While the winter around much of the Midwest was pretty mild, your author breaking out the short pants on a few occasions in December and January, spring has truly sprung, and with it the return of days when middle-aged men garage their mid-life crisis Wranglers in favour of their mid-life crisis Merc SL500s. Because what better way to show off the tan you’ve been working on all winter than in a drop top?
For the rest of us, here are some new and classic options for how petrolheads can enjoy the warmer months and feel the breeze in what’s left of our hair.
12 Ford Mustang
Really, any model Mustang works as a simple way to enjoy the drop-top lifestyle and older models can be incredibly cheap to buy, though replacement tops can run a pretty penny. But I think that the current generation Mustang is probably the best looking since the original and the V6 Eco-Boost is both powerful and efficient. For a new, entry-level convertible, the 2016 Ford Mustang really checks a lot of boxes.
11 Aston Martin DB9 Volante
What happens when you take one of the most beautiful coupes in the history of automotive design and lop off the top? You get one of the most beautiful convertibles. Sure, the DB11 just came out, and the DB9 is maybe a bit dated by comparison, but the DB9 is simply a better buy. At its age, used models will be remotely affordable, they’re still more luxurious than most other cars on the road and, honestly, they’re prettier than the DB11. Sorry Aston, you fixed what wasn’t broken and broke it.
10 Mercedes-Benz 280SL
Mercedes-Benz 280SL image courtesy influx.co.uk
The W113 chassis Mercedes-Benz SL, nicknamed the “Pagoda” because of its simple shape, has possibly only gotten more attractive as it ages. With its long bonnet and boot, the 280SL really epitomizes the “grand tourer” look and the 170 horsepower inline six cylinder motor had more than enough grunt to move the small car along. If you’re looking for classic, understated top-down beauty, the 280SL is precisely your car.
9 Alfa Romeo Spider
Alfa Romeo Spider image courtesy eBay seller
Like the idea of an older car but want something a little more volatile? Get an Alfa. The original Spiders had a bit more character than the concurrent Mercedes-Benz 280SL, with its flowing fender lines and mid-body creases creating a really lovely shape that promised more speed than the 108 horsepower four cylinder could muster, but Alfas were more about the experience of driving than of speed, it’s just unfortunate part of that experience was fixing it each time it broke down.
8 BMW M4
Whereas the BMW 6-series convertible is ugly and the E-class cabrio is intended for pensioners, for luxury German convertibles that seat four we’re left with the BMW M4 and Audi A/S5, and I think the choice here is pretty easy. I think the Audi looks great, but lacks the performance and heritage of the BMW, giving the M4 the nod ahead of the car from Stuttgart.
7 Nissan 370Z Roadster
Aaaand I’ve just lost all of my BMW readers. In all seriousness, the 370Z Roadster was designed from the ground-up to be a convertible, whereas the 350 simply had its top chopped off. The result is a car that handles better because it’s more rigid, while still permitting you to get sunburn on the top of your head while listening to the sweet soundtrack of the 3.7L V6. It’s cheaper than the M4 and when are you actually going to use the extra 100 horsepower? That’s what I thought, 332 is more than enough for almost everyone.
6 Chevrolet Corvette
Originally conceived as a convertible in 1953, the Corvette is probably the one car most Americans picture when you say “convertible.” Each generation of Corvette has featured a convertible model and the seventh generation Stingray is easily the best one yet. It is fast, handles well and the interior is finally a nice place to be, after decades of drab, shared-with-the-Cavalier materials. The angular bodywork and aggressive stance all scream “sports car,” and at less than $60k, it’s certainly a bargain.
5 Jaguar XK-E
Jaguar XK-E image courtesy Hemmings
You might have picked up from my previous columns that I’m a bit of an Anglophile, so having the venerable E-Type at number five could seem a bit heretical, but there’s a reason it’s here and not higher. While I’m of the opinion that the Jag E-type is one of the most beautiful cars ever made, surely only lunatics would pay almost $200,000 for an example with 40,000 miles on it? The V8s and V12s make decent power, but the cars roll like ocean liners, so you’re not going to be hammering the corners in an XK-E the way you would in many of the other cars on this list, which, for petrolheads, is a red flag. Prices are coming down a bit lately, and I’m happy for that, because the E-Type is gorgeous, and I want one, but they definitely seem more of a car to be seen in, rather than a car to drive in a spirited fashion.
4 Porsche Boxster
Nearly the polar opposite of the above, the Boxster is quintessentially a driver’s car. Dismissed by many Porschephiles as “entry-level,” $52,000 is an awful lot for a beginner’s car, but you get a lot for it. Despite being a convertible, the Boxster handles amazingly well, and its flat six engine pumps out a respectable 265 horses in base form. It’s a great combination of power and handling, while also hosting the luxurious appointments you expect from a premium German brand. You won’t be shredding tires like you might in a Corvette, but that’s just not the point of a precision machine like the Boxster.
3 Mazda MX-5 Miata
It had to be on here, didn’t it? At less than $25,000 for a base model brand new, the Miata is probably the most accessible way to get into convertible driving. Embodying the classic British roadster in both form and function, it’s lightweight and not excessively powerful, ensuring drivers can’t get into too much trouble, but promising that they’ll have a lot of fun anyway. If you’re more into going quickly around corners than quickly in a straight line, the answer is always Miata.
2 Lincoln Continental
1961 Lincoln Continental Convertible image courtesy Gear Patrol
I always appreciate throwing a good curveball in these lists, but bear with me – in general, convertibles are almost always worse handling vehicles than their coupe siblings (Boxster aside), and unless it’s a spec Miata race, chances are you’re not going to be taking your drop-top round a track any time soon. So a great majority of your time in a convertible will just be spent cruising, enjoying what a great day it is outside, and often you’ll want some friends to tag along. For this exact purpose, you really can’t beat the 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible. It has style for days, with its long, straight fender lines, suicide doors and wrap-around grille and headlights. The bench seats mean you can fit as many as six people in relative comfort and the old age and lack of safety features means there’s pretty much an unobstructed panoramic view of the world around you. The most difficult part is just finding a model in good condition.
1 Jaguar F-Type R
Come on, it had to be this. Yes, it’s wildly expensive and I will never afford, nor probably drive, one of these, but the F-Type R has everything. It is, since the DB11 replaced the DB9, the absolute best looking new car out there today. It sounds like a snarling beast ready to pounce and performs like, well, a Jaguar stung by a bee. With the top down, you are subjected to a symphony of internal combustion as you punish the road with fat tires being spun mercilessly by a 542-horsepower supercharged V8. I just can’t imagine a convertible in which I would have more fun than the F-Type R, and that’s a shame, because I’ll probably only ever end up in a Miata.
Authored by
Devlin Riggs