Hardtop convertibles

Retractable metal roofs are replacing fabric tops on some convertible passenger cars to provide the comfort, quietness, styling, and solid structure of coupes in vehicles with open-air capabilities.

Traditional softtop convertibles have some practical shortcomings to go along with their obvious attractions. When it is up, a soft convertible top poorly insulates occupants from cold and noise compared to the roof of a “closed” vehicle. Loss of the fixed roof can detract significantly from a car's structural integrity, so its engineering development can prove challenging from an NVH standpoint. There is also an issue of security: cars with softtops are more vulnerable to break-ins and vandalism.

With convertible sales booming-topping 300,000 units in the U.S. last year for the first time in 30 years, according to ASC Inc.-more customers than ever are interested in resolutions to these shortcomings. A potential solution is a folding hardtop convertible roof mechanism, but for many years the disadvantages of such designs were greater than the potential benefits, so they remained in the history books rather than new car showrooms. Today's hardtop convertibles provide the comfort, quietness, styling, and solid structure of a coupe, in a vehicle that offers open-air motoring.