An ode to the affordable, classic convertible

Convertibles are not — and never should be — considered rational purchases. They are, by their very design, hugely compromised, impractical and overly complex bits of kit... but my goodness, do we love them.

For those who have never had the pleasure of wafting down a leafy green country lane with nothing but miles of blue sky and sunshine beating down on them, it’s time to change that. Here’s our nod to the finest, most enjoyable and affordable convertibles on the market.

The Mazda MX5 — or Miata, as it’s known to our cousins across the pond — is a car that no self- respecting motorhead should go without driving, if only once. It is one of the purest and most affordable expressions of fun, open-top driving on the market and, if you opt for the original Mk1 (or NA, in Mazda speak), then you’re granted entry into the oh-so-exclusive pop-up headlight club.

Originally equipped with a featherweight but plucky 1.6-litre, four-cylinder engine, the MX5 cracks out 115 bhp — or 128 in the later 1.8-litre models — which is hilarious fun in a rear-wheel drive car that weighs less than a tonne.

Price: £2,000 — £10,000

Created in the days when Mercedes would engineer cars to outlive the apocalypse, the SL (R129) is a robust drop-top that can trace its roots back to automotive royalty. Made between 1988 and 2001, its name stems back to the 300 SL — better known as the ‘Gullwing’ from the 1950s — which sells for millions in the collector market, yet its R129 grandchild can be picked up for less than a couple of Glastonbury glamping tickets.

Styled by legendary Mercedes designer Bruno Sacco, the R129 came in many guises, ranging from a straight-six to a V6, a V8 and brawny 7.3-litre V12 model, guided by AMG. With a sumptuous interior, this is the ultimate summer cruiser.

Price: £5,000 — £30,000

Aspiring architect? Or middle-class creative with slightly left-leaning politics and nonconformist sensibilities? Brilliant, step this way.

Despite its Scandinavian origins, the Saab 900 convertible was born in the US. The brainchild of Robert J Sinclair, Saab’s unorthodox US president, the angular drop-top was devised to shift away from Saab’s ‘safe and sensible’ image, and between 1986 and 1994, it sold like hot cinnamon rolls. Since then, it’s gone on to be a bastion of metropolitan-elite motoring — particularly in the slightly spicier ‘Turbo’ trim — with 175 bhp from its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine, four spacious seats and ruler-straight, retro styling.

Price: £3,000-10,000

If in doubt, go BMW and make sure it’s an E30 while you’re at it. This era of 3-Series was the definitive ‘yuppie mobile’ when new in the 1980s, and at its most attractive with its roof lopped off. In convertible guise, its pin-sharp styling and boxy shape are timeless.

With enough room for four people to soak up the rays, try to track down a sought-after 325iS M-Tech, which came equipped with a punchy 2.5-litre straight-six engine that produced 161 bhp when new. If money is no object, then go for gold with the E30 M3 convertible, but expect to fork out hundreds of thousands if you manage to find one.

Price: £5,000 – £20,000

This article was taken from the summer 2025 issue of Gentleman's Journal, which you can read more about here.

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