10 Cool Cars That Rocked Vinyl Tops

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Every generation has its own concept of luxury. Today, luxury in the automotive world is defined by cutting-edge technology, seamless performance, sleek designs, and sometimes even massaging seats. However, for a couple of decades, one hallmark of luxury and class in automobiles was the vinyl roof.

Vinyl roofs date back to the 1920s, initially serving a practical purpose: keeping the rain off the occupants. Vinyl was chosen to mimic the look of a movable top, similar to those on horse carriages. This style fell out of favor in the 1930s when steel became the preferred material for car roofs.

The vinyl roof made a notable comeback with the 1956 Cadillac Eldorado. The Eldorado coupe came in two versions: the Seville (hardtop) and the Biarritz (convertible). To give Seville owners a taste of the convertible life, Cadillac used a vinyl material called Vicodec on the roof, making the Seville resemble a convertible. This trend was soon adopted by other models like the Chrysler Imperial and the Ford Thunderbird, and the vinyl roof became a symbol of automotive elegance.

Interestingly, the vinyl roof trend started as a way to make cars look like convertibles without the hassle of putting the top down. This is why some cars with vinyl roofs have button snaps at the bottom, mimicking the snaps used to secure a convertible top. On non-convertible cars, these snaps were purely decorative, adding to the cool factor.