Retractable hard-top?
 

I've never been a big fan of ragtops... just don't like the look. But I'd be all over a retractable hard-top. **** the cost. Lots of folks are doing it... why not Ford? :dunno:

Because they're heavy, expensive and give cars huge rear ends. I think they work much better on 2-seaters, rather than 2+2s.


Ford do make a C/C version of the Focus for Europe.

http://automotivecarz.com/wp-content...ew-900x474.jpg

Haha someone actually turned their car into a hard top

I agree with Twin Turbo. It would likely kill the short rear deck profile that the Mustang is known for.
Also, I would like to put the top down and still have some trunk space.
One thing that would be nice is being able to enlarge the trunk space when the top is up.

I agree the roof line/trunk dosen't flow. Is that the definition of butt ugly or what??? I think they need to check out a bimmer. lol

you forget too retractable hard tops leave almost no trunk space. EVEN with the top UP the mechanisms eat a ton of space maybe half to 2/3s.... and with the top down forget about it.... take a look at someones 335 or VW folding hard top, up and down it makes the car completely impractical for daily driving tasks.

not to mention i dont think they look that much better

I saw a retractable hard top S197 I though it looked great.

http://youtu.be/N-cyS_FBTbE

In addition to complaints already listed add squeaking joins between roof panels. Hated the 3 series with the hard drop top. Ugh.

I am imagining a Mustang with no trunk space.

Never mind - that's the way it is now. :poke:

I think BMW pulls it off well, and it would definitely help the car's premium appeal in cities and over in Europe.
http://www.bimmerfest.com/images/BMW...ible_E93_3.jpg

In looks sure, but in functional benefit...NO.

If I drive a convertible my worry isn't trunk space and I'll never buy a rag top personally. Hard top or coupe.

I'm not sure what point you're trying to make, care to expand on your thoughts?

http://www.theautochannel.com/news/2...36345.2-lg.jpg

you can see there how terrible the trunk is with the hardtop up or down, and i think ford would lose many customers who buy to use as their DD and cant afford another car, (they sell alot more v6s than v8s). personally i think the slightly off proportions of the folding hardtop look worse than the contrast of the softtop but thats just me.

I would prefer a well designed, easy to operate and aesthetically pleasing soft top. Hard tops, while nice in many ways, are also rather antithetical to an affordable performance car in terms of cost, complexity, weight and bulk. I'd rather a premium-quality soft top, pretty much like the current Stang Vert's.

+1... though I would to expand on easy to operate. They need to figure out a single central handle for locking the top to the windshield or better yet, automatic locks.
I'd love to be able to open the top from the remote.

VW has the EOS here, I would like to see Ford bring in the C/C version of the Focus. Keep the Mustang with the cloth top, but compete with VW with the Focus, maybe an SVT version... :)

Impeded on trunk space, threw balance of car off when down and the joins in the roof squeezed when up. I was going to trade my '05 330 ci Cabriolet for an '09 with the retractable hardtop but after several drives in different cars I went with the coupe and bemoaned the loss of the ragtop.

Mercedes-benz Does it Pretty well-
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/vehicl...vehicle-design