November 26, 2019
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If you can’t decide whether to buy a truck or a convertible, Ford may soon have the vehicle for you. The auto-manufacturer recently filed a patent application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for a removable roof on a pickup truck.
The filing indicates that the vehicle would have a self-aligning mounting system, which would allow a single user to install and remove the piece. The roof would then attach to the windshield and body with latches fastened by applying downward force.
As reported by Motor1, the patent drawing is similar to the Jeep Gladiator, which is a pickup truck with removable doors and a removable roof. Ford’s patent drawings show the design applied to a pickup truck but the company says it could apply to cars, vans, and SUVs.
Since Ford is reviving the Bronco next year, there is speculation that its legendary SUV will evolve into one that is similar to the Jeep Wrangler, which has a removable roof and doors. It looks like Ford is making a play for the open-air vehicle market that Jeep currently dominates but the company has yet to unveil its plans for the future.
Authors: Sam Galway and Meg King