to provide a removable cover , especially for a luggage or trunk space of a motor vehicle , a pair of essentially parallel spaced guide rails are secured to the side walls of the vehicle at a level preferably about the height of the back seat of the vehicle and in a common plane which extends across the space . the cover element is formed by a flexible web which is coupled to and supported by a plurality of struts slidable in the guide rails . the guide rails terminate in , or are formed by a holder or retention section which is adapted to receive a receptor element , against which the struts can be pushed , with the web then being gathered in folds . the receptor element is removable from the holder or retention section , and a spring thereon holds the gathered web and the struts in position in the receptor element . when installed in the guide rails , that is in the vehicle , the receptor element is spring - biassed for alignment with the end portion of the guide rails , so that the web and the struts supporting the web can be pulled out , the struts supporting the web transversely across the trunk space . preferably , the struts are hollow tubular elements which terminate in spring - loaded telescopically received ends , for example of low - friction plastic material , to provide resilient connection , thereby preventing rattling , and ensuring easy sliding movement .