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.)
My first car when I was 16 was a 1963 Valiant Signet 200 convertible, bought in 1971. I owned it for 5 years and it was so much fun, if glacially slow.
I’m going to get a 128 or a Miata in a year when the RMD comes due.
The best convertible is the one you own
Triumph TR8
Mazda Roadster.
It’s the best.
986 Boxster. Just have to make sure you get the speaker/subwoofer bar behind the seats for good top-down audio
Gotta agree here.
I bult a custom speaker and subwoofer box inside my factory storage shelf it sounds much better than the factory Bose system.
After owning a NB Miata and Mustang, I’ve realized what I really want is a large moon roof. It satisfies enough of my open-air desires, especially with all the windows down. I really disliked being exposed directly to the sun with the top down on a hot day. Honestly, I liked driving with the top down the most on a clear winter night. Just gotta wear some gloves and blast the heat!
also, people who drive with the top down and windows up are sooooo lame haha
I think my first conv is probably my favorite. Just out of HS, I found an 86 dodge 600 es turbo in gold with the “the wheels”. Mostly drove and basically stopped. $600 cash. Drove it for a summer and with nowhere to put it for the winter, sold it for scrap/parts to a local junkyard.
Going to have to say the 986 Boxster. I just got mine out of the garage for a nice 80 degree top down drive.
Inherited my mother’s 78 Super Beetle convertible, have restored it bit by bit and it’s incredibly fun to drive slow.
I’ve had two:
smartcar fortwo: you can drop or raise the top without stopping or slowing down. You can carry big stuff sticking out above or on the back. And you can park it anywhere!
69 Datsun roadster: fun little roadster, NOT a copy of MGs. Engine parts readily available (back then). Sadly had to sell it…
Honorable mention:
1st gen MR2 (not convertible, but with detachable sunroof): if you go fast enough rain doesn’t get in…