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Origin & history

Sonnenland® is the trademark-protected brand name of an extremely high-quality, German-made, convertible topping fabric, which is used worldwide as original equipment in the automotive industry, e.g. for convertibles manufactured by Porsche or Mercedes. The hallmark of the material is the renowned herringbone optic on the back. Sonnenland refers only to the fabric, that is, the material and not the complete cabriolet roof.

Sonnenland hood fabric was initially developed, produced and marketed by the HAPPICH company in Mannheim. Following restructuring of the HAPPICH-Group in the 1990s, the Rhode & Schwalenberg company emerged again (this was the company name before it was acquired by the HAPPICH Group).

hrough the years, several manufacturers introduced similar, copycat products to the market. But nobody managed to come up with a product to rival the Sonnenland fabric. The Haartz company in the USA developed the Stayfast fabric and was very successful with this in the US market for American convertibles. In 2001, Haartz acquired Rhode & Schwalenberg. The Sonnenland fabric is now manufactured in Mannheim.

For our soft-tops, we use only original Sonnenland materials supplied by Haartz, the world leader in cabriolet hood fabrics.

Quality & design


Sonnenland-Material besteht aus drei Lagen

Outer fabric: The outer layer is made of Dralon fabric, that is, of a spun acrylic fiber (polyacrylonitrile). This fabric is extremely fade-proof and abrasion-resistant.

Middle layer: The central rubber layer is impermeable to water and consists of synthetic rubber. This means that it is not necessary to apply an additional waterproofing agent. For this reason, we do not supply such waterproofing agents and we advise our customers against purchasing the typical products available in the market.

Backing layer: The inner layer was originally made of cotton (Sonnenland Classic) and later of polyester (Sonnenland Plus, Sonnenland A5, Sonnenland Acoustic).

Sonnenland is produced in various variants. Not every variant is suitable for every soft-top frame. We will be happy to advise you (other colors available on request).

Imitation & copied materials

There are some imitation and copied soft-top fabrics on the market, which are, of course, significantly cheaper than the original products. In many cases, the differences in the raw materials are not immediately obvious to the naked eye but you can feel the difference in quality. Lower topping prices are possible not only through quicker and lower-quality processing, but also as a result of cheaper materials.

Many different window materials also mean that some variants are much cheaper. But in many cases, these materials have little in common with the PVC windows approved for use on public roads. Such screens are often more suitable for marine applications.

The use of Sonnenland fabric for soft-top production is a key quality component in a premium convertible roof. However, other factors such as the appropriate equipment, industrial-grade manufacturing, extensive experience, and the technical know-how of our employees are even more important. After all, what use is a hood made of the best materials if it is 3 cm too long or too short, and the stitching is crooked and the seams are faulty?

As your trusted partner in the automotive Industry, you can rely on us to supply only original materials! Here at EUROTOP, we use original hood fabrics, original window panes, and original stitching thread in our soft-tops wherever possible.

Sonnenland Classic

The first choice for European oldtimer convertibles The backing material is made of cotton and is available in black, beige and gray. This is especially important for vehicles without a headliner. For example, the toppings of the former Mercedes SL (R107, W113, etc.) were originally always fitted with a beige interior. The fabric offers the highest stretch capability of the four materials and is suitable for older top frames.

Sonnenland Plus

This material appeared in the market soon after the Sonnenland Classic and was developed exclusively for the Mercedes SL R129. Similar to Sonnenland A5, Sonnenland Plus has additional strengthening components.

Sonnenland Plus - Muster - Muster - 132 - blau/schwarz- Sonnenland Plus
Sonnenland Plus - Muster - Muster - 132 - blau/schwarz- Sonnenland Plus

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Sonnenland Plus - Muster - Muster - 133 - braun/schwarz- Sonnenland Plus
Sonnenland Plus - Muster - Muster - 133 - braun/schwarz- Sonnenland Plus

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Sonnenland Plus - Muster - Muster - 131 - schwarz/schwarz- Sonnenland Plus
Sonnenland Plus - Muster - Muster - 131 - schwarz/schwarz- Sonnenland Plus

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Sonnenland A5

This was introduced in the early 1990s. The material is significantly less stretch-capable and has greater recovery properties. As the material is thicker and stiff, it is not suitable for older top frames. If the material is used for older vehicles, it can happen that the hood does not fit properly into the top compartment or that greater wear occurs at particular points.

Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 153 - braun/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 153 - braun/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 108 - indigo/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 108 - indigo/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 151 - schwarz/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 151 - schwarz/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 302- rot/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 302- rot/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 155 - graffitigrau/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 155 - graffitigrau/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 110 - pink/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 110 - pink/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Unavailable

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 154 - schwarzgrün/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 154 - schwarzgrün/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 152 - blau/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 152 - blau/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 156 - cream/schwarz- Sonnenland A5
Sonnenland A5 - Muster - Muster - 156 - cream/schwarz- Sonnenland A5

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Sonnenland A5 Acoustic

This is the thickest of the four materials and has been produced since the early 2000s. The only difference between this and the regular Sonnenland A5 is the central rubber layer, which is designed to reduce noise levels further.

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