Vote for your favourite convertible car of 2011

By Editor | Published: 4th Dec, 2011

As the year draws to a close we have started to think about what was our favourite convertible car of 2011. Rather than just tell you what we think though we thought it would be good to hear how our readers feel. We have put together a shortlist of the five most prominent releases while leaving out the the kind of cars such as the Ferrari 458 Spider that only a few of us will ever be able to afford.

Thank you for voting the poll has now ended. The results are:

1st BMW 6-Series Convertible (32%, 27 Votes)
2nd Mercedes-Benz SLK Roadster (28%, 24 Votes)
3rd VW Golf Cabriolet (22%, 19 Votes)
4th Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet (13%, 11 Votes)
5th Chrysler 200 Convertible (5%, 4 Votes)
Total Voters: 85

The poll will end at the end of the year. You can find out more about these cars in our buyers guide:

BMW 640i Convertible

Chrysler 200 Limited Convertible

Mercedes SLK 350

Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet

Volkswagen Golf Cabriolet 1.4 TSi

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Daihatsu D-X roadster unveiled in Tokyo

By Editor | Published: 3rd Dec, 2011

Daihatsu D-X Concept

The Daihatsu Copen roadster has always been at the top of our list for value and fun but it has been around for a decade now so we have been keen to know what they will come up with next. The concept released at the Tokyo Motor Show can at least give us some ideas. Named the Daihatsu D-X (pronounced Dee Cross) it is a kind of tiny SUV/Roadster crossover.

The Japanese kei car dimensions remain but the design is a lot more chunky and aggressive than the cute little Copen. 60 horsepower comes from a two cylinder turbo petrol engine and drives the front wheels only but as with the Copen there may be another engine for export sales.

As with the Copen the Daihatsu D-X features a retractable hard top however the concept has a clever system of interchangeable body panels allowing the owner to easily update the colour and style of the car. The styling may not be a s cheeky as the Copen but it may broaden the appeal of the new car.

It isn’t the first roadster concept we’ve seen from Daihatsu with the Daihatsu OFC-1 Concept never getting the go-ahead for production. A new Daihatsu roadster based on the D-X concept should be more lucky with aims to released it Japan within the next couple of years but it is unclear whether or not the car would be exported to the rest of the world.

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Mazda may use a rotary engine in future MX-5 Miatas

By Editor | Published: 2nd Dec, 2011

Mazda MX5 Miata and RX8

Mazda have long been exponents of the Wankel rotary engine. Its ability to produce large amounts of power from a small, lightweight and high revving unit has always promised much but there have always been downsides. So far Mazda have had difficulty getting good fuel economy even from the relatively small capacity engines and with today’s high fuel costs this is limiting the use of such a powerplant.

Mazda are however optimistic and certainly far from giving up on the innovation. The RX-8 Coupe may end its production in 2012 but Mazda president and CEO, Takashi Yamanouchi, claims the company will continue research on the rotary engine.

He went on to say that the engine was an icon of the Mazda brand and that this kind of performance engine will continue to be used in future RX-8 and potentially the MX-5 roadster. At this point he could not say if the models would be separate or merged into one. He did confirm that there was a definite need for major improvements in both efficiency and torque.

One option may be a hydrogen powered rotary engine to produce electric power and prototypes are apparently already being tested.

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2013 Infiniti IPL G Convertible

By Editor | Published: 29th Nov, 2011

Infiniti IPL G Convertible

IPL is Infiniti‘s performance arm. They started in 2010 with an uprated version of the G37 Coupe and they have now given the G37 Convertible the full sports treatment. Known as the Infiniti IPL G Convertible the 3.7-litre V6 has been remapped to produce 343 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque.

As with the standard Infiniti G37 Convertible there is rear wheel drive and a retractable hardtop however the IPL gets a seven-speed paddle-shift, rev-matching automatic transmission for speedy changes while firmed up sports suspension should improve the cornering ability. The Infiniti IPL G Convertible also gets a body kit, 19 inch alloys and some beefy alloy brake callipers. Once you have set your heart on the IPL there aren’t many other decisions to make – it comes in just two colours – Moonlight White and Malbec Black while the interior can be selected in either Stone or Monaco Red leather. Unlike competitors from Mercedes, BMW and Audi the changes may be less drastic compared with the standard car but this performance luxury convertible is certainly no slouch.

The 2013 Infiniti IPL G Convertible, is set to go on sale in the spring of 2012.

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2013 Ford Mustang Convertible

By Editor | Published: 28th Nov, 2011

2013 Ford Mustang Convertible

The American icon gets another face-lift and a new set of gadgets to keep it going through 2012. Ford seem happy with the mechanics of the current Mustang convertible and have left these unchanged so both the V6 and V8 powered GT options remain.

The biggest change is a revised nose with a more prominent grill and LED driving lights to set it apart from previous cars. The new look is more aggressive, expressing all the power waiting to be unleashed. There are high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps as standard with two LED bars as driving lights.

The rear is also updated with a gloss black panel between the tail-lights. Those taillamps now have smoked lenses while three LED rings mark out the trademark rear lights for a sleeker look.

The Ford Mustang 5 litre V8 GT model now delivers a full 420 horsepower and if the owner specifies an automatic transmission they will now have the option to shift gears thanks to the new SelectShift Automatic gearbox. It isn’t a full-on flappy paddle system but does give the driver the ability to have greater control when they need it while still being able to let the car do the work on a relaxing cruise.

The 2013 Mustang’s dashboard gets a shakeup with a new LCD productivity screen that lets customers access information related to fuel economy and vehicle performance. The screen is navigated through a five-way control button located on the steering wheel and offers Track Apps, which delivers performance metrics for drivers right from the factory. The new app measures g forces, shows acceleration times in quarter-mile and 0-60 increments, and displays braking times, complete with automatic and countdown starts.

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2012 Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder

By Editor | Published: 26th Nov, 2011

Lamborghini Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder

Until now if you were the kind of brave soul who would prefer to forego the safety net of Lamborghini’s all-wheel-drive system the only answer was the Gallardo LP 550-2 Balboni edition. This lightweight version of the car loosened up the rear end the way the famed Lamborghini test driver Valentino Balboni obviously preferred. The only trouble was that this was a fixed roof car so even if you had the courage and the driving skills to get challenge Mr Balboni you couldn’t enjoy the open air and engine noise at full volume the way us convertible fans love.

That’s all changed now with the arrival of the Lamborghini Gallardo LP 550-2 Spyder at the LA Auto Show. The latest droptop Gallardo doesn’t bear the name of the Italian test driver but in every other way it is a match for the coupe. There is the same manual gearbox and a limited-slip differential although Lamborghini’s e-gear robotised sequential transmission is still available as an option. The chassis has also been tuned over the standard Gallardo Spyder along with some minor aerodynamic change. Even the engine has been adjusted to suit the new set-up with the 550 bhp output taking it from 0-62 mph in 4.2 seconds and then on to 198 mph where space and laws allow.

Purists will love this new convertible in the Lamborghini range and while the Gallardo LP550-2 Spyder may not suit those who want manageable high performance it returns the brand to the more traditional experience of harnessing the raging bull.

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