I purchased a Nissan Altima Hybrid last week and really enjoy driving the car. But today was one of those rare days in New England when its not too hot - not too cold - so I was tooling around in my classic 1993 SAAB convertible when it dawned on me that no one makes a hybrid convertible - do they?? This seems like an idea whose time has come.

There are after-market conversions that add a moon-roof. But there isn't a convertible hybrid, yet. The biggest problem is the roof forms an important structural member for today's hybrids. But curiously, the Camry hybrids in Kentucky are also made on the same line that makes the Solara . . .

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

After I posted this thread I realized why there aren't any hybrid convertibles. My SAAB convertible has only about a 10 cu/ft trunk because of the space the top takes up when lowered. Try adding a battery pack and the trunk would probably be reduced to being only able to carry a toothbrush.

But it would be nice to travel in "stealth" mode with the top down to really experience the quiet operation.

All I can say is that if they made a Lexus SC430, I'd do something I say I'll never do: but a luxury car.

The Solara is UGLY compared to the SC430. I wish they'd do a hybrid s2000, but there's no trunk space in that car at all.

on those nice days i wish my insight was a pop-top too. anybody have a can opener i could borrow?

2000 Honda Insight. Kenwood MP3 head unit, Blaupunkt door speakers, dual Cobalt amps, 3 MTX stealth subs, 4th very-high-mounted brake light, Sumitomo tires, yellow-top, hot induction air mod, tinted, SG2, MIMA, center armrest.


best tank 78.4 mpg

I was looking at a Saturn Aura awhile back and read that they offer a mega sunroof that opens over both the front and back seats - I think. If they offer that option on their new greenline Aura then that's probably about the closest you could get to open air driving in a hybrid.

Besides the trunk space loss to the battery pack there is the aerodynamic losses when the top is down.

Be patient. It will happen, it will just take a little time.

Pearl is a
2007 Driftwood Pearl Prius
Package "B" (everything but leather, nav, and rear camera)

Doing a 'thought experiment', it occurs to me that the profile of the trunk might make a pretty nice profile for a 'hard top.' I could see a convertible that is a shell that fits exactly over the trunk when down. There would be mechanical linkage challenges but nothing insurmountable. It may take a power assisted trunk when the shell is on the back. Still, it would be 'way cool' and might lead to two-story tail lights, again, way cool.

Bob Wilson

Operation Iraqi Oil Freedom:

Automatic, stock, project car.

My other 1500 cc car:

Automatic, stock, backup car.
Free speech, dialog and knowledge thrives without the poison of SPAM.

I assumed the main thing they'd be worried about is weight... are there really big aerodynamic losses with convertibles?

The Ford Escape Hybrid, as well as the Mercury Mariner Hybrid, offer a moon-roof as a factory option.

Though, for those nice not-too-hot/not-too-cold days, I just drive the Mustang GT convertible and "suffer" with the V8 slurping up gas.