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The Miata's 9.3 KBB score, the Mustang's V8 growl, the Porsche 911 that immediately starts a conversation — the drop-tops still worth the impracticality in a market that's mostly moved on
Tyler Clemmensen / Unsplash
Convertibles have become a genuinely small niche within the broader car market, with S&P Global $SPGI Mobility finding roughly 70,000 registered in the U.S. across a recent 12-month period, meaning less than 1% of drivers prioritized a drop-top over every other vehicle category available to them, as automakers have shifted focus toward SUVs and trucks that deliver higher profits and appeal to a broader range of buyers.
That shrinking market has left behind a specific, largely enthusiast-driven category, and the 7 convertibles below were chosen specifically for the weekend-drive use case, engaging to drive, genuinely fun with the top down, rather than optimized for daily commuting practicality.
