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Going topless
From showboats to powerhouses,
get the skinny on the most boast-worthy convertibles
by David Menzies
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The typical opening for just about every story
ever penned on convertible cars embodies some (if not all) of the
following elements. Season: summer. Weather: warm. Sun: shining.
Roads: winding. Music: pulsating. Top: down. Wind: whipping through
the driver's hair.
There you have it -- the de rigueur convertible
experience, as much cherished as it is cliché. Yet, while
top-down motoring on a balmy summer day can make for a life-affirming
experience, the real bragging rights don't come while zooming along
winding, sun-kissed country roads.
Rather, the show-off factor is best enjoyed
when the driver is stopped at a traffic light, the convertible's
roof firmly tilted into an upright position. In a nifty display
of time management (and, okay, shameless showboating), the driver
presses a button, activating a series of automated movements that
culminate in the top's disappearance.
This is not merely a routine mechanical exercise;
in a sense, the descent of a convertible's roof is an outright performance.
Pedestrians and fellow motorists take notice as the various servo
motors hum and whirr into action. What was once a mere car soon
evolves into a bona fide Transformer robot: the trunk opens, the
roof folds unto itself like an oversized accordion and, eventually,
a ceiling of canvas or steel sinks into the car's rear end.
The whole act is very much akin to a male
peacock unveiling his full plumage. And the spectacle of a convertible
roof's descent has the power to make observers pine for the day
when they, too, will have the financial wherewithal to acquire the
ultimate summertime toy.
Whereas a few decades ago the convertible
was an endangered species, the good news is that we are currently
living in a golden age of convertibles. Convertible roof technology
continues to improve, and each year there are more hardtop convertibles
coming on to the market. A hardtop convertible offers the owner
the best of both worlds: topless motoring when it's a nice day and
a secure, solid roof that offers better sound insulation, security
and weather resistance when it's not so nice outside.
Alas, one thing that hasn't changed is the
high premium of convertible ownership. As the old saying goes, "When
the top goes down, the price goes up." Yet, as the following appraisals
surely suggest, should you possess the necessary disposable income,
these vehicles are doubtless worth the extra expense.
Best
Looking
Saturn Sky
Price: from $33,125
The skinny: Granted, beauty is in the eye of the beholder,
but the Saturn Sky offers world-class exterior design. Indeed, of
all the convertibles driven during our test period, the Sky easily
garnered the highest number of compliments and double-takes.
It's also hard to believe that something so
breathtakingly gorgeous costs so little, comparatively speaking.
On the downside, the Sky is not nearly as performance minded as
its closest competitor, the Mazda MX-5; as such, Sky owners should
expect a car that is more of a boulevard cruiser than a purebred
sports car.
Also take note, when the roof is down, you
best not pack anything bulkier than a gym bag -- trunk space is
far from cavernous.
Should you take a shine to the Sky, consider
spending a few grand more for the Red Line version. This souped-up
Saturn offers a turbocharged engine generating 260 horsepower (versus
177 on the base model), and it makes a staggering difference. As
well, the Red Line boasts uprated springs, shocks, bushings and
stabilizer bars, all of which go a long way to upping performance.
What we liked most: The Sky receives numerous compliments
and a head-turning quotient befitting a vehicle that costs five
times as much.
What we liked least: The Sky's roof leaves much to be desired.
It seems somewhat cheaply constructed -- the vehicle committed the
cardinal sin of convertibles; it allowed water to leak in.
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