Cadillac Sollei
We can dream a little, right? Cadillac’s glorious Sollei four-seat, all-electric convertible is one of those dream machines that conjures heavenly images of cruising the California coast or winding along a snaking Carolina mountain road.
Unveiled last year, this one-off concept is essentially a two-door, drop-top version of Cadillac’s all-new $340,000 Celestiq electric luxury limousine that recently went into production in the Motor City. Like the Celestiq, it has big electric motors front and rear, juiced by GM’s Ultium battery pack; they deliver a combined 600 hp and 300-mile-plus range. Air suspension gives it a magic carpet–like ride.
I love the pale-yellow Manilla Cream paint (which Cadillac debuted in the late ’50s) and the matching leather interior with contrasting, open-pore wood trim.
While there are no firm production plans, the Sollei is too good a convertible not to be built. It helps that Cadillac’s Celestiq program is all about bespoke creations, so the Sollei has a chance of making it, no doubt with a $500,000-and-up price tag.
Lexus LC500
If the trusty Swiss Army Knife came with four wheels, it would be called the Lexus LC500 convertible. Here is a sublime two-seat grand tourer that does everything right, makes everything look easy, and looks spectacular while doing it.
While the LC has been around for five years now, it still looks fresh, elegant, and super sexy, with its mile-long hood, dramatic “spindle” grille, and ski-slope-raked windshield. Its leather-lined interior is a master class in stylish, unfussy design and supreme comfort.
Fifteen seconds is all it takes for the multilayer cloth top to take a trip beneath its hard cover and let the sunshine in. Raise the windows and there’s hardly a rustle of wind disrupting the cabin at speed.
Much of the car’s considerable appeal comes down to that wondrous 5.0-liter 32-valve V8 nestled beneath the hood, emitting little more than a kitten’s purr even when revving to its 7,100-rpm redline. It’s coupled to a 10-speed automatic that surely runs on liquid Teflon. Yes, there’s a hybrid version, but you wouldn’t want it.
Of course, there are more thrilling, more driver-focused, more rewarding sports cars out there. But the LC (which begins at $107,800) makes every journey an event.
Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Cabriolet
Road trips are meant to be shared. So, while a fancy two-seat Mercedes SL might be big on style, the practicality, versatility, and rear seats of Mercedes’ brand-new $85,000 AMG CLE 53 cabriolet make it the perfect alternative.
Drop the top—20 seconds closed to open—and you’ll be feeling the sun on your face and the wind in your hair. With power from a mighty twin-turbo 3.0-liter mild hybrid in-line 6 making 443 hp, expect a lot of windblown hair.
Mercedes-Benz retired the previous C-Class and E-Class convertibles and replaced them with one model, the CLE. It’s an ideal not-too-big, not-too-small compromise that still allows decent rear-seat kneeroom and a sports car feel.
And it drives like a dream, courtesy of that AMG-tuned 6-cylinder powerhouse, AMG-massaged suspension, time-stopping brakes, and snorting exhaust. All-wheel drive comes standard for on-rails cornering.
A bold face—defined by Mercedes’ iconic Panamericana grille—and striking 20-inch rims give the car an elegantly imposing look. Just pack light as trunk space is on the tight side.
Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet
No roundup of road-tripping convertibles would be complete without some kind of Porsche 911 in the mix. These days, Porsche offers a mouth-watering selection of no fewer than seven magical models. Eight if you include the folding-top Targa 4 GTS.
The base, and arguably the best, is the 911 Carrera cabriolet, with 388 hp and a $140,900 sticker. The astonishing Turbo S cabriolet has 640 hp and 2.7 second zero-to-60-mph sprinting. Pricing for that rocket ship starts at around $243,200.
What’s the appeal? Everything from constant evolution—the first 911 Cab debuted in 1983—to its iconic silhouette, unique and still quirky rear-engine layout, thrilling performance and driving experience, and remarkable build quality.
While that mighty Turbo S Cabriolet offers more fireworks than the Fourth of July, my favorite is still the base Carrera. Top down on a twisty mountain back road, it delivers nothing less than driving nirvana.
E.C.D. Land Rover Defender
When you want to take the road less traveled on your soft-top adventure, some low-slung Mazda Miata ragtop isn’t going to take you off the muddy beaten path. But an old-school Land Rover Defender 4×4 could.
Alas, Land Rover quit building them in 2016 after 68 years of production. However, the passionate Brits at Kissimmee-based E.C.D. Auto Design stepped up to create a lineup of fully restored, rebuilt, and thoroughly modern Defenders.
My favorite? The bespoke 110 Soft Top, priced at about $250,000. Based on a rebuilt 1995 D110 model, it has seating for up to nine, a removable roof, a quilted-leather interior, and a laundry list of options that includes everything from bike and paddleboard racks to cooler mounts and serious stereos.
But the real surprise and delight is what’s under the hood. No wheezy four-cylinder gas motor here; instead, there’s a GM LT1 “crate” V8 just like the one you’d find in a Corvette, packing 455 hp and coupled to a 10-speed automatic.
Bentley Continental GTC
That GTC badge says it all: Grand Touring Convertible. Bentley’s new four-seat drop-top is a car to cross continents in, a car that will make any drive a jubilant occasion.
The big news for 2025 was Bentley’s dropping of the beloved W12 12-cylinder powerhouse and replacing it with an equally potent but more socially acceptable plug-in hybrid twin-turbo V8. High-zoot first-edition Speed and Mulliner models packed a massive 771 hp. For the ’26 model year, Bentley has the “not-exactly-base” GT and Azure options with a 671-hp version of the V8. Each one can drive for 30 miles on electric power alone.
While this new Continental GTC is distinguished by a freshened front-end design, with single headlights in place of the original dual lights, what hasn’t changed is that astonishing performance, majestic ride, and world-class craftsmanship.
For full joy, tap the convertible top button and watch as the multilayer canvas roof descends or raises in a mere 19 seconds. Just look at those stars. Prices start at around $250,000.
Revology 1968 Shelby GT500 KR Convertible
Cruising top down in a classic ’60s Mustang has to be the definition of cool. But you’d better have a toolbox in the trunk and your mechanic on speed dial if you don’t want your road trip to end in tears.
Orlando-based Revology Cars might just have the solution with its gorgeous 1968 Shelby GT500 KR convertible. How come? Despite its 1968 origins, it’s actually a brand-new car, with all the reliability and dependability that comes from using new components.
It starts with an all-steel monocoque chassis strengthened with aerospace-style structural adhesives. Under the hood there’s a supercharged Ford 5.0-liter Coyote V8, packing 710 hp and mated to a 10-speed automatic or 6-speed manual. The beauty here is that it won’t overheat in traffic or leave pools of Pennzoil on your garage floor.
I recently drove the coupe version of the Revology KR and was wowed by the quality, craftsmanship, and modern-day feel of the car. The interior is just a work of art. Naturally, the price of all this quality doesn’t come cheap. Conversations start at around $350,000.
Aston Martin Vanquish Volante
Sometimes you just need to get from A to B in the blink of an eye. Think: a pickup at the airport, a can’t-miss dinner date, or a blast along California’s snaking Pacific Coast Highway north of San Francisco for the sheer fun of it—all with the top down to let you smell the roses.
The car to do it in is Aston Martin’s newly minted Vanquish Volante, with its thundering 824-hp twin-turbo V12, 214-mph top speed, and zero-to-62-mph time of just 3.4 seconds. It’s the fastest, most powerful open-top production Aston to date.
The other key number here is 14 seconds, which is the time it takes for the Aston’s multilayer fabric roof to unlatch, descend, and fold neatly beneath its hard cover. For ultimate coolness, drop the top with a tap of the key fob as you approach.
And there’s real visual beauty that comes standard with this beast (which is priced at around $500,000). It might just be the most beautiful car in the world, with that gaping maw, the dips and dives of its bodywork, and that swept-back windshield. The interior is Aston Martin bespoke craftsmanship at its finest.
Rolls-Royce Arcadia Droptail
One word signifies the ultimate in hyper-luxury convertibles: Droptail. That’s Rolls-Royce’s moniker for its handcrafted, two-door, open-top, $30 million grand tourer. And yes, you read that price right.
To date, Rolls has built just three Droptails, with the newest being this pearly-white Arcadia masterpiece, developed from a sketch created in 2019. The painstaking build involved more than 8,000 hours on the intricate woodwork alone. The final result was delivered early last year.
Loosely based on the now discontinued V12-powered Phantom Drophead, the Droptail has had every one of its body panels subtly resculpted, with the most dramatic change coming at the back. Here the rear deck is a woodworking tour de force, with the Santos Crown open-pore veneer laid at a perfect 55-degree angle. Inside there’s seating for just two, with the seats trimmed in two-tone tan and white leather, surrounded by acres of that Santos Crown timber.
The two other Droptails are named Amethyst and La Rose Noire. Like the Arcadia, they were built to fulfill their owners’ fantasies. Interested in your own Droptail? Rolls-Royce’s Coachbuild division is awaiting your call.
Maserati GranCabrio Folgore
You can count the number of production electric convertibles on one hand. By far the sexiest, most elegant, and most exciting is Maserati’s new GranCabrio Folgore. Did I mention it has 818 horsepower?
Yes, there’s a gas-powered GranTurismo—featuring a divine twin-turbo 3.0-liter V6 packing 483 hp—that is seriously delightful to drive. But if you want real automotive fireworks coupled with zero emissions and some stealthy, silent running, this new Folgore (that’s Italian for lightning bolt) is a lightning bolt on wheels.
With its trio of electric motors and beefy 83-kWh battery pack, this drop-top four-seater can rocket from standstill to 60 mph in a quite insane 2.7 seconds. Range is just okay at 233 miles, but find yourself a fast charger and you can add 60 miles in just five minutes.
In true Maserati tradition, the GranCab’s cabin is a sea of beautifully stitched leather, though greenies can opt for the EcoNyl fabric created from recycled nylon. Potential buyers can expect to shell out at least $182,000.
Facebook Comments