In India, open-top cars are enjoyable only on a handful of days. Mostly, it’s either too hot or too cold, or the air quality is poor. But when the weather does cooperate, a convertible can feel genuinely special. Here, we take a look at 14 convertible cars currently on sale in the country. Mercedes, Maserati and Ferrari have three each, BMW has two, and Mini, McLaren and MG have one apiece. Read on to see what sets each of these drop-tops apart.
Mini Cooper S Convertible
Rs 59 lakh-61.50 lakh
The Mini Cooper S Convertible is the most accessible and smallest convertible car in India. At speeds of up to 30kph, its electrically operated fabric roof can be opened and closed in 18 seconds and 15 seconds, respectively. Under the hood of the Cooper S Convertible, Mini has plonked a 2-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine with peak outputs of 204hp and 300Nm. A 7-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox sends power to the front wheels, and there’s no manual on offer. The run from 0 to 100kph takes 6.9 seconds.
MG Cyberster
Rs 82.5 lakh
Next in line is the MG Cyberster, whose soft top takes just 10 seconds to open or close at speeds of up to 50kph, matching the BMW Z4 (also on this list) for the quickest roof operation. Coming to the MG Cyberster specs, its 77kWh battery pack powers two electric motors, one on each axle. Combined outputs of 510hp and 725Nm are sent to all four wheels, taking the electric vehicle from a standstill to 100kph in just 3.2 seconds.
BMW Z4
Rs 90.5 lakh-95.2 lakh
While BMW has confirmed the end of the Z4’s production, the model is still listed on the brand’s India website, likely for existing stock. The BMW car features a 3.0-litre straight-6 turbo-petrol engine that develops 340hp and 500Nm, sending power to the rear wheels. The Z4 M40i can be had with either an 8-speed torque-converter automatic transmission (AT) or a 6-speed manual transmission (MT), making it the only convertible on this list to offer a manual gearbox. The 0-100kph sprint is done in 4.6 seconds with the MT and in 4.5 seconds with the AT.
BMW M440i Convertible
Rs 1.09 crore
The BMW M440i Convertible is one of the latest convertibles to launch in India. Its soft-top roof can be opened or closed in 18 seconds at speeds up to 50kph. Under its hood is the same 3-litre 6-cylinder turbo-petrol engine as the BMW M340i, producing peak outputs of 374hp and 500Nm. This engine is mated to an 8-speed automatic gearbox, which sends power to all four wheels. The claimed 0-100kph time is 4.9 seconds.
Mercedes CLE 300
Rs 1.15 crore
The Mercedes-Benz CLE 300 Cabriolet is the most affordable convertible car from Mercedes in India, and its soft-top roof opens and closes in 20 seconds at speeds of up to 60kph. Under the hood lies a 2.0-litre 4-cylinder turbo-petrol engine producing 258hp and 400Nm, paired with a 9AT unit, which sends drive to all four wheels. The 100kph mark from rest is hit in a claimed 6.6 seconds.
Mercedes SL
AMG SL 55
Rs 2.34 crore
Next, Mercedes has two SL models on sale in India: the AMG SL 55 and the Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series. The AMG SL 55 has a multi-layer fabric roof that can be opened or closed in 16 seconds at up to 60kph.
Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series
Rs 4.3 crore
The Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series is the brand’s most expensive convertible. Like the AMG SL 55, the Maybach car also has a multi-layer fabric roof with a 16-second operation time, but it works at slightly lower speeds of up to 50kph.
While both these models pack a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine mated to a 9AT, which sends the power to all four wheels, the Maybach SL 680 boasts higher power and torque figures of 585hp and 800Nm than the AMG SL 55’s 476hp and 700Nm. But when it comes to the 0-100kph sprint, the AMG does it in 3.9 seconds, slightly ahead of the Maybach’s 4.1 seconds.
Maserati GranCabrio
Rs 2.83 crore-3 crore
The Maserati GranCabrio – the convertible version of the Maserati GranTurismo – features a folding fabric setup that can be lowered or raised in 14 seconds, at up to 50kph. The GranCabrio shares its 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 petrol engine, which makes 550hp and 650Nm, with the GranTurismo, as well as the MCPura Cielo (also on this list). Transmission duties are handled by an 8AT unit, which sends output to all four wheels. The Maserati convertible can do the 0-100kph sprint in 3.6 seconds.
Maserati GranCabrio Folgore
Rs 3.18 crore
The Maserati GranCabrio Folgore, the only other electric roadster here besides the Cyberster, features a powered fabric roof that can be lowered or raised in 14 seconds at speeds of up to 50kph. Its three electric motors generate a combined output of 761hp and 1,350Nm. The Maserati electric convertible rockets from a standstill to 100kph in 2.8 seconds.
Ferrari Amalfi Spider
Rs 4.6 crore
The Ferrari Amalfi Spider is the newest convertible to go on sale in the country. Its folding fabric roof opens in 13.5 seconds at speeds of up to 60kph. The Amalfi Spider uses the same 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8 engine as the Amalfi coupe, producing 640hp and 760Nm. Power is sent to the rear wheels through an 8-speed dual-clutch automatic gearbox. Ferrari claims the convertible can sprint from a standstill to 100kph in 3.3 seconds.
Maserati MCPura Cielo
Rs 5.12 crore
The third convertible offering from the Italian carmaker on this list is the MCPura Cielo, which is the evolution of the MC20 Cielo. The convertible comes with an electrochromic glass roof, which opens and closes in just 12 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 50kph. It gets the brand’s 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol unit, delivering 630hp and 720Nm of torque. According to Maserati, the mid-engined supercar accelerates from 0 to 100kph in just 2.9 seconds.
Ferrari 296 GTS
Rs 6.45 crore
The Ferrari 296 GTS gets a foldable hard top that takes 14 seconds to pack itself behind the flying buttresses at speeds of up to 45kph. As for the powertrain, the 296 GTS plug-in hybrid gets a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 paired with an electric motor, which together produce 830hp and 740Nm. Its 8-speed DCT sends output to the rear wheels, making the 296 GTS go from 0 to 100kph in 2.9 seconds.
McLaren 750S Spider
Rs 8.78 crore*
While most cars on this list have a fabric roof or a hard top, the McLaren 750S Spider takes it up a notch with an electrochromic glass roof that can be dimmed at the touch of a button. This retractable top can glide up or down in 11 seconds at up to 50kph. The 750S Spider is powered by a 4-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine making 750hp and 800Nm, mated to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The engine output is sent to only the rear wheels, and the run from 0 to 100kph is said to take just 2.8 seconds.
*Might be lowered to Rs 5.46 crore after the India-UK FTA rollout.
Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider
Rs 9.15 crore
Lastly, the Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider is the most expensive convertible featured on this list. Ferrari has equipped the convertible version of the 12Cilindri with a retractable hard top, which takes 14 seconds to open/close at up to 45kph. Even the rear glass automatically slides down when the roof is tucked away. The 12Cilindri Spider has a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12 engine producing 830hp and 678Nm. The 8DCT sends power only to the rear wheels; 0-100kph comes up in a claimed 2.9 seconds.
Ex-showroom prices above are indicative and may change; availability of some models may depend on stock availability.