Sales of convertibles in the UK have collapsed by nearly 90% over the past 20 years, from 109,171 in 2005 to just 11,484 last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. The open-top car, once a symbol of rebellion and sophistication, is now an endangered species.
In the 1950s and 60s, owning a convertible meant style. Hollywood deities Grace Kelly and Cary Grant epitomised silver-screen elegance cruising the French Riviera in a Sunbeam Alpine in *To Catch a Thief*. Later, films like *The Graduate* and *Thelma and Louise* cemented the convertible as an emblem of escapism. But that glamour has faded.
“UK convertible sales have plummeted by 90% over 20 years, overtaken by the SUV boom.”
Today, the rise of the Sports Utility Vehicle has coincided with the convertible's decline. Last year, SUVs accounted for 59% of car sales across Europe, according to Dataforce GmbH. Big is bling: upmarket models such as the Lamborghini Urus, Mercedes-Benz G Wagon and Bentley Bentayga are now favoured by reality TV stars, footballers and music artists.
“It’s a simple fact of people wanting more practicality these days,” said Steve Fowler, founder of the car review website Carblah. “I always say SUVs are sports cars for people who can’t have sports cars any more. They’ve got that kind of image that perhaps a convertible used to have. And it’s very difficult to put the kids, the dog, the bike, and everything else we have in our lives into a convertible.”
Falling demand makes manufacturers reluctant to invest in convertibles. “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, you know there’s a lot of work that goes into building a convertible.”
Philip Nothard, insight director of Cox Automotive Europe, agreed. The convertible’s fate, once a dream car for generations, now seems deeply uncertain as the UK market turns decisively toward the SUV.