With Britain baked in record high temperatures this week and plenty more sun predicted for the summer, motorists might be thinking now's the time to buy a convertible car... but they'll struggle to find one in showrooms.

That's because top-down cars are rapidly accelerating towards extinction.

The number of new convertible models on sale in the UK has slipped to a 20-year low, with just 11 soft-top cars available from the 30 most popular brands.

In the last 12 months, the number of available roadsters and cabriolets has plunged by 31 per cent, according to market analysis by used car website CarGurus.

Despite Britain’s comparatively mild climate, we are historically one of Europe’s biggest markets for cars with retractable tops.

This is because motorists on the continent are well aware that it can be too hot in the summer to be exposed to the elements, instead preferred a conventional hardtop and the benefits of air conditioning.

But fans of wind-in-hair motoring in Britain are now faced with limited options, as the number of available models has fallen from 37 cars in 2005 to a mere 11 today – a market erosion of 70 per cent.

Yet there is still demand for drop-top models, with the average price of used convertibles increasing by 10 per cent in the last year alone.

CarGurus says that since 2020, convertible options on the market have declined by 62 per cent, 'making remaining vehicles in this body style harder to find'.

Alongside fewer model choices, the number of manufacturers that offer a convertible has dropped into single digits for the first time since the turn of the millennium. 

In 2026, only nine of the UK’s top 30 automotive brands still offer a convertible, compared with 14 in 2020 and 19 in 2010. 

As a result, seven in ten of the UK's most popular manufacturers no longer sell a soft-top.

Just BMW, Fiat, Ford, Mazda, MG, Mini, Mercedes-Benz, Porsche, and Volkswagen continue to compete in the fast-diminishing segment.

The past year has seen some massive open-top names axed from the market. 

BMW trimmed its convertible line-up from five models to two, with the Z4, 8 Series, and M8 convertibles all being ditched. However, its 4 Series and M4 convertible remain.

Porsche also discontinued the 718 Boxster, yet it still has the 911 on sale as a Cabriolet or a Targa.

Jeep exited the convertible market entirely in the last 12 months.

Mazda continues to sell its evergreen MX-5 - the world's best-selling roadster - and buyers can still get their hands on open-top versions of the Ford Mustang, Mercedes CLE and SL AMG, and the Mini.

VW's T-Roc Cabriolet was also included in the list of 11 cars, though that is also due to be discontinued shortly with the arrival of a new generation T-Roc that's without the option of a drop-top. 

The transition to EVs hasn't seen much of a renaissance for cabriolet cars either. 

Of the 11 new convertible models currently available, only two are fully electric: the MG Cyberster roadster and Fiat 500e cabrio.

But while Britons have less choice in new car showrooms, data suggests this is driving demand for convertibles in the used market. 

According to the CarGurus Price Trends Index, average used convertible prices have risen to approximately £18,000 in the last 12 months.

This makes the convertible the third most expensive body style on average, ahead of SUVs and behind only coupes and pickup trucks.

Chris Knapman, CarGurus UK editorial director, said: 'For years, convertibles were a core part of many manufacturer line-ups, and they brought character and desirability to a brand’s range.   

'Today, they’re becoming an increasingly rare sight as car makers focus investment on SUVs and electrification.'