I vividly remember Ford’s hardtop convertible, and I have a friend who has a 1959 model.  Despite the upbeat predictions, Ford only made them for three model years – 1957, 1958, and 1959 – but the mechanism to hide the top was used on later models of soft-top convertibles in the Thunderbirds and Lincolns.  Hardtop convertibles have made somewhat of a comeback in some other models (i.e. VW and Mercedes-Benz), but not to the degree that Ford airily predicted.

By the way, a lot of naysayers said that the Ford version would be a mechanical nightmare with all those solenoids and motors.  But my friend says that his has never had a problem, and since Ford kept making the machinery for the next ten years, parts are out there if needed.