Stockdorf/Munich. - Without a doubt the new Volkswagen convertible will be one of those cars whose imminent arrival provokes particular excitement. At the Geneva Motor Show, Volkswagen is presenting a study of the four-seater successor to the Golf, for which Open Air Systems (OASYS), the Webasto and Pininfarina joint-venture company, has almost completed development of a five-section retractable hardtop (RHT).

The developer’s declared aim was to create a compact and light roof system that folds away neatly without the need for any complicated manoeuvring. The result is an innovative concept which exploits the ideas first presented about two years ago in the OASYS Vision prototype in Frankfurt and Geneva.

The ingenious raising and lowering mechanism allows the vehicle roof to be opened completely, transforming the four-seater into a classic convertible at the touch of a button. The five individual roof elements are moved electro-hydraulically over two four-bars into the storage position, and the side pillars swing outwards in a coupled rotation, providing rear-seat passengers with a comfortable amount of shoulder room. The top box cover swings back to open up the storage compartment. The folding system is cleverly arranged so that the top folds away neatly into itself and does not spoil the look of the car when in convertible mode.  It takes less than 30 seconds to open the top fully, a process that can also be done in the garage; the smooth and vibration-free folding operation requires so little head room that the top can be opened and closed inside the average garage without colliding with the ceiling.

Drivers who choose to buy convertibles are obviously anything but light-averse, so OASYS has made sure that they are not left in the dark even when the RHT is closed. The top has a generous-sized full glass sunroof (1100 x 600 mm²), which can be raised and opened as wide as you like even when on the road, flooding the interior with light. The large heated rear window is pulled up to the middle segment and intensifies the positive luminescence effect. The combination of sunroof and rear window gives the impression of a continuous glass surface that underlines the roof’s striking design and integrates it harmoniously into the vehicle body. The pleasing aesthetics are also maintained inside the car, as the top’s mechanism is concealed by a fabric inner liner.

When open the RHT is almost completely invisible from outside, thanks to the ultra-compact storage and rigid rear cover. And because there’s no infamous “hump” at the back to distort the line of the vehicle, as is usual with the design of similar systems, no one would know that there’s a tightly folded hardtop hidden away under the lid of the trunk. No less astonishing is the fact that despite the “tenant” in the trunk, most of the luggage compartment is left free, leaving enough space even for through-loading.

Contact:
Hans-Joachim Lesser
Product News
Tel. +49 (0)89) 8 57 94-1433
Fax: +49 (0)89 8 57 94-1399
E-mail: hlesser@webasto.de
Internet: http://www.webasto.com/