Tag Archives: Convertible

Cars

10 Classic Sports Cars That Are Suspiciously Cheap

Leave a comment

The Porsche 968 Cabriolet is a uncommon, traditional Porsche convertible, but it is usually missed by collectors. As a outcome, it is one of many least expensive traditional Porsches to purchase. One rationalization for this low value might be the automotive’s VW roots — it is derived from a mission that VW deserted and Porsche later took over. Its front-mounted four-cylinder engine can be not the purists’ selection, with most Porschephiles preferring the 911’s iconic rear-engine design.

Perhaps the most important subject for the 968 Cabriolet, nevertheless, is that it isn’t fairly probably the most of something. Buyers attempting to find most Porsche status will always go for a 911, whereas these in search of the most affordable, greatest value-for-money sports activities automotive will probably go for a Boxster. The 968 Cabriolet is not sufficiently old to be antiquated, however different low cost Porsches supply extra trendy design and energy.

The Cabriolet can be the much less sensible variant of the automotive for anybody wanting to make use of it as a every day driver or weekend street journey car. The coupe 968 includes a extra spacious trunk than many classics of its sort, alongside usable rear seats. As a outcome, it instructions a premium within the used market, leaving the Cabriolet as a compromise compared. It’s cheaper, however much less sensible. It’s not a 911, but the Boxster could be had for even much less.

[Featured image by Mr.choppers via Wikimedia Commons | Cropped and scaled | CC BY-SA 3.0]

Motorsport

Watch This Forgotten Mercedes SL Get Its First Wash In Two Decades

This Mercedes-Benz SL convertible has been sitting forgotten in storage for twenty years. Thanks to the oldsters at WD Detailing, it is lastly getting one other likelihood at life.

The WD Detailing staff was invited by the proprietor to retrieve this 450SL, permitting them to extract it from the hidden storage the place it spent many years untouched, gathering mud and mould. After shifting the automotive to its cleansing facility, the staff discovers the extent of the caked-on grime.

 

Even after an preliminary rinse, this V-8-powered SL’s paint continues to be coated in a thick layer of gross dust. It takes a radical scrubbing to get all the pieces off. Even after the dust is gone, the WD staff finds quite a few specs of tar caught the hood. Clearly this automotive hasn’t acquired the eye it deserves.

Aside from one other thick layer of mud, the inside appears to be in surprisingly fine condition, contemplating the neglect. There are no huge mould spots or rat’s nests to be discovered. We guess having the home windows rolled up all through its life in storage had lots to do with the pretty strong situation.

While the engine bay seems to be full, the WD Detailing staff makes no try to start out this SL. We assume it is for the very best; these automobiles had been geared up with Bosch’s Okay-Jetronic gasoline injection system, which is notoriously powerful to repair and tune. 

We hope whoever owns this SL will take it to knowledgeable and get it again on the street. It’s the one destiny this automotive deserves.

Motorsport

The Mercedes CLE Convertible Has Special Leather Seats That Stay Cool In The Summer

The convertible is getting rarer nowadays, particularly for Mercedes-Benz. The firm has killed the SLC, S-Class Cabriolet, and the AMG GT Roadster in recent times, whereas additionally phasing out drop-top variations of the C-Class and E-Class. However, these latter two are being not directly changed by a brand new mannequin – the CLE Cabriolet.

Following a preview final July, the brand new Mercedes with an electrically folding material roof bares all of it in official photographs. Positioned under the dear SL, the CLE Cabriolet is touted as being the most important automotive in its section. The four-seater mannequin is 191.0 inches lengthy, 73.2 inches huge, and 56.0 inches tall, with a beneficiant wheelbase of 112.8 inches.


Motorsport

The 2025 BMW M440i Gets 386 HP And Laser Lighting

BMW is updating the 4 Series coupe and convertible for 2025. The mid-cycle refresh contains a number of minor styling updates, bringing larger costs throughout the lineup.

Exterior styling tweaks embody new headlight internals with the low- and high-beam lights utilizing a single LED module. Laserlight taillights are commonplace on the M440i and non-obligatory on the 430i with the Shadowline Package. The upgraded items characteristic glass fiber bundles illuminated by laser diodes.


Cars

How The Fifties Ford Thunderbirds Became A Quintessential Symbol Of American Cruising Culture

Despite the comparatively steep worth (a 1955 Chevy Bel Air convertible began at simply $2,321), Ford offered 3,500 1955 Thunderbirds within the first 10 days they had been accessible. In its first three years, the Thunderbird outsold the Chevy Corvette by a margin of greater than 4.5 to 1. In that span, Ford made regular adjustments to the Thunderbird, even morphing it from a two- to four-seater in 1958. Other updates included the addition of a rear window, energy seats, and a radio that mechanically adjusted its quantity in response to the automotive’s pace. In the primary yr, solely a 292 cubic inch V8 was accessible, however a 312 cubic inch engine was added as an possibility for the 1956 mannequin yr. The following yr, Thunderbird consumers may additionally go for a supercharged model of the 312 that produced 340 horsepower and a spine-jiggling 450 pound-feet of torque. Ford introduced the T-Bird to NASCAR in 1959, and it gained six races that yr in what was then generally known as the Grand National collection.

The Thunderbird has gone by 10 generational updates, with every one drifting farther from the unique. The eleventh technology was an attempt to reimagine the styling of the original, however missed the mark this misfire led to the mannequin being dropped in 2005.

First technology 1955 to 1957 fashions stay probably the most coveted to at the present time, with examples in prime situation routinely promoting for greater than $100,000.  

Motorsport

The Macan EV Will Debut January twenty fifth

Volkswagen will not renew the T-Roc Convertible for a second era, and Porsche will present us the Macan EV later this month.

This is AM Drive, Motor1’s day by day have a look at the information you want earlier than you get in your automobile.

The Porsche Macan EV Debuts This Month

Porsche Macan (2024)

After a painstakingly lengthy teaser marketing campaign, the second-generation Macan will lastly break cowl on January 25. The announcement was quietly made on Porsche’s worldwide web site however with none additional particulars. However, all of the official previews have included every little thing from technical specs to an entire have a look at the screen-heavy inside.

The Macan EV is unlikely to be offered alongside the gasoline-fueled mannequin in European Union international locations the place Porsche is reportedly compelled to discontinue the ICE mannequin. Why? Because it apparently does not meet the upcoming cybersecurity rules to be utilized within the EU later this yr.

It means clients will probably be caught with the purely electrical mannequin, which guarantees as much as 603 hp and 738 lb-ft (1,000 Nm). It’ll be the primary Porsche to experience on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) {hardware} co-developed with Audi, which will probably be promoting its personal model because the Q6 E-Tron / Q6 E-Tron Sportback.

Expect these SUVs to have all-wheel drive with twin motors, air suspension, rear-wheel steering, two-valve dampers, and plenty of different goodies. Porsche has additionally confirmed an digital locking differential on the rear, a 100-kWh battery pack, 270-kW most charging energy, extra staggered tires in comparison with the gasoline Macan, and a 48:52 weight distribution.

The Volkswagen T-Roc Convertible Won’t Get A Second Generation

Some may discover it a bit puzzling that Volkswagen green-lighted a convertible version of the T-Roc compact crossover. However, gross sales figures have not been horrible for VW’s sole cabriolet. It was the second best-selling automobile with a folding prime within the first 11 months of 2023 in Europe. No fewer than 11,693 items have been offered on the Old Continent, sufficient for the droptop T-Cross to be outsold solely by the Mini Convertible.

However, that is nonetheless not sufficient to warrant the event of a follow-up mannequin. The non secular successor of the Golf Convertible won’t dwell to see a second era. Speaking in Las Vegas throughout the 2024 Consumer Electronics Show (CES), VW improvement chief mentioned the brand new T-Roc coming subsequent yr will not spawn one other cabrio variant. With the introduced demise, it means the VW model will probably be left and not using a convertible in its portfolio, having axed the hardtop Eos again in 2016.


Motorsport

President Biden Took A Porsche To 171 MPH With Help From Launch Control

It’s nicely established that President Biden is a car guy. If his 1967 C2 Corvette convertible is not proof, he is been identified to maintain the Secret Service on their toes with the occasional burnout on their safe check monitor. Conan O’Brien is similar means, nonetheless hanging onto his 1992 Ford Taurus SHO after many years. On a latest episode of the retired TV host’s podcast, Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, the dialog turned to automobiles, and Biden had some automotive exploits to debate that we’ve not beforehand heard about.

As it seems, the forty sixth president is a fan of launch management. It appears like he had by no means been in a automotive outfitted with the function till comparatively just lately when he drove an unspecified Porsche. The circumstances of the Commander-In-Chief’s drive are unclear, however talking to O’Brien, he says “You know the brand new ones? They have a launch change. I acquired a Porsche as much as 171 miles an hour,” occurring to clarify how the function works. “It is incredible.”

President Biden offered no different particulars in addition to that transient assertion, nevertheless it’s possible that the stint within the sports activities automotive from Stuttgart occurred earlier than he was president. Porsches have been outfitted with launch management for a while, and each time probably the most highly effective man on earth drives a automotive, we have a tendency to listen to about it and see video.

Biden has pushed a smattering of recent electrical automobiles in entrance of the press, together with the Hummer EV, F-150 Lightning, and Cadillac Lyriq. He was additionally filmed revving a Z06 Corvette on the Detroit Auto Show final 12 months. All of this occurred off of public roads, after all. The final time we’re conscious of him driving his C2 was on the aforementioned Secret Service check facility. 

Although we do not know which Porsche he took as much as 171, virtually all of the automobiles the corporate affords, at the very least the sports activities automobiles, are able to these speeds. The new 911 S/T, as an example, will hit 0-60 in simply 3.5 seconds and tops out at 186 miles per hour.

Motorsport

Wuling Mini EV Cabrio: Impractical Yet Adorable

In the world of all-electric convertibles, options are limited. The MG Cyberster, set to go on sale in the UK and Europe next year, seems promising. Another option is the Mini Cooper SE Convertible EV, but only 999 units will be produced and sold exclusively in Europe. However, if you happen to live in China, there’s a new contender for the title of the most affordable zero-emissions convertible.

Before we delve into that, let’s talk about Wuling, a Chinese automaker known for its Mini EV. This little car was the third best-selling electric vehicle worldwide last year, with 443,400 units delivered, nearly rivaling the Tesla Model 3. We’ve previously covered this vehicle, including the special edition GameBoy model, which was reviewed by our friends at Wheelsboy. And now, our Chinese friends have introduced a new addition to the lineup – the open-top version of the car.


Motorsport

Mercedes-AMG CLE 53 Convertible Is No Softie In New Spy Shots

Mercedes-Benz is getting ready to release a new version of the CLE convertible. According to our spies, this could be the AMG 53 model.

The front end of the car has been updated with a modified lower fascia, featuring vertical strakes in the center and horizontal crosspieces on the outer edges. The grille follows AMG’s Panamericana design. Moving to the sides, there is a curved inlet on the driver’s side ahead of the rear wheels. The vehicle is seen with black wheels that have multiple Y-shaped spokes. At the rear, there are quad exhaust pipes, two on each side, and a diffuser located between them.


Motorsport

Porsche 911 Turbo Cabrio Facelift Spotted Speeding at Nurburgring

The Porsche 911 Turbo convertible is set to receive a refresh, and a recent spy video shows the car being tested at the Nürburgring race track. The driver showcases impressive speed while maneuvering the vehicle.

In comparison to previous spy shots, the front end of the car appears to be missing certain components. Earlier iterations of the vehicle featured vertical active slats in the outer inlets of the nose, as well as a pair of sensors in the center. These elements were also present in other 911 development vehicle variants.

The back of the car is particularly unique, with a trapezoidal exhaust outlet featuring two holes on the driver’s side, and an oval opening on the passenger side. The rear also boasts a wing on the deck, with a spoiler positioned just below it. The rest of the bumper is covered up to conceal any changes.

Although the interior of the 911 Turbo is not visible in the video, previous spy shots reveal the cabin of other upgraded 911s. These images show a fully digital instrument cluster and potential changes to the infotainment layout.

The details regarding the powertrain revisions for the refreshed 911 range remain a mystery. However, based on updates made to the previous-generation model, it is likely that the engines will receive a boost in power.

Additionally, spy shots have revealed that Porsche is working on a new GT2 RS. This vehicle features a wider body and large inlets in the hood, with a rear wing as tall as the roof. Rumors suggest that the output of this model could exceed 700 horsepower, surpassing the 690 hp produced by the twin-turbo 3.8-liter flat-six engine in the previous-generation GT2.