In concluding our discussion of convertible cars, we take a look today at why they hold a dear place in the hearts of many people from diverse backgrounds – male and female, young and old, the rich and not-so-rich.
In the UK, car rental firm, Europcar, has conducted some light-hearted research into the driving traits of "the perfect man" — at least as far as women are concerned. More than 20 per cent of women polled said they saw their perfect man driving a convertible, with Audi and BMW being the top brands for all types of vehicles.
A large majority (66%) also wanted their ideal guy to be able to change a tyre while 43% envisioned a man who would fill their car with fuel.
But whether he plays sport or plays a romantic musical instrument, most women agree that the ideal man should be in a convertible at some point — “a car that's says luxury without being flashy." For them, nothing beats an open-air experience on the move.
The beginnings
The very first practical retractable hardtop system was conceived by an American, Ben P. Ellerbeck, in 1922. The system was implied on a Hudson coupe, but the concept was never put into production. In 1935, Peugeot constructed the first power-operated retractable hardtop called the ‘402 Éclipse Décapotable’.
The car was designed and patented by a French Jewish dentist, Georges Paulin, who also worked as a part-time car designer. Paulin’s designs were custom-built by French coachbuilder, Marcel Pourtout, on a larger Peugeot chassis. From 1936, the ‘402 Éclipse Décapotable’ was constructed with a manually operated retractable hardtop in limited numbers, until World War II.
In 1957, Ford marketed the ‘Skyliner’ in the US. Around 48,000 cars were built between 1957 and 1959 due to its notability for complexity and intermittent reliability.
The car featured 10 power relays, 10 limit switches, four lock motors, three drive motors, eight circuit breakers, and 190m of electrical wire, which could raise or lower the top in about 40 seconds when functioning. The car also had some luggage space, but was priced twice as much as a baseline Ford sedan.
The ‘Skyliner’ was however withdrawn abruptly from the market after three years.
The upsides
You might be asking yourself (or your spouse) why you should bypass a regular vehicle and go in for its convertible version. Here are 6 reasons why convertible advocates think you should seriously consider one.
1. A convertible eliminates blind spots. Pull the top down on your convertible, and the dangerous blind spot created by the C-pillar (the column that supports the roof at the back of a car) disappears, leaving an unobstructed 360° visibility. What could be safer than that?
2. A convertible gives you flexibility and responds to your moods. Even on the nicest of days, people occasionally experience sour moods.
Driving a convertible doesn't mean you have to drop the top every time you leave a parking space – you can still choose to huddle beneath the fabric top, preserving that sour face until you are fully ready to face the day. Once you cheer up, you can put the top down and share your shining face with the world.
3. A convertible has unlimited headroom. Imagine the possibilities for taller drivers, passengers and over-sized packages.
4. A convertible fosters an interest in nature and science. Take your children for a late night drive in your convertible, and encourage them to look up at the stars in the sky. Before long, their sharp minds are no longer content with simply stargazing – you may soon be chauffeuring a potential NASA astronaut or rocket scientist.
5. Believe it or not, a convertible might be great for keeping up the good vibes in a relationship going. Think about it – when was the last time you saw an unhappy couple driving around with the top down?
It's much harder to argue in a convertible – the combination of wind noise and public exposure make an argument or fight much less likely in an open convertible than in a closed-up sedan.
6. The ladies just “dig” convertibles. Ladies know that this is true; and if you are not a lady, you will find that driving a convertible will help you to attract and retain a steady stream of male suitors and prospectors.
So there you have it. These should give you compelling enough reasons to go out and rent or buy your own convertible. If you have access to one, enjoy it to the max. If you don’t, make every effort to test-drive one sometime. It will be well worth the effort – that’s for sure.
To comment, visit Facebook.com/Lokomotion Corner or write to me:
