The automotive kingdom certainly has its fair share of misunderstood genres. The sport utility truck, the coupe SUV, even the sedan to an extent. However, as the decades have rolled by, cabriolets became one of the most misunderstood of all vehicle subtypes. Even though they were once common fixtures of the roads, as a society, we seem to have forgotten what they’re all about. Despite the vehicles themselves being at least mildly interesting, we’ve all heard the insults that get bandied about for drivers of convertibles. Mid-life crisis. Golfist. Poser.
Oh, and it often gets worse as the cars get faster. If a performance car offers the option of a fixed roof or a removable one, the one with the fixed roof is usually more desirable and the one with the ragtop is usually treated as a second-class vehicle. Why? Convertibles often cost more than their coupe equivalents, and people have proven willing to pay up for the privilege. What do these convertible buyers know that forum elitists don’t?
The truth is, they know a few things that are more overarching than outright technical expertise. They value experiences and involvement in the same way the slicktop, three-pedal-or-die brigade does, but their means of obtaining involvement are slightly different. Every convertible is, to at least some degree, an enthusiast car, it’s just that accepting this fact can be hard for some.
Granted, the elitists’ talking points aren’t drawn from thin air. Forty years ago, the average unibody had the torsional rigidity of al dente spaghettini, and cutting the roof off was a surefire way to make the cowl shake over expansion joints like it just took a polar plunge. Automakers attempted to compensate by welding in heavy bracing, but those mostly bloated curb weights without curbing apocryphal stories of air vents violently ejecting themselves from dashboards. However, we aren’t living in 1984 anymore, and for the past 20-some-odd years, convertibles have grown substantially more rigid. Sure, they’ve also grown substantially heavier, but in the real world, how much will you notice?
You may still be able to make this argument if you do a trackday every month and have teeth the shade of a freshly built model home’s walls, but most of us don’t commute to the office through carousel turns or think too much about what we eat in the context of lap times.
In fact, most of a typical car’s life will be spent sitting, followed by the daily grind on public roads at sensible speeds, and only a handful will ever turn a wheel on track. In the real world, with congestion and potholes and speed cameras conspiring to keep average speeds low, the sensations of letting the wind and sky in are more noticeable than a little extra chassis rigidity and a few dozen fewer pounds. It helps the car become an instrument of joy, and the Chrysler Sebring Convertible is one of the more telling examples from history.
Don’t get me wrong, the first-generation Chrysler Sebring was a perfectly okay car. Sure, the Ultradrive automatic gearbox wasn’t strong, but the Mitsubishi V6 was stout enough and the styling was perfectly handsome. When the second-generation model came along, it gained the abhorrent 2.7-liter Chrysler V6, frumpier styling, and a direct sedan version just to show everyone how truly uninspired the bones of the car were.
Despite this, the convertible variant took a subpar midsize sedan, removed two doors and a roof, and turned it into a little bit of an occasion. Sure, the interior was still an uncouth mishmash of shapes and materials, and the facelifted model still had the facial expression of a particularly bewildered rodent, but with the roof down and a breeze coming in, it was hard to care too much, wasn’t it? At that point, a dashboard is just a shelf for dust, after all.
Instead, drivers of these mediocre-at-best convertibles found themselves breathing in harmony with the universe, their senses fascinated by the machinations of Mother Nature. The rustling of hedges, the weight of the wind, an unfiltered view of 100 billion stars. A convertible reminds us that on a long enough timeline, we’re all just passing through, single-cell travelers in the universe’s largest terrarium. There’s a cathartic sense of insignificance that comes with such an experience, a freeing vulnerability that transcends metal and glass and reveals certain truths about humanity. Plus, it’s theoretically at least a little bit safer than a motorcycle, and you still get to meet some interesting people in the process.
Sadly, going roof-down is something fewer and fewer people are able to experience. Drop-top choices have been steadily dwindling since the turn of the millennium, with no signs of that trend reversing. There’s no more Chrysler Sebring Convertible or Toyota Solara Convertible or Pontiac G6 Convertible. No more BMW 2 Series cabriolet, or Mercedes-Benz SLK, or Audi A3 cabriolet. Mitsubishi doesn’t offer a convertible in America anymore, nor does Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, Dodge, Fiat, Honda, Infiniti, Nissan, Toyota, Volkswagen, or Volvo. Even Jaguar’s current convertible dies this year, with no guarantee of a replacement.
If you’ve ever wanted a cabriolet, buy one, and don’t let the haters convince you otherwise. Better yet, if you’ve hated on convertibles for technical reasons in the past, I encourage you to take a step back and query whether or not the universe is about more than just objective engineering truths.
Yes, cutting the roof off a car can make it a bit heavier, a bit floppier, and a bit slower, but it can also make it better, for “better” can’t always be measured. Every incremental improvement in tin-top car rigidity will eventually become outmoded, so it’s worth approaching things with an open mind and trying to let the sun in for an experience that will always be timeless.
(Photo credits: BMW, Ford, Chrysler, Audi)
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I rode in a convertible once. It was awful. My friend took me on a ride around town in the summer. Every stop people were looking at you and inside the car, sun blasting at you without wind causing feeling hot as hell. Reduced cargo area and heating in the winter makes me never consider a vert as a DD. But I’d consider E30 or E36 convertible as a summer/weekend cruiser. Also if I were living in less congested area with warmer climate maybe I could DD one.
I rode in a convertible once. It was awful. My friend took me on a ride around town in the summer. Every stop people were looking at you and inside the car, sun blasting at you without wind causing feeling hot as hell. Reduced cargo area and heating in the winter makes me never consider a vert as a DD. But I’d consider E30 or E36 convertible as a summer/weekend cruiser. Also if I were living in less congested area with warmer climate maybe I could DD one.
If driving a convertible doesn’t make you happy, there is something wrong with you.
No, I just live in a congested city.
If driving a convertible doesn’t make you happy, there is something wrong with you.
No, I just live in a congested city.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever buy another car that the roof doesn’t open up on. Whether that means targa, folding hardtop or a simple throw it over your shoulder deal like the Miata I’m not sure, but now that both of my cars have the roof come off I know what I’ve been missing.
A shame that probably will exclude me from ever buying a BRZ, but oh well.
I’m not sure if I’ll ever buy another car that the roof doesn’t open up on. Whether that means targa, folding hardtop or a simple throw it over your shoulder deal like the Miata I’m not sure, but now that both of my cars have the roof come off I know what I’ve been missing.
A shame that probably will exclude me from ever buying a BRZ, but oh well.
I sort of enjoy them, but with my SL you have to take the 100+ lb hard top off and store it somewhere. If you don’t have a garage with a roof beam to attach the lift and pulley, it’s very heavy and difficult, so I end up never doing it.
I have no experience with hard tops, esp. like those – does it take 2 people to do it, or can one manage, if likely slower/more cumbersome?
I also have a removable hard top for my BMW convertible. I could lift the hard top myself, but wouldn’t be able to line it up without scratching up my car. With 2 people it’s easy to install, takes like a minute, you throw a latch at each corner and you’re done. Looks quite good on the car, too, I think it looks better than the coupe. Now it does have 4 bolt holes in it (hidden by flaps) so you could make a hoist for it, but that seems like too much trouble for me.
Fascinating and thanks – I’ve never had a garage of my own, so these types of cars have always seemed unobtainium cool, esp. like you say when the top is in place.
If you can lift it with the bracket and pulley, one strong and well-coordinated person can do it. If you have to do it by hand, you need two strong people. I did it with my wife and she hurt her back, but I had two professional movers do it once and they were ok.
The hard top goes on in the winter. If the weather’s inclement in the not-winter take a different car. Works for our R107 SL, and will work for the 996 Cabrio once it is on the road.
I took the hardtop off with my wife once and that wound up injuring her back (we don’t have a garage where we can use the hardtop lift pulley assembly). So we had burly men put it back on the next winter and it hasn’t been off since.
I sort of enjoy them, but with my SL you have to take the 100+ lb hard top off and store it somewhere. If you don’t have a garage with a roof beam to attach the lift and pulley, it’s very heavy and difficult, so I end up never doing it.
I have no experience with hard tops, esp. like those – does it take 2 people to do it, or can one manage, if likely slower/more cumbersome?
I also have a removable hard top for my BMW convertible. I could lift the hard top myself, but wouldn’t be able to line it up without scratching up my car. With 2 people it’s easy to install, takes like a minute, you throw a latch at each corner and you’re done. Looks quite good on the car, too, I think it looks better than the coupe. Now it does have 4 bolt holes in it (hidden by flaps) so you could make a hoist for it, but that seems like too much trouble for me.
Fascinating and thanks – I’ve never had a garage of my own, so these types of cars have always seemed unobtainium cool, esp. like you say when the top is in place.
If you can lift it with the bracket and pulley, one strong and well-coordinated person can do it. If you have to do it by hand, you need two strong people. I did it with my wife and she hurt her back, but I had two professional movers do it once and they were ok.
The hard top goes on in the winter. If the weather’s inclement in the not-winter take a different car. Works for our R107 SL, and will work for the 996 Cabrio once it is on the road.
I took the hardtop off with my wife once and that wound up injuring her back (we don’t have a garage where we can use the hardtop lift pulley assembly). So we had burly men put it back on the next winter and it hasn’t been off since.
I don’t hate convertibles, but I do hate driving convertibles with the roof down.
I’ve owned some really good ones, mk3 MR2, MX5, Elise. I had those three for a total of nearly twenty years, all great cars. I’ve tried enjoying the roof down experience and I don’t. I can’t explain why, because all of the negatives (wind, noise, diesel fumes, skin cancer) are much, much worse on a bicycle or motorcycle and I love riding those.
My first car was a 2CV, and I used to drive that with the roof rolled back all the time, and that was lovely. So I really don’t get why I didn’t enjoy taking the much smaller roof off my Elise.
In the UK there is quite a bit of abuse for convertibles having the roof on when it’s sunny. The MX5OC used to have name and shame threads for roof up, and the one time my Elise was on Facebook I received a lot of abuse for my roof choice. But this was well after I’d realised I don’t enjoy having the roof down.
Weirdly no one cares if I don’t keep gloves in my glovebox, or if I don’t do drifts all the time in cars with an LSD, but if I don’t do the “right” thing with my roof they feel the need to tell me at gas stations.
I work on rooftop units in the sun weekdays: my roof is normally up when the sun is out as I have enough exposure to UV
I don’t hate convertibles, but I do hate driving convertibles with the roof down.
I’ve owned some really good ones, mk3 MR2, MX5, Elise. I had those three for a total of nearly twenty years, all great cars. I’ve tried enjoying the roof down experience and I don’t. I can’t explain why, because all of the negatives (wind, noise, diesel fumes, skin cancer) are much, much worse on a bicycle or motorcycle and I love riding those.
My first car was a 2CV, and I used to drive that with the roof rolled back all the time, and that was lovely. So I really don’t get why I didn’t enjoy taking the much smaller roof off my Elise.
In the UK there is quite a bit of abuse for convertibles having the roof on when it’s sunny. The MX5OC used to have name and shame threads for roof up, and the one time my Elise was on Facebook I received a lot of abuse for my roof choice. But this was well after I’d realised I don’t enjoy having the roof down.
Weirdly no one cares if I don’t keep gloves in my glovebox, or if I don’t do drifts all the time in cars with an LSD, but if I don’t do the “right” thing with my roof they feel the need to tell me at gas stations.
I work on rooftop units in the sun weekdays: my roof is normally up when the sun is out as I have enough exposure to UV
I am a die hard climate change alarmist… I have solar PV, buying an EV, mostly want to avoid any ICE engines ever again. But damn if I’m not waiting for the $$ to buy me a decent, fun, manual, convertible car. Several years ago I had a line on a very cheap but fairly low mileage manual Volvo C70. I am still regretting that I did not buy it. When they are shined up, they are a beautiful car.
I am a die hard climate change alarmist… I have solar PV, buying an EV, mostly want to avoid any ICE engines ever again. But damn if I’m not waiting for the $$ to buy me a decent, fun, manual, convertible car. Several years ago I had a line on a very cheap but fairly low mileage manual Volvo C70. I am still regretting that I did not buy it. When they are shined up, they are a beautiful car.
Look, I live in the Midwest. The nearest decent track is an hour away, and many thousands of dollars I could better spend elsewhere. The nearest fun public road is two hours away. I really don’t care my convertible’s chassis can’t handle the twisties as well as a fixed roof because there are no twisties anywhere near me.
On the other hand, I can easily enjoy top down motoring on the flat grid roads of suburbia. As several people have mentioned already, even the most mundane tasks are more of an adventure.
Look, I live in the Midwest. The nearest decent track is an hour away, and many thousands of dollars I could better spend elsewhere. The nearest fun public road is two hours away. I really don’t care my convertible’s chassis can’t handle the twisties as well as a fixed roof because there are no twisties anywhere near me.
On the other hand, I can easily enjoy top down motoring on the flat grid roads of suburbia. As several people have mentioned already, even the most mundane tasks are more of an adventure.
Is the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet an enthusiast’s car.
You have to be an enthusiast to some kind to own one of those.
funny enough I think a company could pull of a convertible crossover/suv. I mean, what is a Jeep or Bronco. It’s just Nissan didn’t stand back and look at what they did before they put in on the market. I bet Porsche could pull of a pretty decent convertible Macan.
Is the Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet an enthusiast’s car.
You have to be an enthusiast to some kind to own one of those.
funny enough I think a company could pull of a convertible crossover/suv. I mean, what is a Jeep or Bronco. It’s just Nissan didn’t stand back and look at what they did before they put in on the market. I bet Porsche could pull of a pretty decent convertible Macan.
Z3 roadster owner for 22 years. I love every minute that I drive it. Especially at night.
Used to own a first gen MR2. Not the same experience, but still fun as hell with the T-tops off.
Took the hardtop off mine Friday night, then drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Breathtakingly beautiful—and no worrying about melanoma.
Z3 roadster owner for 22 years. I love every minute that I drive it. Especially at night.
Used to own a first gen MR2. Not the same experience, but still fun as hell with the T-tops off.
Took the hardtop off mine Friday night, then drove up the Blue Ridge Parkway. Breathtakingly beautiful—and no worrying about melanoma.
I’ve always loved the idea of convertibles, but the one time I rented a drop top camaro for a road trip I was surprised by how little a difference there seemed to be compared to driving with the windows down. My field of vision was still framed by the windshield, and the airflow seemed pretty much the same. Probably was more fun for the passenger?
Entirely possible I was doing it wrong.
I had a Corvette that was similar. The A pillar came back so far that you didn’t feel as open as something that places your head closer to where the B pillar would be.
I’ve always loved the idea of convertibles, but the one time I rented a drop top camaro for a road trip I was surprised by how little a difference there seemed to be compared to driving with the windows down. My field of vision was still framed by the windshield, and the airflow seemed pretty much the same. Probably was more fun for the passenger?
Entirely possible I was doing it wrong.
I had a Corvette that was similar. The A pillar came back so far that you didn’t feel as open as something that places your head closer to where the B pillar would be.
I’ve long loved roadsters (I define as a car designed ground up as a convertible), grew up around Miatas after all, but I have never loved convertibles (coupes, occasionally sedans, with the roofs chopped off). Mostly for 2 reasons, styling is often comprised for the convertible models (rarely does the convertible look better than the coupe) and safety, or more accurately safety regulations, as I have always wanted to do autocross, the occasional track day, with my car. But I have never hated on them or cared if other people wanted one, I love the top down motoring feeling and completely understand those who want it. My favorite body type would be a shooting brake…shocking…which I have always thought of as a roadster (maybe a sports coupe) with a wagon butt.
I’ve long loved roadsters (I define as a car designed ground up as a convertible), grew up around Miatas after all, but I have never loved convertibles (coupes, occasionally sedans, with the roofs chopped off). Mostly for 2 reasons, styling is often comprised for the convertible models (rarely does the convertible look better than the coupe) and safety, or more accurately safety regulations, as I have always wanted to do autocross, the occasional track day, with my car. But I have never hated on them or cared if other people wanted one, I love the top down motoring feeling and completely understand those who want it. My favorite body type would be a shooting brake…shocking…which I have always thought of as a roadster (maybe a sports coupe) with a wagon butt.
I am a massive fan of convertibles. I grew up with them and I’m thankful for it, I know tons of people who have never even ridden in a car with the top down, and that’s very sad to me. Taking a drive in a convertible turns every drive into something so much more special and enjoyable. When I was in LA and had my 986S, that top basically never went up… driving back to the South Bay and taking the tunnels on the 405 south at night with the top down, empty road, and open throttle was just so great.
Never understood the hate, and it’s oh oh oh so wrong! I’ve seen it mentioned here, and yes, Night Convertible drives are the best, especially driving tree canopy covered roads where your headlight catch the branches and leaves as the stars peer out above them
I am a massive fan of convertibles. I grew up with them and I’m thankful for it, I know tons of people who have never even ridden in a car with the top down, and that’s very sad to me. Taking a drive in a convertible turns every drive into something so much more special and enjoyable. When I was in LA and had my 986S, that top basically never went up… driving back to the South Bay and taking the tunnels on the 405 south at night with the top down, empty road, and open throttle was just so great.
Never understood the hate, and it’s oh oh oh so wrong! I’ve seen it mentioned here, and yes, Night Convertible drives are the best, especially driving tree canopy covered roads where your headlight catch the branches and leaves as the stars peer out above them
I’ve never been Convertible guy, but after the last two years of being Targa guy and loving everything but the extra rattles, I feel like I’m slowly turning into one.