What a “Drop-Top” Car Is Called

A “drop-top” car is most commonly called a convertible; in many regions—especially Europe—the term cabriolet is equally used. The phrase “drop-top” is informal slang referring to any car with a roof that can be lowered or removed, letting the cabin open to the sky.

What “Drop-Top” Means and Where the Term Comes From

In automotive culture, “drop-top” describes cars with retractable or removable roofs designed for open-air driving. The term grew out of enthusiast and hip-hop vernacular and is now broadly understood in motoring and pop culture. While “convertible” is the standard industry term, regional and stylistic variations—like cabriolet, roadster, spider/spyder, and ragtop—add nuance based on seat count, roof material, and historical lineage.

Common Names and How They Differ

The following list explains the most common names you’ll hear for drop-top cars and how they’re typically used, so you can choose the term that best fits the vehicle in question.

• Convertible: The universal, modern term for a car with a retractable or removable roof.
• Cabriolet (Cabrio): Largely synonymous with convertible; widely used by European makers (e.g., Audi A5 Cabriolet).
• Roadster: Traditionally a two-seat convertible emphasizing sportiness (e.g., Mazda MX-5 Miata, Porsche 718 Boxster).
• Spider/Spyder: Italian- and performance-oriented label for convertibles or roadsters (e.g., Ferrari 296 GTS, Porsche 918 Spyder).
• Ragtop: Colloquial term highlighting a fabric soft top; often nostalgic.
• Soft-top: Specifies a fabric roof, manual or power-operated.
• Hardtop convertible: A roof made of rigid panels that fold into the trunk (e.g., older Mercedes SLK, Lexus SC 430).

While these names overlap, they can signal differences in roof material, seating configuration, or brand tradition. In everyday usage, “convertible” or “cabriolet” will be understood almost everywhere.

Main Roof Types You’ll Encounter

Drop-tops come with several roof mechanisms, each with trade-offs in weight, cargo space, noise, and durability. The list below outlines the most common designs.

1. Fabric soft top: The most prevalent today; lighter, quicker to operate, and typically better for trunk space. Modern multi-layer fabrics offer improved insulation and security over older designs.
2. Retractable hardtop: Foldable metal or composite roof; quieter and more secure when up but heavier and more complex, often shrinking trunk space when stowed.
3. Targa top (related, not fully convertible): A fixed rear window/structure with a removable roof panel over the front seats (e.g., Porsche 911 Targa). Offers semi-open-air motoring with extra chassis rigidity.

For pure open-air driving, soft-tops and hardtop convertibles are the truest “drop-tops,” while targa designs are a popular compromise between coupe strength and convertible feel.

How Drop-Tops Work

Structure and Safety

Modern convertibles reinforce the chassis with additional bracing, stronger windshields, and rollover protection (pop-up hoops or fixed bars). This counters the rigidity lost by removing a fixed roof and maintains crash safety standards.

Weather and Insulation

Multi-layer soft tops and improved seals have narrowed the comfort gap with coupes. Heated glass rear windows and acoustic linings are common, and power operation allows raising or lowering the roof at low speeds in many models.

Pros and Cons at a Glance

Understanding the benefits and trade-offs helps buyers decide whether a drop-top fits their driving style and climate.

• Pros: Open-air experience, enhanced visibility, strong emotional appeal and resale interest in certain markets.
• Cons: Added weight and complexity, potential for higher wind noise, sometimes reduced cargo space and rear visibility, and typically higher cost.

For many enthusiasts, the sensory payoff of top-down driving outweighs the practical compromises, especially in fair-weather regions.

Related but Not the Same

Two roof designs are often mentioned alongside drop-tops but aren’t full convertibles in the classic sense.

• T-top: Two removable roof panels separated by a central bar (popular on some 1970s–1990s American sports cars). Not widely used today.
• Panoramic sunroof: Large glass roof that tilts or slides but doesn’t expose the whole cabin like a true convertible.

These options offer extra light and partial open-air feel but lack the full-sky experience of a convertible or cabriolet.

Bottom Line

If you hear “drop-top,” think “convertible.” Depending on the brand, region, and body style, you may also see cabriolet, roadster, or spider/spyder—different labels for cars built to deliver the open-air driving experience.

Summary

A drop-top car is called a convertible, also known as a cabriolet. Related terms include roadster (usually two seats), spider/spyder (performance-leaning convertible), and ragtop (fabric-roof slang). The main roof types are fabric soft-tops and retractable hardtops, each balancing weight, security, noise, and trunk space. While targa and T-top designs are related, they aren’t full convertibles. In everyday conversation and buying guides, “convertible” is the clearest term.

What do you call a drop top car?

Other terms for convertibles include cabriolet, cabrio, drop top, drophead coupé, open two-seater, open top, rag top, soft top, spider, and spyder, although companies use many of these terms interchangeably.

What is the slang word for convertible?

Common slang terms for a convertible include “ragtop” (referring to a traditional soft, fabric roof) and “drop top,” which refers to the roof that “drops” down. Less common, but sometimes used, are terms like “cabriolet,” “spider/spyder,” or “vert”. 
Here’s a breakdown:

• Ragtop: A common, somewhat old-fashioned, and chiefly U.S. slang term for a convertible, referencing the car’s fabric or “rag” roof. 
• Drop top: Another piece of slang that highlights how the roof can be folded down, or “dropped”. 
• Vert: This is a shortened, informal term for convertible, particularly known in certain regions like South Florida. 
• Cabriolet: While not strictly slang, it’s a related term for a convertible, often used by manufacturers and sometimes interchangeably with other terms. 
• Spider/Spyder: These terms refer to specific types of two-seater convertibles, often with a smaller, more sporty design. 

What do Americans call a convertible?

In The USA We Call It A: Convertible | In The UK We Call It A: Roadster.

What is another name for a convertible car?

Synonyms for a convertible car include technical terms like cabriolet, roadster, and drophead coupé, as well as informal words such as ragtop and drop-top. The choice of synonym often depends on the specific type of convertible (e.g., two-seater vs. four-seater) and the desired level of formality. 
Here is a list of synonyms and related terms:
Formal & Technical Terms

• Cabriolet: A high-end convertible, often with premium materials and design. 
• Roadster: An open-top, two-seat car with a sporty design. 
• Drophead Coupé: A British term for a convertible version of a two-door coupé. 
• Landaulet: A convertible where only the rear passenger area has a retractable roof. 
• Tourer: Another term for a convertible, especially one with a focus on touring. 
• Coupé Cabriolet: A hard-top convertible that was originally a coupé. 

Informal & Slang Terms 

• Ragtop: A casual term for a convertible with a fabric roof.
• Drop-top: A common informal synonym for any convertible car.

Terms based on roof type 

• Soft-top: A convertible with a retractable fabric roof.
• Hardtop: A convertible with a retractable hardtop roof.