Convertible

For other uses, see Convertible (disambiguation).
"Cabriolet" redirects here. For the horse carriage, see cabriolet (carriage). For the armchair, see cabriolet (furniture).

2006–2007 Mazda MX-5/Miata roadster
1951 Hudson convertible[1]
2001 BMW M3 convertible

A convertible or cabriolet (/ˌkæbrioʊˈleɪ/) is a passenger car that can be driven with or without a roof in place. The methods of retracting and storing the roof vary across eras and manufacturers.

A convertible car's design allows an open-air driving experience, with the ability to provide a roof when required. A potential drawback of convertibles is their reduced structural rigidity (requiring significant engineering and modification to counteract the side effects of almost completely removing a car's roof).[2][3]

The majority of convertible roofs are of a folding construction framework with the actual top made from cloth or other fabric. 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).

  1. ^ "Hudson Hornet Generation I Convertible". Rīgas Meistardarbnīca. 2015. Retrieved 25 June 2022.
  2. ^ Garrett, Jerry (8 October 2006). "2007 Volkswagen Eos: In Praise of a Convertible Goddess". The New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2011.
  3. ^ "What You Should Know Before Buying a Convertible". Edmunds. Retrieved 6 March 2011.