Convertibles — once a sign of open-air freedom, road trips and summer adventures — are fading away as the auto industry shifts to all-electric cars and more rugged sport utility vehicles.
Sales of traditional drop-tops such as the Chevrolet Camaro and Ford Mustang, as well as roadsters such as the Mazda Miata, have plummeted in the U.S. to fewer than 100,000 vehicles annually, according to S&P Global Mobility. That’s down from a recent peak of nearly 320,000 vehicles, or 2% of all new U.S. vehicle sales, in 2006, and roughly 144,200, or 0.8%, in 2015.
“The trajectory has been down and there just isn’t as strong of a consumer interest,” said Stephanie Brinley, principal automotive analyst at S&P Global Mobility. “In the transition to electric vehicles, and where do automakers put their development money, it just isn’t going to convertibles.”
Including SUVs that are considered convertibles by federal safety standards, such as the Jeep Wrangler and Ford Bronco, doesn’t help sales too much. Even counting those vehicles, sales last year were down by 26% since 2015. They were off 21% from then until 2019, which is the last year the automotive industry wasn’t experiencing significant production or supply chain disruptions.
The decline in sales has occurred amid a drop in the number of convertibles and roadsters — two-seat vehicles with drop-tops or removable roofs — from 29 models in 2011 to 23 models in 2019. But many current vehicles are high-end or low-volume models from super premium automakers such as Ferrari, Lamborghini, and other luxury carmakers.
Disclaimer
The information contained in South Florida Reporter is for general information purposes only.
The South Florida Reporter assumes no responsibility for errors or omissions in the contents of the Service.
In no event shall the South Florida Reporter be liable for any special, direct, indirect, consequential, or incidental damages or any damages whatsoever, whether in an action of contract, negligence or other tort, arising out of or in connection with the use of the Service or the contents of the Service. The Company reserves the right to make additions, deletions, or modifications to the contents of the Service at any time without prior notice.
The Company does not warrant that the Service is free of viruses or other harmful components
This article originally appeared here and was republished with permission.
