Swiss Army Roof: Magna Steyr MILA Future

[Just_me]

Innovations in retractable hard-tops come from what could very well be the broadest range of sources in the industry. The complex retractable roof systems are sometimes designed and developed by the automakers themselves, sometimes by specialists like ASC, sometimes from design houses like Fioravanti (whose flip-top made it onto the Ferrari Superamerica), and sometimes they're even made by independent garages (like this Mustang we brought you earlier). This system, perhaps the most innovative to date, was designed by component manufacturer Magna Steyr and showcased in the MILA Future concept.

The roof is an ingenious four-in-one system that transforms from a fixed roof into a full convertible, a targa or a "landaulet" with the rear window retracted. The system is comprised of the roof section, the rear decklid (with integrated B and C pillar buttresses) and the retractable rear window glass, and is designed to optimize trunk space.

The concept was apparently displayed at the huge Geneva show a couple weeks ago, but with all the manufacturers' press conferences running with typical Swiss precision, we unfortunately missed it. You can, however, check out the images of the car in various states of openness in the gallery as well as the press release after the jump.

[Source: Magna Steyr]