If your first impulse is to answer that question with another question – namely, “What counts as a convertible?” – don’t worry about it. As long as enough of the top comes off for you to see the sky unobstructed and there’s sufficient airflow to give you a headache, it’s convertible enough for this AA. And it doesn’t matter if the car “converts” or the top is something you remove and stow in the trunk or leave in your garage. Top down, top off, entire roof goes away or just the bit over your head … whatever, it’s all good.
Now, me personally, I’m thinking of the classic “folding soft top” mode. And though the snobbery is entirely unearned, my feeling is a convertible car should either be designed for cruising, or if it’s going to be a sporting machine, it should be a roadster – that is, a car designed from the start to be topless. Once you start cutting the tops off muscular cars originally conceived with a stiffening roof, thus making them flexible flyers and neutering their handling (in my imagination, anyway), I cannot in good conscience condone the concoction.
So, while I do fancy a Mustang convertible, I would not get a GT (like below), as I would feel I was “wasting” the engine – never mind that the chassis is plenty stiff, I assume, given that it’s 2026 and engineers know things. No, give me the boostang minus a top. Or heck, let me get whatever was the last year for the V6 ‘Stang off Marketplace, that’ll be fine. Convertibles are more fun when you’re going slow, anyway.
With going slow in mind, I think the perfect convertible is a big boat, something you could fit your entire crew into for a night on the town or a trip to the beach. In college, a pal had a Chrysler Newport convertible that was the ideal machine for such things. Six people could fit comfortably, and as that massive trunk lid hints, there was ample space for beach paraphernalia (or smuggling more friends into the drive-in, I’m old).
What’s the perfect convertible to you (or targa, or whatever)?
Please, just keep it interesting, unlike Antti. I mean, get a load of this guy:
(“lol.” You don’t have to keep it interesting.)
Most fun I’ve had in a convertible : K5 Blazer. Grossest I’ve felt from being in a convertible : Camaro [generation intentionally left out].
I’ve sat here thinking for a bit and my honest opinion the best convertible is the one a friend owns. You get to experience the fun and none of the headaches or judgment. Beyond that… Less pretentious the better. Chrysler le baron… Something like that.
I enjoyed my ‘72 Blazer a lot. The top never went back on after I moved to the country, although that limited its usefulness as a farm truck. Hauling a load of brush even a short distance on the road was like trying to breathe inside a wood chipper.
Is this the same friend who’ll loan you his truck?
No such things as best, but there are a few I’d really enjoy owning:
1968 Dodge Dart (there’s one in my family I hope to get my hands on someday)
Pagoda Mercedes SL (even an R107 would do fine)
1963 or 1966 Galaxie 500
Triumph TR6
But like many have said here in the comments – whatever one you happen to have is great.
1966 Cadillac Eldorado
Whichever one you’re driving on a sunny day with the top down, good music, good company, and a fun destination. Doesn’t really matter what it is.
I agree. Even a rental spec Chrysler Sebring was good fun cruising around the San Francisco Bay area one nice week many moons ago. Utter crap, but you don’t care when it’s a perfect 75F day and your are cruising around beautiful scenery.
Porsche 911, specifically the 991+ generation. The convertable top is composed of 3 magnesium panels which makes it more of a hardtop convertable. No hydraulic rams, all electronic and very reliable system.
There are several exotic or high end convertibles that are great, however not being able to afford them puts me down to the better low end ones.
New: Mustang because a Miata, Z4, etc, are don’t accommodate taller people.
Old: Saab 9-3. Very comfortable, well balanced, plenty of power. Looked good too.
Beetle.
So you can hear the lawnmower in back.
Mine would be any off-road vehicle. Always better wide open. Think Jeep / Bronco / FJ40 Land Cruiser / Samurai / SxS
It’s so fun being able to lean your head out to the left and watch the tires crawl rocks or stumps or whatever may be on the trail.
… except sand.
The best convertible is a coupe, in my opinion.
I’ve only ever owned one (’76 Bronco) but I guess it wasn’t a proper convertible as much as a removable soft top. When I was younger, I’d probably have gone with Mustang, but now I think that a proper LeSabre or Fury III would be better. Top down isn’t really about going fast as much as it is enjoying the ride.
Have had two – 981 Boxster S, and our current ND3 Miata. Never had a bad moment in either
I’m not much of a convertible fan, especially on the highway. Yet I am picking up my 3rd Miata after work tonight, an ’03 Shinsen version. (I do have a hard top for it.)
Why do I always forget Miatas are convertible?
Because you hardly ever see them with the top up?
Around here it’s the opposite! not a convertible friendly climate the majority of the year.
That’s what coats are for..
When I first moved to upstate New York, I wondered why there were so many convertibles.
I was told that when the weather is nice people really notice, unlike in California, so convertibles are more popular.
There was a TV show about this place and they had a skit about chasing sun beams in the summer. You do notice when it’s not overcast or rainy!
Yeah, in California the sun will hurt you. 110 degrees in a convertible and clear sky is not so fun.
My iPhone keeps changing convertible to convection, ha.
My home town in California has a really big south Asian community as of recently, and lots of them carry sun umbrellas. If you move there from Punjab and you need a sun umbrella ( a completely reasonable idea actually ) that should tell you something
One that’s works and doesn’t leak?
I’m partial to hard top convertibles but they don’t always work for long.
So maybe a manual top Miata not that replacing the top would be fun but at $120 and and hour or four it’s not that bad.
Perfect to me is an NC or ND Miata. And it’s because of the manual soft top mechanism. I can put either up in under 5 seconds. And down in about 1 second. It’s so amazingly easy and simple, yet amazingly engineered. The cars that the top is attached to are pretty great too.
Never into convertibles but I always thought the Bronco,Blazer,and Ramcharger with the removable tops were nice.They are pretty heavy and a pain to remove but they are worth the trouble.If I remember correctly my friend had an early 2 door 4-Runner that the top came off of also.
They come off pretty easily , getting it back on involves at least 3 jacks
The best one is the one you have. Second would be anything with targa roof. Never had one but they’re just so cool.
Jaguar E-Type Series I. Or an Eagle version of such.
Other than my 2009 CLK350?
I’d like very much to upgrade to an A238 E Class Convertible – or an A217 S Class Convertible.
But I also have a taste for the older Mercedes-Benz – such as the mid-cycle R129 SL500, the A124 E Class Cabriolet, and the late W111 280SE 3.5 cabriolets
Non-Mercedes?
Early 1960’s Bentley S3 Continental Mulliner Park Ward Drophead Coupe (the “Chinese Eye” Continental)
Also the 2nd gen Bentley Azure (based on the Bentley Arnage)
American?
How about the 1968 Mercury Park Lane Convertible with the 428 and Yacht Deck Paneling. Only 12 were built in this spec – unknown how many of those survive.
Then there’s Contessa Theresa DiVicenzo’s double-red 1969 Mercury Cougar XR7 428 Ram Air Cobra Jet Convertible. Que Bella!
The best convertible? The one you own.
the Paseo convertible that was only offered for like a year, and also the first gen Rav4 convertible
BMW Z4 (1st gen).
Cheap enough to own without going bankrupt.
Good engine options (hello M54B30).
Reliable if you keep up with maintenance and the occasional cooling system overhaul.
More practical than a Miata.
Comfortable enough to road trip.
Sporty enough to do track days with.
Overall, an awesome and underrated car.
I’ve got 2, Mr-s and 1st gen 4runner
Late 60’s/Early 70’s Land Yacht
Shelby Cobra!
Does it count as a convertible? I am not sure.
It’s topless and you can wear a rain coat, so I’ll allow it.
You will need ear plugs and asbestos shin pads. They’re fun for about 20 minutes.
Oh, it’s not my choice, it’s 4jim’s choice. I’m just allowing him to pursue his good time.
Most of those small British convertibles from the ’60s and ’70s.
We have an inherited ’77 MGB in the garage. It’s getting taken to A&W for it’s first outing either later this week or some time next week.
The fun thing about that car is that I can adjust the passenger-side door mirror from the driver’s seat – without any electronics or cables! – just by reaching over with my right hand.
We don’t get it up to much more than 50 mph, but it’s great cruising with the top down.
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