Convertibles

I’m pretty excited by Dodge’s 2015 lineup of Hellcat-powered cars – with both the Challenger and Charger getting the 707hp supercharged V8 HEMI treatment. But as a convertible owner myself, there’s something to be said for the way the wind feels in your hair at breakneck speeds.

One of the standout design concepts of the 1950s was the ’57 Chrysler Diablo. The Diablo was a two-door convertible that measured in at a whopping 22-feet long. In an era filled with tall family cars with tons of ornate chrome work, the Diablo was much cleaner in line, prognosticating the kinds of design elements that wouldn’t find their way to production cars until the 1960s.

We’ve seen how well the Aston Martin V12 Vantage S can hold its own in the wintertime, we now have a roadster version that’s equally as suited to warm summer drives. The V12 Vantage S Roadster offers the same power of its coupe predecessor, with a naturally-aspirated 573 horsepower 6.0-liter V12 engine, capable of launching the drop-top from 0-to-60mph in an impressive 3.9 seconds.

The 1963 Ford Thunderbird was a pretty amazing car in its own right, and we’re pretty happy to just look at them restored to stock. But we have to admit that this customized ‘bird by Don Russo is pretty spectacular.

While Daihatsu never really took off as a brand here in the U.S., the company is still popular in Japan and other parts of Asia, and continues to produce vehicles there. In addition, the Japanese company has actually been the maker of some Scion models for years, as they both function as divisions of Toyota.

While we’re pretty used to most modern MINIs looking pretty similar, it’s a really pleasant surprise that the BMW-owned company has decided to stray far outside of its normal boundaries for their latest concept. The MINI Superleggera Vision is a stunning small roadster that blends modern technology with classic styling.

Newport Convertible Engineering (NCE) is known for taking popular cars and transforming them into drop-tops. The latest vehicle on their chopping block is the Tesla Model S. The company is already hard at work at building a convertible Model S sedan, but has revealed it is also working on both a 2-door convertible as well as a coupe Model S.

The BMW Z1 roadster was manufactured for less than three years, with only about 8,000 of them ever produced. The two-seater is rarely seen here in the states, as its unusual doors were never approved for driving here.

I drove this awesome looking 2014 Camaro 2SS convertible for about a week, and I have to say this is one of those rare times where a vehicle truly challenged my expectations. I had in my mind that a V8 Camaro would be a brutish, loud muscle car, best suited to the track.

BMW has announced the convertible version of its all-new M4 coupe, the M4 Convertible. Like the M4, BMW has ditched its predecessor’s V8 engine for a more powerful turbocharged 3.0-liter inline 6-cylinder that produces a total of 420 horsepower.

Designed by Dutch automaker Spyker, the Venator B6 is a powerful and elegant two-seater convertible. With a mid-engine design, the car clearly has its sights set on vehicles like the Ferrari California. The Venator B6 features sweeping curves and arches, and an interior influenced heavily by airplane cockpits.

The latest variant of Porsche’s mid-engine roadster has been upgraded with a more powerful 330 horsepower engine, and an improved chassis. The new car gets a tuned-up version of its 3.4L 6-cylinder boxer engine, with an extra 15hp.

The S3 is a great addition to Audi’s sport-tuned S lineup and now the German auto maker has added the Audi S3 Cabriolet to the line. Unveiled at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show, the Cabriolet has the same 300 horsepower 2.0-liter turbocharged TFSI engine under the hood as the S3 coupe.

Godzilla has lost his top! At least that’s what a limited number of buyers will experience thanks to the team at Newport Convertible Engineering, who will be offering convertible conversions for the Nissan GT-R. While some may think the idea seems sacrilegious, the idea of enjoying the full power and control of this beast with the top down definitely has some appeal.

While Cadillac hasn’t announced an ATS convertible model at this point, it sure doesn’t seem like a bad idea. The forthcoming 2015 ATS coupe looks grand, so why shouldn’t it get a drop-top variant? Fortunately, artist Remco Meulendijk has put together a rock-solid looking rendering of what an ATS convertible just might look like, and we like what we see.