When it comes to cars with a removable or folding top, there have been thousands of real beauties created.
This has existed since the invention of the first horseless carriages. A convertible automobile, whether it’s a classic cruiser, a roadster, or a quirky coupe, is difficult to resist.
You could easily spend $33,000 or more on a new convertible, or you might spend thousands less on a vintage model that will turn heads and even improve in value over time.
Spinning around in a classic convertible, allowing the wind to blow through your hair, is a great way to spend the summer.
Here’s a collection of some of the wackiest convertibles you’ll ever see.
Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse is the most powerful convertible on the market, with a 1200-hp quad-turbocharged 8.0-liter W-16 engine.
60 mph takes just 2.6 seconds, 124 mph takes 7.1 seconds, and 186 mph takes 16.0 seconds.
The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse is the world’s fastest convertible, with a confirmed top speed of 254.04 mph, and the luxury that comes with it makes it one of the most expensive.
1959 Cadillac Eldorado
The exterior design of the 1959 Cadillac Eldorado is stunning, with its enormous tail fins and dual “bullet” taillights. It is the embodiment of over-the-top 1950s fashion.
The front and rear grilles, as well as the sill panels, wheel wells, taillights, and tailfins, are all finished in chrome.
The 1959 Eldorado had power seats, windows, locks, steering, and brakes, as well as an air suspension, which were not standard on lower automobiles at the time.
1961-1967 Jaguar E-Type Series I
The E-Type not only stole the show but also every headline when it debuted at the Geneva Auto Salon in March 1961.
The Jaguar was dubbed “the most beautiful car in the world” by Enzo Ferrari, and many people consider the original Coupé and Roadster variants to be flawless from every viewpoint.
A 3.8-liter I-6 engine with 265 horsepower and a four-speed manual transmission. With a torsion bar front suspension and independent coil spring suspension, the E-Type behaved well for its day.
Disc brakes on all four wheels were standard. NART Spyder Ferrari 275 GTS
Corvette Stingray
Summertime may be a lot of fun when you’re cruising down the street in a Corvette Stingray classic vehicle.
This car’s cherry red convertible variant is undoubtedly the coolest convertible ever. In its current form, America’s most iconic sports vehicle continues to impress.
For under $60,000, you can get behind the wheel of this convertible with a V8 engine, two seats, and 465 pounds of torque per foot.
The Corvette Stingray accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in under 4 seconds. It’s ideal for cruising the streets, street racing, and dazzling everyone you pass.
This stunning vehicle is also surprisingly fuels efficient, averaging 29 gallons per mile on the interstate.
It has Apple CarPlay, so you can listen to your favorite music while driving, and you’ll be having a great time all summer.
1962-1967 Shelby Cobra
Carol Shelby stuffed a Ford V-8 engine into a small, lightweight AC Ace two-seat roadster body, and the Shelby Cobra legend was born. Despite its mixed racing results, the Cobra is still popular among collectors.
Early automobiles had 260 and 289 cubic-inch Ford V-8 engines, while later models had larger 427 and 428 cubic-inch engines.
Due to the limited production of just over 1000 Shelby Cobra roadsters between 1962 and 1967, the value of an original car has risen.
Shelby American still sells new continuation cars, and other component car companies make replica kits.
Mazda Miata (1991)
The Mazda Maita is a dependable and incredibly tough vehicle. A two-door, two-seat rear-wheel-drive front-engined roadster.
The naturally aspirated 1.6 Liter 16v Inline 4 gasoline engine produces 113 horsepower and drives this MX-5 Miata 1.6 to 62 mph in 8.8 seconds, with a top speed of 121 mph.
Classic ’90s Miatas with pop-up headlights are getting increasingly difficult to come by, but a model from the early 2000s may be obtained for as low as $3,000 in good condition.
PORSCHE BOXSTER 986 (2004)
Since the iconic 550 (of which James Dean owned one), the Boxster was Porsche’s first real roadster, as well as their first mid-engine car.
The initial generation of these six-cylinder convertibles, which were produced until 2004 and are a cheaper alternative to other models from the same era, resurrected Porsche’s faltering fortunes.
For example, the 2004 model could accelerate from 0 to 60 mph in 5.7 seconds and reach a top speed of 169 mph.
One caveat: older Boxsters are susceptible to the intermediate shaft bearing failure, which can be costly to fix.
Prices are started to climb again after dropping in value over the last few years.
1965 Ford Mustang Convertible
This iconic American beauty was originally equipped with four engines, including a 101-horsepower 170 cubic inch I-6 engine that was later replaced with a 164-horsepower 260 cubic inch V-8 engine.
The era of Pony cars, which included the Chevrolet Camaro and Plymouth Barracuda, was ushered in with this enhanced V8 engine variant. Nothing, however, compares to the 1965 Mustang convertible.
It features all of the fantastic styling of the original Mustang, plus the ability to lower the roof.
The 1965 Ford Mustang went on to become one of the most iconic American automobiles ever after its spring debut at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.
PONTIAC GTO (1965)
The GTO defined the era with its famed 389-cubic-inch V-8 engine (a 421-horsepower variant was available) and aggressive performance (the ’65 coupe could go from zero to sixty in under six seconds).
Although the convertible sold relatively well in its first generation, sales began to decline substantially by the time the second-generation vehicle was introduced in 1968.