There are some cars you remember with fondness. There are others you remember with disdain. Then there’s the Mk2 Vauxhall Cavalier Convertible – a car you probably remembered by accident.
Yes, it’s a Mk2 Cavalier, famous for being a sales rep favourite, but its sensible saloon suit and coat hanger in the rear window have been cast off in favour of something coach-built in Germany by Hammond & Thiede. The result is… well, it’s something. Imagine a fleet manager getting tipsy on Cinzano and lemonade and ordering a topless rep-mobile by fax.
Up for grabs at the Silverstone Festival this August, this sliced wedge of ’80s optimism is one of 2,873 Hammond & Thiede conversions, 1,283 of which left the Germany factory as right-hand drive Cavaliers. And this one’s had just one owner since new. That’s commitment. Or maybe just inertia.
This one is tidy. Like, properly tidy. 1.8-litre injection, freshly serviced, with a recent MOT. Even the electric roof works (we’re told). Could this be one of the most endearing oddball drop-tops on offer this summer?
Ragtops and rarities
The Mk2 Cavalier was the archetypal middle-manager car of its era. It reeked of pleated trousers and promotional briefcases. Which is precisely why the convertible version feels so surreal: no one asked for this, and yet someone made it anyway.
There wasn’t an official convertible Mk2 Cavalier. Instead, General Motors green-lit the conversions through Hammond & Thiede, who were more accustomed to making Cadet and Ascona drop-tops for sun-drenched Europeans. The result? A drop-top Cavalier that looks oddly at home with the roof down, even if its structural rigidity is called into question.
Few remain. Most have long since vanished in a haze of rust, botched roofs or being driven into the ground by drop-top buyers on a budget.
Specs and features
This is the 1.8i, which offered 115bhp in period, brisk enough in the era of shoulder pads and red braces. It also means fewer carburettor dramas and easier starting on rainy Sundays.
Other highlights include an electric folding roof, velour upholstery, fully documented history and an MOT until April 2026. Even the original radio cassette is present and correct – perfect for whiling away a few hours before sunset listening to Sade, Dire Straits or Phil Collins. No jacket required, obviously. Well, until the weather turns a bit British.
It’s got just enough ’80s daftness to make you grin without veering into parody. A little like the car itself. And you will be welcome at the Festival of the Unexceptional.
Cavalier Convertible: Why you probably shouldn’t
This isn’t a sports car. It isn’t even particularly sporty. You will feel every wobble. Do you want fries with that scuttle shake? It will creak. You might be mistaken for a regional sales rep from 1986. And parts? Let’s just say you’ll become good friends with that bloke on a Cavalier Facebook group who breaks old ones for bits.
Cavalier Convertible: Why you probably should
Because it’s a rare survivor of a car nobody thought to save. Because it’s so gloriously offbeat that people will assume you’re either a lifelong enthusiast or wildly eccentric. Possibly both. And it's much, much cooler than a Range Rover Evoque Convertible or a Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet.
Petrolblog’s verdict
The estimate is £4,000 to £6,000, which is either mad or a bargain depending on your view of the world. And your tolerance for public nudity – roof-wise. But as left-field classics go, this is peak Petrolblog. A convertible Cavalier. One owner. Full history. Weird, wonderful and up for grabs.
You won’t win concours prizes, but you might win confused stares at the petrol station. And really, isn’t that what it’s all about?
If you're teetering on the edge of being interested, you might want to avoid visiting the Iconic Auctioneers website, where there are dozens of photos of the Cavalier in all its glory.
