The number of convertibles available in the UK has halved since 2005

Summer is often the time of year when drivers consider a convertible, but buyers might be disappointed to learn that the number of new drop-tops available has more than halved since 2005.

Though the UK is dubbed as the ‘convertible capital of Europe’, across the 30 most popular car brands in Britain, there are only 24 new convertibles available. This is a sharp 56 per cent fall on the 54 different drop-tops available between 2005 and 2010.

Research by online marketplace Car Gurus also showed that convertible car sales reached an 18-year-low in 2022, with just 16,486 cars of this type registered. This represents a sharp fall on the 94,484 new convertibles sold at their peak in 2004.

Vauxhall has been absent from the convertible market since 2018 when it stopped selling its Cascada, while Citroen and Peugeot have both pulled out of the segment in recent years.

Audi, BMW and Mercedes have all significantly cut back on the number of convertibles they sell, while Mercedes will soon consolidate its C-Class and E-Class Cabriolets into a single product – the CLE.

Chris Knapman, editorial director at Car Gurus UK, said: “UK motorists’ love affair with convertible cars is well documented. Historically – and despite our variable summers – the UK has generally purchased more convertibles than our European neighbours.

“However, our data shows interest in open-top motoring has been in decline. Reduced choice in new inventory hasn’t helped this as manufacturers have increasingly switched their model lines to crossovers and SUVs, which are rarely available as convertibles. And, while we are seeing the first electric convertibles enter the market, they are still a rare commodity, at least for now.”