Never Forget Honda's Nightmarish CR-V Convertible

When it comes to compact crossover SUVs, few do it better than theHonda CR-V. This family-friendly has been around since 1997, ismuch lovedin the North American market, and basically started the new wave of crossover SUVs along with Toyota's RAV4. Most see the CR-V as a safe bet; it's a practical and reliable car that will get the job done, without raising the heartbeat very much. So it's perfect for old-timers then, but what if there was a CR-V aimed at the young and carefree? In 1998 Honda made an attempt at this by revealing a one-off convertible version of the car that looked slightly better than a drop-top Chrysler PT Cruiser, but not by much.

This idea came at a time when Toyota was selling the RAV4 as a two-door convertible, so it didn't seem too strange. Honda decided to build a single version, based on the four-door gen-one car for the 1998 Geneva Motor Show with the help of engineering company Valmet. Valmet was the perfect partner in this crime of passion, as it had extensive experience in building convertible top systems for brands such as the now-defunct Saab, and even did some work on the Porsche Boxster. The end result was a highly technical system that, at the flick of a button, would see the front of the roof fold to the rear, and eventually come to rest behind the back seats.