What type of roof did the Chevrolet SSR feature when it launched in 2003?

The Chevrolet SSR featured a retractable hardtop when it launched in 2003.

The SSR was a distinctive Chevrolet vehicle combining a retro-styled pickup-truck body with a two-seat roadster cabin. Its powered metal roof folded into the area behind the seats, allowing the vehicle to change from a closed coupe-like form into an open convertible-style pickup.

Unlike a conventional soft-top convertible, the SSR used rigid body-colored roof panels. This helped preserve the vehicle’s hot-rod styling when the roof was raised, while its integrated mechanism made open-air driving possible without manually removing and storing a fabric top.

Chevrolet marketed the SSR as a modern interpretation of classic American custom pickups. Production began for the 2003 model year and ended after the 2006 model year. Its unusual combination of cargo-bed utility, roadster proportions and powered hardtop makes it easy to confuse with a conventional convertible, but the roof’s defining feature was that it retracted as a hard structure.