It's no longer just the technical safety offered by brands like Mercedes when driving open, it's the problem with the overall feeling of safety. You only drive openly if you feel safe politically, socially and against crime and violence. As if you were driving through the country, as if it is loved and cared for by all people like a large garden. But that doesn't seem to be the case anymore, insecurity and retreat are the more dominating themes.
Interesting observations Heinz. This concern for safety, and indeed privacy, even seems to have manifested itself in the need to have darkly tinted rear windows, especially on all new 4 x 4s it seems.
Your points about open motoring and current trends are worth reflecting on. Over the last couple of days and on briefly sunny occasions I have seen a number of open vehicles - mainly Minis and Mercs - whilst out in the Mog. However, unlike us the drivers and their passengers were dressed exactly as they would have been in an enclosed car indicating a, that they were only on short journeys and b, that the comfort levels are now on a par with an enclosed car.
As 'sports car' manufactures have striven for comfort and weather protection as well as performance, Morgan and other classic car owners are now one of the few types of motorists expecting to dress for all that the weather can throw at them. It is this aspect that I think is making open cars less interesting to a new generation of car buyers who expect to walk out of their comfortably heated houses into an equally comfortable car without changing attire.
