Words: Charlie Thomas
Convertible cars divide opinion. On the one hand, they’re flashy, unnecessary and the lack of a roof often ruins the design of an otherwise great car. On the other though, certain convertibles are unashamedly cool, and actually benefit from the fact they’re open to the elements. They don’t make ’em like they used to though. Given our penchant for classic cars, we thought we’d take a look back at the coolest convertibles ever made. Here are our picks…
MERCEDES-BENZ 190SL
Whilst the 300SL ‘Gullwing’ is arguably the most beautiful car to ever grace the tarmac, its baby 190SL cousin is perhaps more elegant. It’s not quite as muscular as the 300SL, but the 190 has a certain poise and the lack of side vents and twin bonnet bulges actually make it prettier.
PORSCHE 356 SPEEDSTER
As far as outright beautiful cars go, the 356 has to be well up there. Conceived in the late 40s, it formed the basis of Porsche sports cars for the future, yet there are few clean examples left today, making it a rare beast.
MERCEDES-BENZ PAGODA SL
The prettiest, and perhaps coolest, of all Mercedes SLs has to go to the Pagoda. Developed for the American market, the W113 SL wasn’t particularly sporty; instead it was billed as a long distance cruiser, which, if you put your foot down, had the ability to move swiftly. We just want to stop and stare at it though.
JAGUAR XKSS
The Jaguar XKSS is perhaps the coolest car on this list. Only 16 were ever produced as road-going versions of the inimitable D-Type racing car, and not much was changed from the Le Mans winner. Steve McQueen was a famous owner of one too, meaning its ice-cold status is cemented forever.
ALFA ROMEO SPIDER
Alfa Romeo has made their far share of beautiful cars over the years, but the Series 1 Spider from the 60s has to be the best. Defining Italian charm with its clean, flowing lines and with surprising performance from its twin cam four-cylinder engine, it’s one of our favourite convertibles of all.
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