There’s just one problem with these modern marvels: Drivers don’t really want them.
From 2011 to 2015, annual sales of convertibles in the U.S. dropped by 7 percent, according to data from Edmunds.com. In the same period, the U.S. auto industry at-large swelled by 37 percent. Fewer than one in 100 vehicles sold in the U.S, now comes with a foldable top.
"Look at why SUVs are so popular: the higher ride height, the safety, the utility. Convertibles are the exact opposite of all that," said Bloomberg Intelligence analyst Kevin Tynan.
Sure, convertibles aren't very practical. They're usually heavier, more expensive, slower, less agile, and a bit less safe than their hardtop siblings. They are a lark, an upgrade for those who reach the why-the-heck-not layer of socioeconomic strata.
As a result, almost all sports cars are available in a convertible version, from the Ford Mustang to the Lamborghini Huracán (although the sports car segment is in a sales slump of its own). Even some sporty SUVs are capable of letting their hair down, as the Range Rover Evoque does.
Sure, convertibles aren't very practical. They're usually heavier, more expensive, slower, less agile, and a bit less safe than their hardtop siblings. They are a lark, an upgrade for those who reach the why-the-heck-not layer of socioeconomic strata.
As a result, almost all sports cars are available in a convertible version, from the Ford Mustang to the Lamborghini Huracán (although the sports car segment is in a sales slump of its own). Even some sporty SUVs are capable of letting their hair down, as the Range Rover Evoque does.
Overall, however, there are fewer choices for convertible fans. In the U.S. this year, only 36 vehicles come in top-down versions, almost one-third fewer than during the market’s peak in 2008, according to Edmunds.com. What’s disappearing is the pedestrian convertible, the regular point A to point B sedan or coupe that just happens to have a drop top.
Chrysler’s 200 no longer comes as a convertible. Nor does the Toyota Camry. Volkswagen is sending its Eos to the scrap heap, and Volvo's C70 is already gone. The convertible machines that don’t fall in the midlife crisis category are almost all tiny, urban parking pods such as the Fiat 500c, the Smart Fortwo, and the Mini Cooper.
Then there’s the Buick Cascada, mentioned above, which is just now hitting U.S. dealers with a starting price of $33,100. It’s not tiny. Though it has only two doors, the Cascada has four very comfortable seats and 10 cubic feet of trunk space when the top is down.
The Cascada won't save the convertible market. At best, it will pick up what few stragglers remain. For General Motors, however, opting to sell it was a fairly easy decision. The company already sells this thing in Europe under its Opel badge. "It's about remaking the Buick image," said Tynan. "There's no reason for Cascada to exist, but it's a way to create buzz without really doing anything."
If dealers can just convince normal, everyday car shoppers to take a test drive, sales ought to come easily: Just show them the button that puts the top down.