Are convertibles no longer cool?

Convertible's Hot Streak Ends As Boomers Get Stodgy, Safe

Highlights from the Wall Street Journal Article:
  

Bad news for boomers: Now, even your convertible's having a midlife crisis. After gaining ground for more than a decade, the perennial car of the summer is seeing a surprising drop in sales -- and prestige. From Porsche's Boxster to Lexus's SC 430, most convertible sales are down 20% to 40% so far this year, with Ford suspending production of a once-hot model and many makers offering discounts. And while car makers say they're still hoping for a rebound, here's one telling omen: Even James Bond has switched to a hardtop.

The economy, of course, is behind some of this, with some buyers calling drop-tops too self-indulgent for the times. (Difference between BMW's budget hardtop and convertible : $7,000.) But convertibles may be on the front end of a longer slide: Young buyers are increasingly snubbing them, while baby boomers are going for cars that are safer, more conservative -- and just don't mess up their hair. "You're dealing with a very fashion-conscious end of the business," says Jeremy Anwyl, president of Edmunds.com, an online auto-shopping service.

"Convertible sales are like hemlines," says Art Spinella of CNW Marketing Research in Bandon, Ore. "They go up when the economy is booming and down when it's weak."

 On "CSI Miami," they drive a hardtop Hummer, a far cry from the ubiquitous drop-tops of "Miami Vice."

In fact, perhaps the worst thing for car makers is that these things may be getting the reputation as a fogey car. The "average" convertible buyer turned 50 last year -- two years older than car buyers as a whole, according to Strategic Vision of San Diego. Younger buyers, meanwhile, are snubbing drop-tops for SUVs and even hatchbacks: Drivers 35 years old and younger make up just 20% of convertible buyers, according to J.D. Power, down from 29% in 2000. In all, the shifting tastes have translated into a 12% drop in new convertible registrations through March, says market researcher R.L. Polk, compared with an overall drop in car registrations of just 2.4%.

Soft Tops, Soft Prices

Here are some of the convertibles currently on the market, with the deals available -- plus a look at models coming out soon. For upcoming cars, prices are estimated.