In 1971, Rover launched the definitive version of the P6 – the 3500S. With a manual gearbox and a V8 engine, this was the P6 to beat all P6s, not to mention any rival you placed before it. Today, DS Automobiles makes a big thing about how you can personalise your DS with any number of options and accessories. But you won’t find a vinyl roof. Things weren’t quite as successful on the second generation Mustang. This 1974 Mustang Ghia features far too much chrome, colour-coded bumpers and a rather bizarre half-vinyl roof. Not nice. But that’s not our favourite two-tone Jaguar (sorry, Inspector). Instead, we’re rather partial to the glorious Jaguar XJC, made even better with a vinyl roof. Just try not to think about the moisture gathering under there. In addition to its practicality and aesthetic appeal, the soft top ensures that the interior of your VW Golf 1 Cabriolet is watertight.

Of all the cars featured here, we’d humbly suggest that the Dodge Charger is perhaps best suited to a vinyl roof. It just looks right. All three generations of the Ford Capri were available with a vinyl roof and were best served with a ‘his and hers’ sunstrip and a dixie horn. Given Opel’s American parentage, it’s no surprise to discover that just about every model could be covered with a layer of vinyl in the 1970s. From the humble Kadett (Astra in the UK) to the hairy-chested Manta, vinyl was invariably on the options list. In addition, the rear window must be cut when the soft top is in its final position (it's advisable to let it work a little before the operation). Offering superb performance in a well-designed car at a price far below that of the main continental competitors. The really telling comparison is that the Sprint’s performance is virtually identical with that of the Alfa Romeo 2000 GTV and BMW Tii. It’s exceptional value by any standards.”

For carmakers and retailers, it was the ultimate option – a low-cost add-on that could either add to the value of the sale, or be marketed as a no-cost option, giving the consumer the feel of getting something for nothing.

Similarly, the vinyl roof just looks so right on a Ford Cortina. It was a sure sign that a salesman was enjoying a good year. This Swedish-Italian affair – the 262C was built by Bertone in Italy – soldiered on until 1981, by which time Volvo had removed the vinyl. A perfectly sensible car that was derided by many when new, the Marina was a fleet car favourite thanks to its simplicity and low running costs. And what did the upwardly-mobile company car driver dream of having parked outside his house? Why, a range-topping Marina, complete with the vinyl roof that would tell the neighbours they were someone really going places. The vinyl roof may have been born and raised in the US, but to the Brits it’s steeped in 1970s nostalgia. Think of a vinyl roof and the image in your head is likely to contain a Ford and a distinct tinge of sepia.

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Goodness, this first generation Toyota Celica has got it all going on. It’s one of a number of Japanese models to be graced with a vinyl roof, including the Datsun 240Z, Datsun 120Y and Mitsubishi Debonair. The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) once estimated that vinyl roof sales hit 100,000 units a year when the accessory was in fashion, with Automotive News reporting in 1981 that ‘vinyl roofs went on over 40 percent of domestic cars’. Proof, if proof were needed, that the US was a booming market for vinyl.