The soft top is manually operated and folds into the rear compartment under the rear compartment lid, where it is concealed when not in use.
The soft top is designed to be raised or lowered by one person and, when raised, is secured at the front by the operation of a single lever.
| A. | Soft top stowed in rear compartment |
|---|---|
| B. | Soft top at halfway position |
| C. | Soft top in raised position |
An integral folding frame is designed to maintain the front part of the soft top horizontal throughout the raising/lowering. The folding frame is shown in the illustration.
The frame is covered with a strong waterproof fabric that is secured to the frame by means of:
- Screws at the front edge
- A rear retainer, located in the rear compartment
- Front side weatherstrips, left and right
- Rear side weatherstrips, left and right
The heated glass rear window is integrated with the fabric assembly that moves into position when the soft top is raised. Refer to “Glass Systems” for more detail.
The soft top is equipped with a soft fabric headlining that is designed to provide sound insulation and enclose the folding metal frame parts from view. The headlining is attached to the frame by means of rivets, screws and J-hooks.
The front rail of the soft top is equipped with two striking pins (2), one each side, and a lever (3). Each striking pin engages with a guide (1) that is bolted to the windscreen frame header. The lever operates a latch hook which engages with a striker that is bolted to the centre of the windscreen frame header. The lever is rotated clockwise to secure the soft top in position.
With the rear compartment lid closed, the two spring-loaded buttresses swing down and are pushed into position. The buttresses, when in position, are designed to give clean flowing lines to the soft top and add to the vehicle's refined profile.
Each buttress has a striker pin that engages in a chrome plated latch that is bolted to the rear compartment lid. Each latch is released by a cable mechanism that releases the buttresses when the rear compartment lid is opened, either by the pushbutton switch in the glove compartment or by the remote control.
When the soft top is in the raised position, ingress of water into the vehicle is prevented by means of weatherstrips at the front and sides. Pockets (1) are provided at the rear of the soft top to collect any water, which drains through tubes (2).