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Folding sunroofs (often called rag-tops or cabrio coach) are a European tradition. They offer the convenience of a sunroof, with an opening more like a convertible. The panel is made of fabric (often vinyl), which folds back as it slides open. After a long absence in European and North American markets, folding sunroofs have experienced a ...
The company was founded by Heinz Prechter in Los Angeles, California as the American Sunroof Company in 1965. In 2004, the aftermarket sunroof business was sold to Inalfa, and the company changed its name from American Sunroof Company to American Specialty Cars, with a "new emphasis on handling design, engineering and manufacturing of low-volume niche vehicles".
A 2006 New York Times article suggested the retractable hardtop might herald the demise of the textile-roofed convertible, [1] and a 2007 Wall Street Journal article suggested "more and more convertibles are eschewing soft cloth tops in favor of sophisticated folding metal roofs, making them practical in all climates, year-round."
The Springfield design featured folding upper frames on the doors and the rear glass frames are removable and stored under or behind the seats. [13] In the late teens, Cadillac offered a sedan with removable "B" pillars. Another form of early pillarless hardtop is the "California top", originating in Los Angeles and most popular from 1917 to 1927.
The majority of convertible roofs are of a folding construction framework with the actual top made from cloth or other fabric. Other types of convertible roofs include retractable hardtops (often constructed from metal or plastic) and detachable hardtops (where a metal or plastic roof is manually removed and often stored in the trunk ).
Targa and T-top numbers have slowly declined as manufacturers discontinued them in favour of full convertibles with retractable hardtops and folding metal roofs such as the Mercedes-Benz SLK, and by better structural engineering with pop-up roll-over bars behind the seats and front roll-over bars incorporated into the front windscreen.