I read the most terrible thing this morning. Convertible cars are doomed. The motor industry has conspired to take away the bestest, most fun, incredibly enjoyable experience that driving can offer in order to normalise the world into a homogenous gloop of faceless SUVs. Nah mate, ya don’ need a convertible, ‘ave one a these, looks jus like a farkin’ Range Rover, dunnit? Only comes in black…

Hence the number of manufacturers NOT making any convertibles at all for the UK market has grown from 20%, 20 years ago, to 70% now. A tragedy.

What are you supposed to do for your mid-life crisis!!! Run off with the paper-girl? Get a Harley?? Take up line dancing (shoot me now, FFS)??? Acquire a Fender guitar?? Ride an ebike???

But the first option was ALWAYS: get a convertible. Just because you need a car that is functionally almost completely useless. Though if you live in a country like England where it rarely rains and is warm and sunny 365 days a year, you’re ok. Hmmmm. Otherwise, half the car is taken up with ‘the place to store the roof’, you generally lose a couple of seats, there’s wind noise, leaks, and always a risk the roof may get slashed. Or the car may get slashed in, if you leave the top down.

I always wanted a convertible. As a kid I watched a program on tv called “77 Sunset Strip” and the coolest of the characters drove today’s pic. Still, possibly, the most beautiful car ever made. But ‘Cookie’ (the character in the prog) always had the top down. Ok, I get that Sunset Strip in in California, not Hornsey, but still… I fell in love with the concept. As soon as I could afford one, I bought a drop head. A Fiat X19. Another truly beautiful car. And so it went on. I managed never to outgrow the love of that feeling. The freedom. The air. The rain-panic to GET THE TOP UP!!!

And they want to take it away. Government will probably ban it. Or tax it to death. Well, THEY WILL NEVER PUT A LID ON MEEEEEE!!!!!

Had a new idea today for a really cool fitness concept, I’m thinking of taking out the patent. As Mel came back from her ‘spin’ class, I arrived on my ebike. She was sweating like a… sweaty thing, I was cool as ya like. I’d gone further. So I’m going to set up ‘E-spin’ classes. Where the static bikes are all motorised. Like mine. Then you can do the class without all that horrible strain and sweat. Remember: you heard it here first!!!

Happy open-top Wednesday

A xxxx