Joy rides

There’s something liberating about driving with the top down in a luxury sports convertible. The unmuted engine growl can put you in a sunnier mood than being cocooned inside a cockpit, especially with the appropriate oceanic or mountainous backdrop. Here are four superior drop-tops to blow back your hair this summer.

Ferrari Roma Spider 

The gorgeous Ferrari Roma Spider epitomises la dolce vita with its elegance and performance. It is the convertible version of the Roma, a grand-tourer coupé launched in 2019. Inspired by the chic, pleasure-seeking Italian lifestyle captured in films of the 1950s and 1960s, the Roma Spider marks the return of a soft top on a front-engined Ferrari for the first time in 54 years. The fabric roof can be opened or closed in 13.5 seconds while driving at up to 60km/h. Power is supplied by a twin-turbo 3.9l V8 engine with 456kW and 760Nm, good for a 0-100km/h sprint in 3.4 seconds and a top speed of over 320km/h. The sleek and aerodynamic car has a mobile rear spoiler with three different positions and a wind deflector that reduces noise and turbulence.

R6 300 000

Bmw M8 Competition Convertible 

The German brand’s fastest drop-top pairs BMW’s most alluring body shape with a powerful 4.4l V8 petrol turbo engine with outputs of 460kW and 750Nm. The M8 Competition Convertible blitzes the 0-100km/h sprint in just 3.2 seconds. The default 4WD mode provides maximum grip in all conditions, but drivers can also select a more playful 4WD Sport setting, which diverts more power to the rear wheels, or a “purist” two-wheel drive mode, which simultaneously deactivates the stability control.The style and speed are married to good practicality. The two-door, four-seater’s 420l boot accommodates a fair stack of luggage or golf bags, and the backrests flip down to expand the cargo area.

R3 572 618

Mercedes-AMG SL 43

The beautiful Benz SL roadster recently arrived in South Africa in SL 43 guise. A blend of luxury and exhilarating driving prowess, the four-seater boasts the typical long bonnet and steeply raked windscreen of its forebears.The new SL replaces its predecessor’s metal vario-roof with a fabric top that is 21kg lighter and lowers the centre of gravity. The roof takes about 15 seconds to glide open at driving speeds of up to 60km/h. This entry-level SL 43 (shortly to be joined by the fire-breathing SL 63) has a 2.0l four-cylinder engine with an electric turbocharger producing 280kW and 480Nm, and a starter-generator that delivers an additional 10kW/150Nm for short boosts. The rear-wheel-drive car covers the 0-100km/h sprint in 4.9 seconds with a top speed of 275km/h.A new AMG Ride Control steel suspension comes standard, and it can optionally be specced with active rear-axle steering and adjustable damping. The active air-control system and retractable rear spoiler improve aerodynamic performance.

R2 493 846

Maserati MC20 Cielo 

The Cielo (Italian for sky) is the convertible version of the mid-engined Maserati MC20 coupé. It boasts an innovative retractable glass roof that can be stowed safely out of sight in 12 seconds at driving speeds of up to 50km/h. The glass is electrochromic and can be transformed from clear to opaque with a quick touch of a button. The coupé’s sleek roofline and clear engine cover have been replaced by a pair of buttresses on either side of the composite tonneau, but the MC20 Cielo retains the same theatrical swan doors as the fixed-roof car.Armed with the firm’s 3.0l twin-turbo “Nettuno” engine sending 463kW and 730Nm to the rear wheels via an eight-speed dual-clutch auto transmission, the mellifluous Maserati scorches from 0-100km/h in 3.0 seconds and reaches a top speed of 320km/h.

R7 820 000

• From the February edition of Wanted, 2024.