Convertible Class

A convertible is a type of automobile in which the roof can retract and fold away, converting it from an enclosed to an open-air vehicle. Many different automobile body styles are manufactured and marketed in convertible form. Roof designs vary widely, but a few characteristics are common to all convertibles. Roofs are affixed to the body of the vehicle and are usually not detachable. Instead the roof is hinged and folds away, either into a recess behind the rear seats or into the boot or trunk of the vehicle. The roof may operate either manually or automatically via hydraulic or electrical actuators; the roof itself may be constructed of soft or rigid material. Soft-tops are made of vinyl, canvas or other textile material; hard-top convertibles have roofs made from steel, aluminum, carbon fiber or plastic materials. A soft-top convertible may also be referred to as a cabriolet or cabrio or spyder, although two-seater soft tops often retain the name roadster, referring to their body style. Hard-tops are marketed under the terms coupé cabriolet, coupé convertible or simply retractable hardtop, while two-seaters more commonly use coupé roadster. Convertibles offer the flexibility of an open top in trade for potentially reduced safety, poor break-in protection, generally poor structural rigidity, deterioration and shrinkage of the sun-exposed textile fabric over time, diminished rear visibility, small rear window or obstructed rear window.