‘Open top OAPs’ take to the road
Forget boy racers and mid-life crisis men and think Joanna Lumley and Helen Mirren… when it comes to driving with the roof down, a new generation of sunshine seeking sixty-somethings are most likely to be behind the wheel of a convertible, according to a new study by AA Insurance.
The research, based on data from the AA’s one million car insurance customers, reveals that compared with this time last summer:
54% more women aged between 65-69 and 40% aged between 70-74 insured convertibles
An 18% increase in convertible cover among 60-64 year old men
A 16% increase among 50-54 year old women, with convertibles now accounting for one in twenty of all cars insured in that age range
‘Young and free’ is so last year
Whilst the number of ‘open top OAPs’ is climbing, the research shows a marked decrease in the number of young men and women aged between 25-34 insuring soft-tops between 2004 and 2005 – a bigger decrease than any other age group. The most drastic change is women aged between 25-29 (24% decrease) and men aged between 30-34 (18% decrease).
The AA Insurance data also unearthed some surprising regional trends.
It ain’t so grim up North
Forget grey skies and cold weather, in the North East there was a 35% increase in the number of soft-top cars insured by men since last year, a bigger jump than any other region.
Northern lasses were also keen to own a soft top – in the North East there was a 20% increase in convertibles covered and in the North West this rose to 23%.
Soft-top Scots and not-so-soft Southerners
Scotland has also seen a surge in convertibles with a 34% increase in the last year - more than any other region. However in the South East there has been a marked decline with 5% fewer convertible quotes in 2005 than in 2004.
Kevin Sinclair, managing director of AA Insurance, says: "Recent fine weather combined with easy access to competitive insurance quotes means you're increasingly likely to get a slick silver surfer enjoying an open top convertible as you are a boy racer."