Who invented the first automatic retractable rooftop for an automobile ?
1934 Peugeot 601 Eclipse
Fixed-roof cars of the early 20th century could feel claustrophobic. But convertibles of the time were often leaky, drafty, noisy, and insecure. The advanced solution came from Peugeot in 1934, with the introduction of the retractable hardtop on its luxurious 601. The self-storing roof structure automatically disappeared behind the passenger's compartment into a space revealed by the reverse-opening rear deck in lieu of the trunk.
Original in Paris near the Hotel de Ville running down Rivoli street.
This Georges Paulin design set the general design standard for retractable hardtops. The technology surfaced in an American production car when Ford introduced the 1957–1959 Skyliner, and all modern variants can trace their roots back to prewar France and have evolved from Peugeot's idea.
