Convertible cars’ history﻿


The complexity of the beauty

The whole 130-year history of these cars resolved itself into an increase in the level of their practicality: the rapid movement in space, when only a fabric cover separates you from wind, cold and other atmospheric phenomena, is hardly comfortable. Soft cover poorly protected from noise, let the water and wind at the joints with the doors and windshield. Due to the metal structures of the roof frame, the interior of the car with the raised top did not seem particularly comfortable. Moreover, in the cold season, it was more difficult to warm such a salon. The exterior with a raised roof also rarely turned out to be pretty: the frame-tensioning ribs prevented the creation of smooth lines.

In some cases, the designers went through a compromise, creating hybrid versions of the body with removable panels or a partially folding roof. However, the most loyal to the idea of ​​a classic convertible car began to rely on new technologies.

First convertible cars

A convertible car today is an expensive toy with very limited functionality. This has not always been the case. To understand this, it is probably worth taking a look back to the origins of the automotive industry. After all, at the dawn of automobilization, in 1886, when Karl Benz received the first patent for a self-raging trolley, all cars without exception, were cabriolets or even roadsters. Only by the mid-20s people understood that the closed car is much more convenient and comfortable. Nevertheless, convertible cars were still produced for a long time. Moreover, their owners were people of the higher class. The first radical way of raising and lowering the roof appeared in the 30th. The roofs were not from canvas, but all were metal. The progenitor of all modern coupe-cabriolets can be called a revolutionary Peugeot 402 Eclipse. It was an innovation with a hard top. Unluckily, then, in 1936 all the mechanisms were so unreliable that they often failed to work.

The Peugeot used a similar scheme on two of their models- 201 and 601. However, the production was small-scale. Then began the Second World War and the restoration of countries. There was no time for thinking about the new models of cars. Therefore, in Europe they forgot about such cars.

Nevertheless, in a relatively unaffected America, this idea was adopted. Ford engineers surprised the world with a Skyliner model. Moreover, when Peugeot made small cars, Ford revealed to the world a two-door Fairlane 500 Skyliner.

Despite the presence of only two doors, there were six seats in it. The process of driving was supposed to take place without the participation of the driver. It was only needed to press a button on the instrument panel to start the system. However, engineers, and most importantly, consumers, faced the complexity of the system.

The instrumental panel consisted of:

  • Levers
  • latches
  • relays
  • switches
  • seven electric motors.

First, against the course of the movement, the trunk lid was raised. Then the hard roof, which smoothly went back, was released. It was covered by a luggage door. The whole process took about two minutes. Unluckily, the hood sometimes opened on the way. It looked strange and funny.

By the way, if the motors failed, then everything had to be done manually. At the same time, the car weighed almost 200 kilograms more than a sedan, and it cost more than a sedan. It really adds weight to the car, but the complexity is no different from their cloth alternatives. Ford applied the similar system later on the representative Lincoln Continental, although it was possible to order both hard and soft roof for choice. After the 60s, the hard folding top was forgotten. It was revived in 1996 on the Mercedes SLK model. Then there was the Peugeot 206 SS and many others.

Today, the presence of a folding hardtop does not surprise the motorists. Although many manufacturers, especially manufacturers of sports cars, do not honor this system. Convertible cars have a lot of advantages and disadvantages, but still, they are popular in many countries.