Black Level Women's Vinyl Top with Zip Black-Large

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Indeed, the Lincoln Town Car was one of the last bastions of all that was good/bad about the vinyl roof (delete as applicable). In addition to its practicality and aesthetic appeal, the soft top ensures that the interior of your VW Golf 1 Cabriolet is watertight. A perfectly sensible car that was derided by many when new, the Marina was a fleet car favourite thanks to its simplicity and low running costs. And what did the upwardly-mobile company car driver dream of having parked outside his house? Why, a range-topping Marina, complete with the vinyl roof that would tell the neighbours they were someone really going places.

All three generations of the Ford Capri were available with a vinyl roof and were best served with a ‘his and hers’ sunstrip and a dixie horn. Offering superb performance in a well-designed car at a price far below that of the main continental competitors. The really telling comparison is that the Sprint’s performance is virtually identical with that of the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV and BMW Tii. It’s exceptional value by any standards.” Things weren’t quite as successful on the second generation Mustang. This 1974 Mustang Ghia features far too much chrome, colour-coded bumpers and a rather bizarre half-vinyl roof. Not nice. The Ford Thunderbird was the original ‘personal luxury car’ and one of the early champions of the vinyl roof’s second coming. The 1962 model was a real thing of beauty. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) once estimated that vinyl roof sales hit 100,000 units a year when the accessory was in fashion, with Automotive News reporting in 1981 that ‘vinyl roofs went on over 40 percent of domestic cars’. Proof, if proof were needed, that the US was a booming market for vinyl.Today, DS Automobiles makes a big thing about how you can personalise your DS with any number of options and accessories. But you won’t find a vinyl roof. By 1977, the vinyl roof was in its twilight years. Knowing a thing or two about the American market, Volvo created the 262C with boulevard cruising in mind, complete with plenty of wood, leather and a vinyl roof. Some say the Austin 1300 GT was a forerunner of the hot hatch. Ignoring the fact it didn’t actually have a rear hatch, of course. Either way, we love it, and are pleased to include it here thanks to the vinyl roof that marked it out from lesser 1100 and 1300 models.

In most cases, a soft top needs to be replaced because of signs of aging, wear or tearing of the fabric. Deterioration can also be the result of deliberate action. This Swedish-Italian affair – the 262C was built by Bertone in Italy – soldiered on until 1981, by which time Volvo had removed the vinyl.

But the vinyl roof wasn’t the preserve of luxury saloons and coupes. Witness this TVR 3000M. Indeed, when TVR created the ‘Martin’ special edition cars – built to commemorate the first decade of Martin Lilley’s ownership of TVR – the cars were painted Rover Tobacco Leaf, with a Rover Mexico Brown model band, finished with a brown vinyl roof. Brown… because the 1970s. If anyone was doubting the coolness factor of a vinyl roof, the Dodge Challenger should mount a very positive case for the defence. Perfection.