Sales of convertible cars fell by 8% in the UK last year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), as consumer tastes shift towards SUVs and electric vehicles. The decline has forced British luxury marques such as Aston Martin, Bentley, and McLaren to accelerate their transition to electric roadsters, betting that zero-emission convertibles will recapture the romance of open-top motoring while meeting regulatory demands.
Aston Martin, which produces the Vantage Roadster and the DBS Superleggera Volante, has announced that all new models will be electric by 2026. The company is developing an electric sports car platform codenamed Project Light, which it claims will deliver a convertible variant with a range of 400 miles. Chief executive Lawrence Stroll told investors that the electric roadster will be lighter than its petrol predecessor, partly thanks to a new battery pack integrated into the chassis.
Bentley, the Crewe-based manufacturer owned by Volkswagen Group, plans to launch its first fully electric model in 2025. It has confirmed that the car will be a drophead coupé, following the tradition of the Continental GTC and the Mulliner Bacalar. The company is investing £2.5 billion in a new factory at its headquarters to build the electric roadster alongside hybrid models. Bentley aims to be carbon neutral by 2030.
McLaren, the Woking-based supercar builder, has also committed to an all-electric future. Its next-generation sports car, due in 2027, will be a plug-in hybrid. However, the company is already testing a fully electric two-seater roadster codenamed Project Silver, which is expected to go into production by 2028. Chief executive Michael Leiters said the electric roadster will have a target weight of less than 1,500 kilograms, achieved through a bespoke platform using lightweight materials.
The pivot to electric roadsters is not without risks. Battery packs add considerable weight to convertibles, which traditionally rely on lightweight construction for their handling and driving dynamics. There are also concerns about the structural rigidity of open-top electric cars, which lack the fixed roof that helps protect the battery in a crash. Engineers are developing reinforced sills and composite panels to compensate.
Environmental groups have questioned the sustainability of luxury electric vehicles, which consume large amounts of energy and raw materials in their production. The SMMT noted that the decline in convertible sales reflects a broader trend towards larger, heavier vehicles, which create more emissions over their lifetime. Nevertheless, British luxury carmakers argue that electric roadsters can entice drivers away from petrol-only vehicles, particularly if they offer the same emotional appeal as their predecessors.
The government has supported the shift through grants for research and development. The Advanced Propulsion Centre has awarded £9 million to a consortium led by Aston Martin to develop its electric sports car platform. The initiative forms part of the government's plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.
Industry analysts remain cautious. Philip Nothard, an automotive consultant at Cox Automotive, said that while electric roadsters will appeal to early adopters, the mass market for convertibles is likely to shrink further. “Luxury brands are repositioning themselves for a niche that is becoming even narrower. The success of electric roadsters will depend on how well they capture the essence of driving for pleasure without the internal combustion engine.”
