Through happenstance, SCMer Chris Bright and I ended up living a floor apart in the same condo.
As you wind down through our building’s four levels of underground parking, you see some unusual cars.
The most mysterious is covered, but a discerning eye can spot the sensuous lines of a 1956 Maserati 350S.
Chris has had the car four years. It is a replica, hand-built in Argentina using a 4.9-L Maserati V8 and transaxle. It is just now getting dialed in to the point where he can take it out for spur-of-the-moment runs through the marvelous two-lane roads in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
Last Friday the temperature was in the 70s, and we had both finished our tasks for the day. He texted me, “How about a quick hour run through the hills.” I had just picked up our 1991 Alfa Romeo Spider S4 from local Alfa guru Nasko and it needed some exercise.
To quote Rob Siegel, “The Hack Mechanic,” one of my favorite writers, “Come spring, I drop the top on my Z3 2.3, twist the key, and without fail it does the rolling Xanax thing that every convertible does – it makes me smile and feel alive and happy.”
I had exactly the same feeling as I put the top down on the S4. I followed Chris and his thundering four-cam V8 out of the condo garage, up Clay Street to Highway 26, and through the Vista Ridge Tunnel. Chris made sure to rev the engine in the tunnel, just like he would have done when he was 16.
In fact, for the next hour we were 16 again, just two kids with fun cars, tops down and chasing each other along twisty two land roads through the hills. Upshifting and downshifting to our heart’s delight.
I wonder if putting down the top and playing hare and hounds with a friend in another convertible is something that is going to vanish with our generation? The choices for new, affordable convertible sports cars are dwindling, and I’m not aware of any open-top EVs.
Regardless, I encourage you to get out with a friend and drive on every sunny day you can. It’s an experience you can’t get any other way.
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Keith,
The best choices of a similar visceral experience for today’s generation are the Mazda MX5 Miata or the Porsche Boxter, and I’d go with the Miata for the bargain price of only $29K and change.
Glenn in Brooklyn, NY.
Glenn:
I’d like to suggest that the Honda S2000 be added to your list. Similar experience and price range, and reliable too. You have to drive one to appreciate it. I’ve owned mine for 15 years and can’t envision ever parting with it. I never thought anything could outdo my previous car, a Mazda Miata, which I had for 11 years. This after my wife wanted me to step up to a “bigger” car, which I dutifully did!
Recently, I heard somebody say that all Southerners are Baptists, even if they are Jewish Baptists or Catholic Baptists, or Agnostic Baptists. Maybe, maybe not, but nearly all modern convertibles can be rated and compared to a Miata: A hotter Miata, a bigger Miata, a more temperamental or less reliable Miata. See, also, the Italian accented Fiata.
So it would seem, until you get behind the wheel of a Continental GTC, when even the most devoted Miata owner says “Mi-who?”
Tesla roadster is the 1st EV convertible.
Coming soon the Polestar 6 and the Porsche Boxster
Another Miata enthusiast joins the discussion. Miatas are incredibly affordable, whether you’re buying a new or used one. While the prices for first-generation (NA) and second-generation (NB) Miatas have been steadily increasing over the past few years, they still offer an exceptional value proposition. First-year NAs are now 35 years old, which raises the question of whether they’re entering the realm of classic cars. However, I’m not entirely sure what age a car needs to be to be considered classic.
Personally, I’ve been driving my Miata for 24 years now. It’s a 2001 SE in British Racing Green with a tan top and leather interior. The designers drew inspiration from both British and Italian roadsters of the past, creating a modern interpretation of those classic designs in a reliable and enjoyable-to-drive package. I believe the S2000 and Boxster are also great examples, although they may not be as affordable as the Miata in terms of purchase and maintenance costs.
Anyways, a sunny day driving some scenic road with some nice twisties in a lightweight convertible sports car is nirvana!
in ‘one off,’ for which i get no $ by the way, i tell of me and 2 friends driving a 1300 jr. zagato, a duetto, and a quattroruote spider from beverly hills to tulsa on every back road we could find. 4 days; great fun!
My choice is a 2001 Mercedes SLK320. More power and more room than a Miata and available at a good price. The metal roof folds into the trunk. (I’m not knocking the Miata. I might buy one just to compare).
Starting with a 66 Mustang Convertible I have driven and owned convertibles all my driving life! My Miata NA was a huge bang for the buck, so many smiles per mile and all at a budget. For service it seemed like a tip compared to servicing other cars. I later had too many cars (if that is possible) and replaced the Miata and BMW 3 series for the BMW Z4 (6 cylinder manual). It was painful to later sell that car. I still enjoy convertibles like my TVR Griffith 500 and my trusted 450SL. Never Lift!
Don’t forget the Italian spin on the Miata – the “Fiata” – probably less reliable though.