At 37, Marianne Faithfull sang about never riding through Paris in a sports car. She, unlike many, did own a convertible; in 1969 she was photographed beside Mick Jagger in a Morgan Plus 8 after a court appearance. Today, most people never experience that wind‑blown thrill, because sales of open‑top cars have fallen sharply.

In Britain, the drop is almost 90 %. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders recorded 53 convertible models in 2005, with 109,171 units sold that year. By 2025 only 36 models remained, and sales fell to 11,464 – just 0.6 % of new registrations, down from 1 % in 2022. Across Europe the range is similarly thin, and in the US S&P Global Mobility data shows a fall from more than 300,000 to around 70,000 since 2004.

SUVs have largely taken the status‑car slot, and soft‑top SUVs look odd, as with the discontinued Range‑Rover Evoque. Global warming also makes hot days uncomfortable for a rag‑top, so many drivers close the top and blast the AC.

A few brands keep the spirit alive – Mazda still makes the MX‑5, BMW offers the 4 Series and 8 Series as soft tops, and Ferrari, Aston Martin, Lamborghini, and McLaren sell pricey soft‑top supercars. Yet the affordable two‑seater is becoming an endangered species. Even Audi has dropped its convertibles.