The 10 best cars for sunshine in 2019
The days are growing longer and the sales of aftersun products are about to fly through the roof, which can mean only one thing: summer is fast approaching! So what cars should you aim to drive when the sky is blue and bright?
The Italian one: Abarth 124 Spider
From: £28,825
Mechanical limited-slip diff, an extra 36lb ft of torque from the 1.4 Multijet engine, a louder exhaust and a matte black bonnet… this is a great take on the world’s best-selling roadster, the Mazda MX-5, and a bit of a bargain.
The desirable one: BMW 8-Series Convertible
From: £107,000 (estimated)
We’ve yet to drive it, but we already know we want this four-seat German grand tourer. Straight-six diesel or twin-turbo V8 petrol form your choice. Only an M8 Convertible could possibly whet our appetite more.
The clever one: Honda NSX
From: £143,950
Sunny weather doesn’t just attract convertible drivers: a twisting patch of dry tarmac and the promise of sun bouncing off metallic bodywork calls for the Japanese engineering marvel that is the sure-footed NSX, with its three electric motors and 3.5-litre twin-turbo V6, sprinting to 62mph in 3.3 seconds.
The fun one: Mini Convertible
From: £20,080
Choose from Cooper, Cooper S or JCW iterations. Either way, it’s a short, sharp urban package oozing funky little details inside and out, and the chance to endlessly personalise. The John Cooper Works version with BMW’s 2.0-litre four pot engine turns this three-door cabrio into a proper hot hatch.
The glamorous one: Aston Martin DB11 Volante
From: £157,900
It has the twin-turbo V8, not the V12, under the bonnet, but that’s not a problem: this chassis feels far more attuned to a tight twisting mountain road. The Volante is possibly the best-looking drop-top out there right now, and performance isn’t bad either: 510 horses and almost the same amount of torque.
The oddball one: Land Rover Evoque Convertible
From: £47,300
Is there a better way career across muddy tracks or down snow-covered fields than in a high-sided convertible that keeps the mud and water out but lets the sun and fresh air in? The answer, but the way, is a resounding no.
The pure one: Caterham Seven 360
From: £29,990
Ford Duratec 2.0-lite engine, 180 horsepower, 0-62mph in 4.8 seconds, and an awful lot of fresh air. Available in kit form or factory built, and with the normal chassis or the large version. It might be a classic design, but why tamper with a car that works so well?
The luxury one: Bentley GTC
From: £179,890
Bentley’s famous W12 engine delivers large mouthfuls of seamless power, swallowed silently by the chassis. The fabric roof options include a glorious tweed version, excellent when mated to the dark cricket ball paintwork. The interior remains one of the best crafted mix of wood and leather on wheels.
The classic one: Ferrari Portofino
From: £166,180
A splendid two-plus-two, mid-engined grand tourer from the Prancing Horse. The Portofino replaces the folding-hardtop California which didn’t have the sales success Ferrari is used to. The Portofino, however, has much better styling and is 35 per cent stiffer than the California. A wonderful way to travel.
The fast one: McLaren 720S Spider
From £237,000
The name denotes the power, which is a stupendous amount to try to put down on any public road: 0-62mph is dealt with in just 2.8 seconds. Roof down motoring is a lot of fun, but with the roof up, the best toy is the optional tinted glass roof – press a button for a 90 per cent tint to keep out prying eyes.
McLaren
720S
Ferrari
Portofino
Bentley
Continental GT
Caterham
Land Rover
Evoque
Aston Martin
DB11
Mini
Cooper
Honda
NSX
BMW
8 Series
Abarth
124 Spider
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