There’s nothing better than letting in some fresh air and taking in the sunshine by dropping the top on a roadster. A car enthusiast’s dream is made of summer weekend drives on curvy roads with a sweet car in which to do it in. The roadster format was made for these types of drives. They aren’t out to set world lap records or change history. No, they have a much more difficult job, and that’s putting a smile on your face from the start of the drive, your journey along the way, and until you kill the ignition. The roadster must entertain in a way that other cars simply cannot. They aren’t complicated, but you’ll know a good one when you drive one.

As it happens, Germany has taken care of the roadster segment and gives us three strong offerings. From Porsche, we have the ever-popular Boxster. BMW continues to refine the Z4. Do not forget about the Mercedes-Benz SLK/SLC. We have seen four-cylinders to eight, manual transmissions, autos, and lightning-fast dual clutches. From hard-tops, soft-tops, and some in-between weird solutions, these three have explored the limits of the two-seat roadster, and they’ve made the world a little more pleasant for it. These are undoubtedly three of the best German roadsters for your summer weekend drives.

Roadsters must include:

• Convertible Top
• Two Seats
• Entertaining Engine
• Interesting Design
• A Unique Driving Character

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BMW’s Fabulous Roadster

To arrive at the Z4 we know today, we have to go all the way back to 1988, with the original BMW roadster, the Z1. That car was a feat of engineering providing an open air solution never seen before. With doors, windows and all, folding down into the floor like a magic trick, drivers were left with a door-less driving experience not unlike removing the doors from a jeep.

This brought BMW a ton of attention, but when they were ready to launch their next roadster, they focused not on nifty tricks, but rather a more driver focused vehicle. That vehicle was to be called Z3. Launched as a roadster the Z3 became a popular option with an M version coming later. Although not a roadster, the coupe version with its funky proportions has become desirable, particularly in M form.

Eventually the M Coupe (known as the clown shoe) and M Roadster received BMW M’s highly sought after S54 engine which was an inline-six that revved past 8,000 rpm turning your open top BMW into a piston-filled concert hall. That S54 inline-six carried over into the next generation car which was to be the first Z4, a car that firmly put the Boxster of its time in its place. No clown shoe this time, however the E85 generation Z4 M Coupe and Z4 M Roadster continued on as more driver focused sports cars.

Today’s BMW Z4

Front view of 2023 purple BMW Z4 parked. 

The current generation Z4 has not been well received by fans of the classic roadster. It is often criticized for being less exciting than its Toyota Supra cousin, but at a higher price. The truth is that both cars offer a different experience despite having similar powertrains and chassis. The BMW is more suiting to a grand touring style roadster experience, which, compared with the boy-racer attitude of the Supra, makes them both very appropriate for their respective demographic.

The Z4 might be a bit softer-edged, but the very strong B58 straight-six engine that lurks beneath is no slouch. BMW claims 382 horsepower, but these numbers are almost always sandbagged. It’s a fast car, straight up. The Z4’s seats strike a perfect balance of comfort and support for the twisties.

Clearly BMW hasn’t forgotten its Z roots, and now available in their luxurious shade of purple called, “thunder night metallic”, or a strong blue called, “Misano” you can have your German Summer roadster in fun colors along with that sweet straight-six soundtrack. Unfortunately there is no dedicated M variant of the current Z4, but for now, it soldiers on as a top-tier German roadster, ready for weekend cruises, or technical canyon driving.

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The Classy Mercedes-Benz SLK

Not to be out-roadster’ed by BMW, Mercedes wanted to offer their own two-seat sporty compact. The SL was a much more sophisticated, larger, and expensive machine, and so, the SLK was born. SLK started out as a very compact two-seater, the original R170 SLK entered the market in 1996 with the 134 horsepower SLK 200, and was manufactured all the way through to 2004.

Supercharged “Kompressor” variants brought some much-needed power to the SLK, and in 2001 an AMG version called the SLK 32 emerged with a 3.2 liter supercharged V-6 putting out a very respectable 349 horsepower. For the second generation SLK, Mercedes-Benz really brought the heat with the 360 horsepower V-8 flagship SLK 55.

The Black Series that followed packed 400 horsepower and an exhaust note that was more muscle car than anything. For the final generation, the SLK became the SLC and eventually Mercedes dropped the V-8, and stuck with the 3.0 liter twin-turbo V-6 pushing 385 horsepower in its final form. In 2020, we said goodbye to the SLC, but its strong presence as a German roadster will always be remembered.

The Mercedes SLK Is No More, But That’s OKAY

Front view of 2023 gray Mercedes-Benz SL63 AMG parked. 

The SLK/SLC may have died off, but the SL still exists, and that has become the drivers car no one expected. Despite a weight gain, the SL now embodies a new character, one more reminiscent of its Roadster past. The new SL might not be cheap, but a sports car/roadster experience these days, is a dying breed. It’s an experience that must be savored, and with its tried and true twin-turbo V-8 spitting out up to 577 horsepower, for a little while at least, the two-ish seat roadster from Mercedes-Benz lives on.

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Porsche’s Mid-Engine Masterpiece, The Boxster

Porsche had a different mission for the Boxster. This car was never put into production to compete with the others, although it did, and now dominates the segment. The original (986 generation) Boxster appeared in 1996 the same year as BMW’s then-new Z3.

Porsche had played with the idea of going with a mid-engine architecture as both a departure from the rear-engined 911 (which was often difficult to manage), and have an entry level model. The Boxster solved both of these problems and quickly became a hit for Porsche. In truth, the Boxster, until the 718 came to be, rarely deviated from a winning recipe, and has continued to garner attention throughout the generations.

From Boxster To 718

Front view of 2020 green Porsche 718 Boxster GTS 4.0 parked. 

The sweet little Boxster of yesteryear is gone. Today the 718 takes its place and for good reason. Although the architecture remains mid-engined, the 718 Boxster range now starts off with a four-cylinder, and you have the option to ask Porsche if they will sell you a 718 Spyder RS with a 911 GT3 engined shoehorned into it.

This is a far cry from the humble Boxster that debuted in 1996. The 718 GT4 RS and accompanying 718 Spyder RS both posses the savage 493 horsepower variant of the 4.0 flat-six that enthusiasts lust after from Porsche. Available only with Porsche’s lightning-fast PDK dual-clutch automatic transmission, these are the ingredients for a near-perfect sports car.

The Spyder RS combines the mechanics of the GT4 RS with the special open-top experience of Porsche Spyder vehicles. Not only is it the ultimate roadster, German or not, it’s one of the most visceral vehicles on sale today. The 718 Boxster is expected to go all-electric for the next generation, so if possible, take advantage of the magical 982 generation while it’s still available. That being said, used Porsches are typically reliable second-hand sports cars.

Specifications And Price