The convertible, once the epitome of freedom and rebellion, is vanishing from British roads. In 2005, 109,171 new open-top cars were sold in the UK. Last year, that figure plummeted to just 11,484 – a drop of nearly 90%, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders.
The decline has coincided with the relentless rise of the Sports Utility Vehicle. Last year, SUVs accounted for 59% of car sales across Europe, data from the research company Dataforce GmbH shows. The celebrity endorsement that once belonged to convertibles has shifted to high-riding models like the Lamborghini Urus, the Mercedes-Benz G Wagon and the Bentley Bentayga – now favoured by reality TV stars, footballers and music artists.
“UK convertible sales fell 90% in 20 years, from 109,171 in 2005 to 11,484 last year.”
“SUVs are sports cars for people who can't have sports cars any more,” said Steve Fowler, a leading automotive journalist and founder of the car review website Carblah. “They've got that kind of image that perhaps a convertible used to have.”
But the appeal goes beyond image. “It's a simple fact of people wanting more practicality these days,” Fowler added. “It's very difficult to put the kids, the dog, the bike, and everything else we have in our lives into a convertible.”
That practicality gap has made manufacturers reluctant to invest in open-top models. “It costs so much money to build any car these days,” Fowler explained. “And it's not just as simple as chopping the roof off… with safety regulations and everything else, there's a lot of work that goes into building a convertible.”
Philip Nothard, insight director of Cox Automotive Europe, echoed the sentiment, though his full remarks were not included in the analysis.
Once a symbol of silver-screen elegance – immortalised by Grace Kelly and Cary Grant in a Sunbeam Alpine in To Catch a Thief – and later a badge of rebellion in films like The Graduate and Thelma & Louise, the convertible now struggles to find buyers. The open road with wind in your hair may still be a romantic notion, but for most UK drivers, it seems, the roof stays on.