations that fall between the first mechanically simple fabric tops to complex retractable roofs made from hard materials:

{{anchor|Roadster}}

Roadster: A roadster (also called spider or spyder) is an open two-seat car with emphasis on sporting appearance or character. Initially, an American term for a two-seat car with no weather protection, usage has spread internationally and has evolved to include two-seat convertibles.

{{anchor|Cabrio coach}}

Cabrio coach: A cabrio coach (also called semi-convertible) has a retractable textile roof, similar to a traditional convertible. The difference is that a convertible often has the B-pillar, C-pillar and other bodywork removed. However, the cabrio-coach retains all bodywork to the top of the door frames and just replaces the roof skin with a retractable fabric panel.

An advantage of a cabrio coach is that retaining more of the car's original structure means that structural rigidity is higher (or the vehicle weight is lower) than traditional cabriolets.{{cite web|title=The Semi-Convertible or Cabrio Coach: It's About Being Chic and Strong at the Same Time|url= https://www.autoevolution.com/news/the-semi-convertible-or-cabrio-coach-it-s-about-being-chic-and-strong-at-the-same-time-94469.html |website=autoevolution.com |date= 15 April 2015 |access-date=5 April 2018}} An example of the cabrio coach is the 2003-10 C3 Pluriel, which has a roof with five possible configurations.{{cite web |title=Citroen C3 Pluriel (2003–) Review |url= http://www.channel4.com/4car/rt/citroen/c3+pluriel/77/2 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071105042553/http://www.channel4.com/4car/rt/citroen/c3%2Bpluriel/77/2 |archive-date=5 November 2007 |df=dmy-all }}{{cite web |title=Citroen C3 Pluriel |website=honestjohn.co.uk |date=28 May 2003 |url=http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/?id=83 |access-date=3 February 2014 |archive-date=12 January 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100112011400/http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/road_tests/?id=83 |url-status=dead }}

{{anchor|Fixed-profile}}

File:Fiat 500 Cabrio, Bj. 2009 (2009-07-23) ret.jpg

Fixed-profile: In contrast to convertibles where the entire bodywork above the beltline (doors, roof, side pillars, side bodywork) is replaced with a folding or retractable roof, the fixed profile convertible retains portions of fixed bodywork including the doors, side pillars, and side elements of the roof — while a center fabric portion slides back and accordions at the rear. As an example, Citroën's 1948 Citroën 2CV featured rigid bodysides and two doors on each side, along with a sunroof that rolled back on itself and extended to the rear bumper in place of a separate trunk lid. Other fixed-profile convertibles include the 1957 Autobianchi Bianchina Trasformabile, 1957 Vespa 400, 1950 Nash Rambler Landau Convertible Coupe, the Nissan Figaro (1991), the Jaguar XJ-SC (1983), the 1957 Fiat 500 and its 2007 Fiat 500 successor, as well as the Microlino Spiaginno (2024). The 1984 Heuliez-designed Citroën Visa Décapotable used elements of a fixed-profile convertible.

{{anchor|Four-door}}

Four-door: Most convertibles have two doors. However, four-door convertibles have been mass-produced. Examples include the 1940-41 Cadillac Series 62, 1931 Chrysler Imperial Dual Cowl Phaeton and 1961-67 Lincoln Continental.{{cite book |author= |title=Cars Of The Sizzling 60s: A Decade Of Great Rides And Good Vibrations |date=1997 |publisher=Publications International |edition=First |isbn=9780785324355 |pages=68–69, 307}} Current production four-door convertibles include the Jeep Wrangler Unlimited.{{cite web|title=Jeep history in the 2000s|url= https://www.jeep.com/history/2000s.html#cj-3a |website=jeep.com |access-date=8 May 2018}}{{cite web |title=2017 Jeep Wrangler|url= https://www.edmunds.com/jeep/wrangler/2017/ |website=edmunds.com |access-date=8 May 2018}}

Peugeot presented a concept four-door retractable hardtop convertible, the Peugeot 407 Macarena in 2006.{{cite web |title=¡Hey, Macarena! Heuliez Creates an Open-Top Peugeot 407 |work=Edmunds |date=18 January 2006 |url= http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId=109085 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20061219010531/http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do/News/articleId%3D109085 |archive-date=19 December 2006 |access-date=25 June 2022}} Produced by French coachbuilding specialist Heuliez, the Macarena's top can be folded in 60 seconds, with a steel reinforcing beam behind the front seats incorporating LCD screens for the rear passengers into the crossmember.

{{anchor|Off-road}}

Off-road: Several off-road vehicles have been produced with removable soft tops.{{cite web|title=Evolution Of The Convertible SUV|url= https://autowise.com/convertible-suv-history/ |website=autowise.com |date= March 2018 |access-date=8 May 2018}} Examples include the Jeep Wrangler, Suzuki Vitara, Suzuki Jimny,{{cite web|title=Suzuki Jimny 2005 - 2012 |url= https://www.autoevolution.com/cars/suzuki-jimny-2005.html |website=autoevolution.com |access-date=8 May 2018}} Ford Bronco, Land Rover Defender, Mercedes-Benz G-Class{{cite web|title=2018 Mercedes-Maybach G650 Landaulet |url= https://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2018-mercedes-maybach-g650-landaulet-first-ride-review |website=caranddriver.com |date=12 February 2017 |access-date=8 May 2018}} as well as early models of the Toyota Land Cruiser and Land Rover Defender. Typically, the soft tops attach to the roll cage or to the installation points on the vehicle's body.

{{anchor|Landaulet}}

Landaulet: A landaulet (also known as landaulette) is where the rear passengers are covered by a convertible top.{{cite book|last=Georgano |first=Nick |author-link=G.N. Georgano |title=Beaulieu Encyclopedia of the Automobile |year=2001 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-57958-367-5 |page=216}}{{cite book |last=Clough|first=Albert L. |title=A dictionary of automobile terms |year=1913 |publisher=The Horseless Age Company |lccn= 13003001 |url= https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofauto00clourich |access-date= 1 September 2014 |page=[https://archive.org/details/dictionaryofauto00clourich/page/185 185]}}{{cite book| title=The Merriam-Webster new book of word histories| url= https://archive.org/details/merriamwebsterne00merr |url-access=registration |date=1991 |publisher=Merriam-Webster |lccn=91029965 |isbn=9780877796039 |quote=The motor landaulet was essentially an enclosed sedan or coupe with a folding top at the extreme rear quarter, over the rear seat. |pages= [https://archive.org/details/merriamwebsterne00merr/page/358 358]–359 |access-date=25 June 2022}} Often the driver is separated from the rear passengers with a partition, as per a limousine.

In the second half of the 20th century, landaulets were used by public figures (such as heads of state) in formal processions. They are now rarely used, for fear of terrorist attacks.

{{anchor|Victoria}}

Victoria-Cabriolet: reminiscent of the victoria carriage style, a three-position convertible. No rear side windows and equipped with a soft top that can be raised partway, leaving the area above the front seats folded back.{{citation |ref=IDABS |url= https://books.google.com/books?id=6GQoDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA34 |title=Illustrated Dictionary of Automobile Body Styles |edition=Second |first=Lennart W. |last=Haajanen |page=34 |date=2017 |publisher=McFarland |isbn=9780786499182 |via=Google Books |access-date=25 June 2022}} This body style had a short period of popularity, mainly in the 1930s. Other names include Cabriolet/Coupé Milord (or just Milord), Calash (from Calèche), Folding Head DHC, three-position Drop-head Coupé, or Cabriolet toit de 3 positions.Haajanen, p. 35

File:Late model Ford Model T.jpg|Ford Model T circa 1925, with minimal weather protection

File:Bentley 4,5 Litre Sporting Four Seater 1929.jpg|Bentley 4½ Litre 1929 with luxury snap-on and thumbscrew side screens

File:Aero (2556664052).jpg|Aero 500 from 1929

File:1934 ford model 40 750 De Luxe Phaeton.jpg|Ford Phaeton 1934 open four-door touring car

File:1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster.jpg|1937 Delahaye 135MS Roadster

File:1953.mg.td.arp.jpg|MG TD circa 1953, with manual soft top and detachable side screens with plastic windows

File:Lancia D23 Spyder 1953.jpg|Lancia D23 Spyder 1953

File:1955 Porsche 550 Spyder interior.jpg|1955 Porsche 550 Spyder

File:1936 Packard Custom Convertible Victoria - LeBaron - fvl.jpg|1936 Packard One-Twenty Convertible Victoria with the top in the semi-open (second) position

File:1950-nash-001.jpg|Fixed-profile circa 1950 Nash Rambler Convertible "Landau" Coupe{{cite web |last1=Niedermeyer |first1=Paul |title=Junkyard ClassicMiat/Automotive History: 1955 Rambler Cross Country – How Rambler Won The Compact And Price Wars Of The 1950s And Saved AMC |url= https://www.curbsideclassic.com/curbside-classics-american/junkyard-classic-1955-rambler-cross-country-wagon-how-rambler-won-the-1950s-compact-war/ |publisher=Curbside Classic |date=25 January 2021 |access-date=25 June 2022}}

File:Heckel Advertising 3.jpg|Škoda 450 from 1957

File:Mercedes-Benz Typ 300 d Landaulet 2.jpg|Mercedes-Benz 300d landaulet in operation

File:Paris - Retromobile 2012 - Skoda Felicia - 1959 - 002.jpg|Škoda Felicia from 1959

File:1962 Lincoln Continental convertible (6262975751).jpg|Lincoln Continental circa 1962, four-door with automatic, self-storing tonneau

File:Ma 1963 E-type.JPG|Jaguar E-type 1963, with vinyl foldable tonneau installed and snap-secured

File:1966 Mercedes-Benz 230SL convertible (10560521576).jpg|Mercedes SL 1964, available with a detachable hardtop

File:Rolls Royce Phantom V State Landaulette 1966.jpg|1966 Rolls-Royce Phantom V landaulet

File:1971eldofront.jpg|Cadillac Eldorado 1972, with detachable, two-part, fully rigid "parade boot" tonneau cover

File:2cv pinkdylan frome.jpg|Citroën 2CV fixed profile convertible circa 1975, with roll-back roof and rigid doors

File:May 2011 Parade - beginning.jpeg|ZIL-410441 parading on Victory Day 2011.

File:1986 RR Corniche II rear.jpg|Rolls Royce Corniche circa 1986, with a manually installed tonneau cover

File:Allante.jpg|Cadillac Allanté circa 1993, with detachable, rigid plastic tonneau cover

File:Volkswagen New Beetle Cabriolet Red IAA 2003.jpg|Volkswagen New Beetle circa 2003, with raised textile top

File:Porsche Boxster hr silver.jpg|Porsche Boxster circa 2004, with detachable clear plastic windblocker and a Z-fold top{{cite web|title=2007 Porsche Boxster |website=conceptcarz.com |url= http://www.conceptcarz.com/vehicle/z13054/Porsche_Boxster/default.aspx |access-date=6 March 2011}}

File:Citroen C3 Pluriel rear 20071104.jpg|Citroën C3 Pluriel circa 2007 with roll-back textile roof and removable rigid sidebars

File:Fiat 500C 1.2 8V Lounge – Heckansicht, 16. April 2011, Düsseldorf.jpg|A Fiat 500 (2007) fixed-profile convertible

File:Jaguar XK8 Cabriolet rear 20070520.jpg|Jaguar XK circa 2008, with heatable glass rear window and fully automatic cloth top

File:1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Galaxie Skyliner convertible (7026234411).jpg|1959 Ford Fairlane 500 Skyliner

File:Daihatsu.copen.arp.750pix.jpg|Daihatsu Copen circa 2001 with retracted hardtop, kei class

File:Chevrolet SSR.jpg|Chevrolet SSR circa 2004, a retractable hardtop convertible pickup truck

File:Paris 2006 - Ford Focus CC.JPG|Ford Focus CC circa 2006 with its roof retracted

File:Mazda MX-5 hardtop.jpg|Mazda MX-5 circa 2007, with polycarbonate hardtop{{cite magazine|url= http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061009/FREE/61003001/1004|title=2007 Mazda MX-5 Miata Power Retractable Hardtop|access-date=6 March 2011 |magazine=Autoweek |first=Mark|last=Vaughn|date=10 September 2006 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110604014736/http://www.autoweek.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20061009%2FFREE%2F61003001%2F1004 |archive-date=4 June 2011|url-status=dead}}

File:Cadillac XLR 2006.jpg|Cadillac XLR circa 2007, with aluminum hardtop concealed by tonneau cover

File:Volkswagen Eos Front-view.JPG|Volkswagen Eos circa 2007 with five-segment top and independent sunroof

{{Commons category|Convertibles|lcfirst=yes}}

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

• Targa top
• NASCAR Convertible Division
• Vinyl roof
• Sunroof

{{div col end}}

{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book|last=Adler|first=Dennis|date=2011|title=Convertibles|series=First Gear series|location=Minneapolis, MN|publisher=Motorbooks|isbn=9780760340202}}
• {{Hirsch-LastAmConvs}}
• {{Holmes-UltConv}}
• {{Langworth-GreatAmConv}}
• {{Wieder-GreatAmConv}}

{{refend}}

{{Automobile configuration}}

{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Convertible (Automobile)}}

car body style

Category:Automotive styling features