It might seem strange in our cash-fuelled, money-isno-object society which is awash with convertibles that there was a time when driving uncovered was not in vogue . . . indeed, by the mid1970s, safety concerns meant that there were practically no convertibles being produced in America. But a revival in the brash 1980s saw a shift in emphasis for the cabriolet . . . no longer was a soft-top solely in the domain of luxury or sports cars, and for many of the hot hatches of the time (Golf GTI, Peugeot 206), a soft top was practically de rigeur.

Of course, the reality is that all early cars were convertible . . . it was only in 1910 that Cadillac developed the first closed body automobile.

But while the newness of driving in a covered car made it fashionable in the early part of the 20th century, it wasn't long before an open-top regained its rightful position as the meaning of style for the driving community.

These days, it is possible to get practically any car as a convertible . . . and manufacturers are becoming more ingenious at differentiating their cabriolets. For example, not many people would associate Opel with convertibles, but in the Tigra TwinTop, it has developed a unique folding roof system which can act as a coupe or cabriolet.

Indeed, there is a whole market for coupe cabriolets (called Retractable Hard Tops in America), which are, in effect, convertibles with metal roofs. And it is notable that Peugeot's current ad campaign points to the fact that it created the first coupe cabriolet in the 1920s.

But the classic convertible is still the soft-top, although even that has changed over the years. For example, the image of having to wind a small handle in a panic as the rain sets in is a thing of the past, or of the classic cars that populate the imaginations of motor enthusiasts. Modern classics include the Saab 9-3, the BMW Z3 and Z4, the Audi TT and the Mercedes SLK, although the SLK is technically a roadster, which means that it does not have the rigid window supports that create a covered coupe when the top is up.

Toyota, Mazda and Peugeot still produce their fair share of soft and hard-top convertibles, thereby moving cabriolets out of the realms of the luxury autos . . .

although the reality is that you will always be paying a bit more for a convertible car than for its coupe counterpart. And, on summer days, it will all seem worthwhile.