Rapid decline in convertibles in the Böblingen district: What's behind it?

Rapid decline in convertibles in the Böblingen district: What's behind it?

The number of convertibles in Germany has experienced a noticeable decline in recent years. According to the Federal Motor Transport Authority, only 2.18 million convertibles are currently registered throughout Germany. Part of this negative development is also reflected in the Böblingen district, where the number of convertibles fell by 54 from 2024 to 2025 to a total of 15,085. This corresponds to a share of 5.68 percent of the district's car fleet, which puts it in 36th place among 399 cities and districts in a nationwide comparison. This is reported by the Stuttgart newspaper.

Moving forward, it can be observed that four-wheel drive vehicle fleets have increased over the same period. There are now 49,212 four-wheel drive vehicles registered in the Böblingen district, which means an increase of 3,028 vehicles compared to the previous year. Four-wheel drive vehicles now make up 18.53 percent of the car population in the district. Across Germany, the number of all-wheel drive vehicles is 7.04 million, which corresponds to growth of 3.98 percent. The Freyung-Grafenau district leads here with a share of 29.79 percent of all-wheel drive vehicles.

Convertible sales under pressure

The decline in convertible registrations is perceived as part of a larger trend. Loud dacabrio.com Only 40,984 new convertibles were registered in Germany in 2024, while five years ago there were over 70,000 and 15 years ago even over 100,000. The market is also being influenced by a changing vehicle inventory, as many major manufacturers, including VW, have scaled back their convertible offerings. VW plans to no longer offer a convertible in its range by 2025.

The shift in purchases towards SUVs and electric vehicles is putting additional pressure on convertible registrations. A spokesman for the Association of the Motor Vehicle Industry in Stuttgart said that SUVs in particular, which are often referred to as “sporty, versatile vehicles,” are in high demand. These vehicles not only offer more space, but also numerous safety features that are highly valued by many drivers.

Market developments and future of the convertible market

In the context of current market developments, the statistics on the most popular model groups are also of interest. According to the sales statistics for 2024, the following models dominate the convertible segment:

• VW T-Roc: 7.718 Fahrzeuge
• Mini Cooper: 4.689 Fahrzeuge
• Porsche 911: 4.559 Fahrzeuge
• BMW 4er: 3.807 Fahrzeuge
• Audi A5: 3.741 Fahrzeuge
• BMW Z4: 3.173 Fahrzeuge
• Mercedes-Benz CLE: 2.817 Fahrzeuge
• Mazda MX-5: 1.617 Fahrzeuge
• Porsche Boxster: 1.408 Fahrzeuge
• Mercedes-Benz SL: 1.045 Fahrzeuge

The Stuttgart newspaper and other sources report that the pressure on the convertible market is being increased by political demands, such as those of the German Environmental Aid (DUH). This calls for a ban on oversized SUVs and pickup trucks in inner cities and criticizes the current federal government for continuing to promote large SUVs. These developments show that the future of the convertible market remains uncertain and depends on various factors, including changing customer preferences and increasingly stringent environmental regulations.