A convertible, cabriolet or spyder/spider is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary between models. A convertible allows an open-air driving experience, with the ability to provide a roof when required. Potential drawbacks of convertibles are reduced structural rigidity (requiring significant engineering and modification to counteract the effects of removing a car's roof) and cargo space.
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| Tesla Model 3 Convertible. Courtesy of cnet.com |
The majority of convertible roofs are a folding construction made from cloth. Other types of convertible roofs include retractable hardtops (often constructed from metal or plastic) and detachable hardtops (where a metal or plastic roof is manually removed and often stored in the trunk).
History
Most of the early automobiles were open-air vehicles without any roof or sides. 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. 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 side curtains.
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| Courtesy of Wikipedia |
In the 1920s, when steel bodies began to be mass-produced, closed cars became available to the average buyer and fully open cars began their disappearance from the mainstream market. By the mid 1930s, the remaining small number of convertibles sold were high priced luxury models.
During the 1970s, popularity of convertibles was severely reduced by the increased travel speeds on roads (resulting in more wind and noise for occupants) and proposed vehicle crash safety standards in the United States. Automobile air conditioning systems and sunroofs were also becoming popular, reducing the demand for convertibles. After the last Cadillac Eldorado convertible was made in 1976, the only convertibles sold in the United States were imported, until Chrysler Corporation introduced 1982 models based on the K-Car. For Chrysler this was the LeBaron, and for Dodge, the 400.
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.
Also in 1989, Toyota released the Toyota Soarer Aerocabin, which uses an electrically operated retractable hardtop roof. Only 500 were produced, however the retractable hardtop design has become increasingly popular in the 21st century.
Currently, models dedicated to the convertible body style include the Mazda MX-5, Porsche Boxster and Opel Cascada. Many other models also include a convertible body style in the model range.
