The Rise and Fall of Retractable Hardtops

In 2007 it seems every car company had a convertible with a fancy electric retractable hard top, but nowadays they seem to be abandoning them for soft tops. Why did they suddenly become popular, almost 100 years after they were invented, and why are they now disappearing, almost as quickly as they appeared?

Images of the Chrysler Thunderbolt opening are courtesy of Richard Truesdell.

Intro music: In/Out by Public Memory from the YouTube audio library.

Sources:

#bigcar

[BigCar]

Erratum: Georges Paulin didn't of course world for the British Resistance, but the French Resistance (working with the British). My mouth got ahead of me!

[Swat_Dennis]

To be honest… I like how it looks, I hate softtops…

[kenxiong]

Idk about everyone else but I prefer a retractable hardtop over a soft top. I’ve had both and I can tell you it’s a whole helluva harder to keep the interior hot or cold with a cloth top. Plus criminals can’t cut a hardtop as opposed to a soft top. Oh and did I mention better roller over protection?!!! Don’t forget wind noise too

[ekolekol]

Bloody crossovers, soon there will be no estates (wagons), no hatchbacks, no roadsters, no convertibles, no coupes. Choice will be reduced to a black, silver or white crossover\suv. You'd get more choice buying a fridge.

[petersimpson]

As a former owner of a Triumph Spitfire with a bolt-on hard top, I concur that they are way quieter and make for a more refined and rigid drive. Let's hope in a few years you make a video on the embarrassing craze that was the SUV.

[Dr.TJ_Eckleburg]

I got one of the first SLKs brand new in late 1998 (as a 99 model). I remember putting the top down in public... crowds would gather. It was really a spectacle that nobody had ever seen before.

[sapienproductions]

I'm hoping in about 10 years you will have a video on the SUV fad that needs to disappear ASAP.

[tonycatman]

My boss bought an SLK when he sold the company.

It was pretty impressive. Merc got lots of things right that others got wrong.

- The remote control would operate the roof, and it was smooth and looked cool.
- Open tops need to have a different wind-flow pattern, otherwise you get dirt and wind in your ear when driving at speed, or a whirlwind behind your head.
- The chassis needs to be much stiffer.
- The interior needs to be different - more waterproof and easier to clean.
- The dashboard needs to be different, or you can't see the dials when the sun shines on them.

[FroyourHistory]

I like Hard Tops; they look great as I never liked the mismatched materials of a soft top. With me being young I never even thought they were a trend. I just thought they were as prevalent as soft tops. It's a shame to see them go.

[juanordonezgalban]

The ferrari Portofino is gorgeous. Hard tops can look incredible when done well

[Omphaloskopie]

here is my hot take: with a soft top everybody sees you have a cabriolet, even when its up.

[danmccarthy]

I bought my SLK 230 in July 2013. Even now, 8 years later I love looking at the car parked next to me in a parking lot so I can watch the top work in the reflection. :)

[seanmettam-fox]

The VW Eos roof is an engineering masterclass, as it also has an opening tilt and slide glass sunroof!

[josephlynn]

As the owner of a soft top I do envy the improved refinement on the motorway hardtops offer. And it would be nice to feel as safe parking anywhere as you do with a hardtop.

[antraxxslingshots]

On top of that some cars are easily totaled when they get a rearimpact with the hardtop in the boot.

[BigCar]

The section from 2:08 to 2:18 has been blurred because these images are copyright. The copyright holder has just informed me.
Update - this has been resolved amicably.

[nadeemchaudhry]

Another brilliant and well researched video!!
This morning I was wandering when the next video will be up, 5 hours later, here it is!!
Coincidence or great customer

[nigellamaccini]

I love these videos they cover so many obscure but important car stuff that most others never get into - cracking research

[marcusnolte]

I drove and loved the last generation Volvo C 70, in my view one of the most beautiful 4 seater convertibles, as it looked like a coupé closed with all the right proportions (no oversized boot) and just beautiful open.

[votekyle]

My 2011 Volvo C70 thanks you for this overview. I don’t think I’ll ever get rid of it, it’s irreplaceable