Although math has never been my forte, odd statistics have always captivated me. Aside from the so-called zombie cars that appear in sales charts years after being discontinued, niche segments also pique my interest. Motor1 got in touch with car market research company Dataforce from Germany to learn how convertibles fared in Europe last year. The top 10 has its fair share of surprises, including a crossover finishing in second place.
That's right–the Volkswagen T-Roc Convertible made it to the podium. Although I have never seen the reincarnated Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet in the real world, VW swears this car exists. Dataforce says 10,691 people bought the crossover-convertible oddity in the last 12 months. Only the Mini One/Cooper Convertible had a better 2024, achieving 11,895 sales. The Porsche 911 Cabriolet took the last place on the podium with 8,120 units.
It's worth noting the sales figures mentioned here are not just for the 27 countries part of the EU but also the UK and the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) consisting of Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Sadly, several models in the adjacent table are not long for this world. The BMW Z4 is widely believed to retire next year, while the VW T-Roc Convertible has been confirmed to die in 2027. The A5/S5 Cabriolet has already been axed, leaving Audi without a convertible in its lineup, following the demise of the TT and R8.
Rumor has it BMW won't renew the 4 Series for another generation, which would spell the end of another convertible. The Porsche 718 Boxster will be phased out this year, but a fully electric successor is coming. The newcomer in the top 10 is the CLE, which replaced the convertible versions of the C-Class and E-Class. In recent years, Mercedes has also phased out the SLC, AMG GT Roadster, and S-Class Cabriolet in response to dwindling demand for cabriolets.
It's hard to imagine a resurgence of convertibles, considering SUVs are still all the rage. Even so, cars are very much alive and kicking in Europe. Last year's three best-selling models were not SUVs: Dacia Sandero, Renault Clio, and VW Golf. Only 4 out of the 10 most popular vehicles sold last year in Europe were crossovers: Tesla Model Y (#4), VW T-Roc (#5), VW Tiguan (#7), and Toyota Yaris Cross (#8).
| Model | 2024 sales |
| Mini One/Cooper | 11,895 |
| Volkswagen T-Roc | 10,691 |
| Porsche 911 | 8,120 |
| BMW 4 Series | 7,251 |
| Mazda MX-5 | 6,455 |
| BMW Z4 | 5,499 |
| Mercedes CLE | 4,918 |
| Porsche 718 Boxster | 4,848 |
| Audi A5/S5 | 4,572 |
| Jeep Wrangler | 3,909 |
