- The market for convertible vehicles (soft-tops and roadsters) was flourishing in the United States throughout the 50s and 60s. New safety regulations put in place in the 70s (including car flipping ) created a sudden halt in the convertible market. Mercedes was one of the few manufacturers to maintain a loyal customer base for this type of cars (with the SL Series very popular overseas).

- In the 80s, new convertibles appeared (including new security features). The Chrysler Group was one of the first to reoccupy the market (Chrysler Le Baron). Gradually, other manufacturers followed and sales set off again upwards. In the early 2000s, the market for convertibles in the U.S. crossed over 200,000 units per year again, a level that had not been seen since the 70s.

- The crisis of 2008-2009 caused a further drop in car sales, including convertibles (less than 150 000 units sold in 2009 and 2010). Since then, sales have progressively restarted slowly, 140,000 in 2011, 150,000 in 2012 and possibly 160,000 in 2013 (40,000 units in the second quarter).

- In 2013, the best-selling models in the United States are the Ford Mustang and Chevrolet Camaro.

Data source: File #55 - Registrations in the World by makes