I reckon a convertible is a hard top with a motor that drives down the hard top. A cabriolet is a soft top that is taken down (or up) manually. Am I getting there?

Thats what the term has evolved to that nowadays.

what do you mean?

both terms have been around before they invented hard top convertibles

I reckon a convertible is a hard top with a motor that drives down the hard top. A cabriolet is a soft top that is taken down (or up) manually. Am I getting there?

Cabriolet is French for Convertible ;)

I always understood it top be a cabriolet has a roof support bar, where a convertible doesn't.
For instance

Escort Cabriolet:

http://www.escortcabrioletclub.co.uk/pictures/wind_deflectors/184.jpg


3 series Convertible:

http://images.paultan.org/images/BMW_E36_M3_12.jpg

Thats what I've aways thought, could be wrong.

Cabriolet is French for Convertible ;)

Yeah i was thinking that..... Golf clippers use the word cabriolet being german cars and all

thanks people, I'm getting there.

I am sat with a mate who asks what a roadster is, bearing in mind he has a Mazda roadster (2 door 2 seat roofless) car.

I always thought that convertible and cabriolet were one in the same thing.

sorry to seem facetious but i think not..:idea:

I am probably wrong tho

Back in the 70's when all things French were tres chic et exotique, Peugeot had a convertible version of every car in their range. These were labelled "cabriolet", after roof-lesshorse drawn carriages. The name stuck.
In the 60's , Citroen also had a convertible - the DS decapotable. Beautiful car, unpronouncable name.
Translations..
English - Convertible
American- Roadster
French- Cabriolet
Italian- Spider
German- ?

Convertible is an American term, like header.

agreed and they had " convertible" cars since the 50s. and all seem to be hard tops.

Back in the 70's when all things French were tres chic et exotique, Peugeot had a convertible version of every car in their range. These were labelled "cabriolet", after roof-lesshorse drawn carriages. The name stuck.
In the 60's , Citroen also had a convertible - the DS decapotable. Beautiful car, unpronouncable name.
Translations..
English - Convertible
American- Roadster
French- Cabriolet
Italian- Spider
German- Convorsprungdurtechnic

:)

sorry guys, i still aint fully graping the nettle.


Are you saying that any cars whose roof comes down is whatever?

convertible adj 1 capable of being converted. 2 said of a currency: capable of being freely converted into other currencies. noun a car with a fold-down top. convertibility noun. convertibly adverb.

cabriolet noun 1 historical a light two-wheeled carriage drawn by one horse. 2 a car with a folding roof.
ETYMOLOGY: 18c: French, meaning 'little leap', from cabriole.

You say tom-ay-toe, I say tom-are-toe.

Although the pedants will argue for ages, so just call them drop tops:D

They are one in the same, just different branding based on language per manufacturer. Roadsters are 2 seaters with a convertible roof as I understand them.

All just cars for southerners and ladies whom lunch really...

They are one in the same, just different branding based on language per manufacturer. Roadsters are 2 seaters with a convertible roof as I understand them.

All just cars for southerners and ladies whom lunch really...

Ain't no sunshine in my life!

Jaguar have sold the XJS in both the convertable & cabriolet formats.

An early XJS with removable roof sections and a folding rear section, left a "T" bar in place over your head, and they called this a cabriolet

The later cars had a soft top that was fully retractable and left nothing overhead, and they called this a convertable.

Ford did an identical thing with the Escort.

According to the english dictionary Convertible=an automobile or a boat with a folding top.
Whilst cabriolet=an automobile resembling a coupe but with a folding top.
Amount to the same,but woe-betide anybody driving around (Royal) Ascot in a convertible when they should be in a cabriolet...what,what...:norty:

The spelling????:D

I'm getting it now. thanks guys

Oh my god, I'm as confused as the offside rule! :lol1:

i thought a convertable was a vehical which was designed like that
and a cabriolet was designed as a hard top first