You can enjoy driving an open-top car in India only on a few days, as it’s either too hot or a bit chilly, and the air quality is often poor. Still, on the few days when the weather cooperates, driving a convertible feels genuinely special. And on a winding mountain road, for instance, every rupee feels well spent, despite these cars’ hefty price tags.
In our line-up of 13 convertibles currently on sale in the country, there are three options each from Mercedes, Ferrari and Maserati, and one each from Mini, BMW, McLaren and MG. Continue reading to find out what sets each of these drop-tops apart.
Note: Ex-showroom prices below are indicative and may change.
Mini Cooper S Convertible
Rs 58.50 lakh
The Mini Cooper S Convertible isn’t just the newest convertible car in India; it’s also the most affordable and the smallest in overall size. 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 74.99 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 for the quickest roof operation. Coming to the MG Cyberster specs, its 77kWh battery pack is wired to 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 87.9 lakh-92.6 lakh
While the Z4 is the brand’s only convertible currently on sale in India, BMW has announced the end of production for the model. The BMW car features a 3.0-litre straight-6 turbo-petrol engine, pushing out 340hp and 500Nm, sending power to the rear wheels. The standard Z4 M40i can be had with an 8-speed torque converter automatic transmission (AT), while the Pure Impulse edition pairs the same turbo-petrol mill with a 6-speed manual transmission (MT), making it the only convertible on this list to offer a manual gearbox. 0-100kph is hit in 4.6 seconds with the MT and in 4.5 seconds with the AT.
Mercedes CLE 300
Rs 1.11 crore
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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 to a 9AT unit, which sends drive to all four wheels. The 100kph mark from rest is hit in 6.7 seconds.
Mercedes SL
AMG SL 55: Rs 2.34 crore
Mercedes AMG SL 55.
Next, Mercedes has two SL models on sale in India: the AMG SL 55 roadster 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 4.11 crore
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Mercedes Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series.
The Mercedes-Maybach SL 680 Monogram Series is the brand’s most expensive convertible, and all three units allocated for India are already sold out. 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 are powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo V8 petrol engine mated to a 9AT, which sends the engine output 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 coupe – 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 opened or folded in 14 seconds at speeds of up to 50kph. Its three electric motors generate 761hp and 1,350Nm, which is 131hp and 630Nm more than the MCPura Cielo. Despite this, the GranCabrio Folgore is 0.1 seconds slower to 100kph and 30kph slower at the top end. The tri-motor Maserati electric convertible's performance is still impressive, rocketing from a standstill to 100kph in 2.8 seconds (the same as the 750S Spider).
Maserati MCPura Cielo
Rs 5.12 crore
The third convertible offering from the Italian carmaker is the MCPura Cielo, which is the evolution of the MC20 Cielo. The convertible comes with an electrochromic glass roof that opens and closes in just 12 seconds and can be operated at speeds of up to 50kph. It is equipped with the brand’s 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol unit, delivering 630hp and 720Nm of torque. According to Maserati, the mid-engine supercar accelerates from 0 to 100kph in 2.9 seconds.
Ferrari Roma Spider
Rs 5.3 crore
The Ferrari Roma Spider is the most accessible convertible from the Italian manufacturer here. Notably, the convertible version of the Ferrari Roma is the brand’s first front-engined soft-top car since the 365 GTS4 of 1969. Ferrari claims that the Roma Spider’s 5-layer fabric roof can be opened in 13.5 seconds at up to 60kph. It comes with a 3.9-litre twin-turbocharged V8 petrol engine, churning out 620hp and 760Nm. The 8-DCT sends the output to the rear wheels, and the 0-100kph sprint takes 3.4 seconds.
McLaren 750S Spider
Rs 5.91 crore
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While most cars on this list have a fabric roof or a hard top, the McLaren 750 S 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, which makes 750hp and 800Nm and is paired to a 7-speed dual-clutch transmission (DCT). The engine output is sent to the rear wheels only, and the run from 0 to 100kph is achieved in just 2.8 seconds.
Ferrari 296 GTS
Rs 6.45 crore
The Ferrari 296 GTS gets a foldable hard top, which 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 (PHEV) gets a 3.0-litre twin-turbo V6 paired with an electric motor, which together produce 830hp and 740Nm. Its 8-DCT sends the output to the rear wheels, making the 296 GTS go from 0 to 100kph in 2.9 seconds.
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 8-DCT sends engine output only to the rear wheels; 0-100kph comes up in 2.9 seconds.
