A two-seat convertible, commonly referred to as a roadster, is a perfect weekend car, and for some parts of the world, a perfect daily driver. Such cars tend to be exciting to drive as well, they look amazing and they are extremely desirable.
If you want a compact relatively affordable two-seater roadster, a Fiat 124 Spider and the Mazda MX-5 Miata are both amazing options. Both of these are compact and fairly agile, they are not huge gas guzzlers nor do they break the bank.
If you want a larger, more powerful two-seater convertible sports car convertible, the Jaguar F-Type, Porsche 911 Targa or the Mercedes Benz AMG GT are all great options. Even though the 911 is technically a 4-seater, only the two front seats can be used for transporting people.
If you want a full-on supercar 2-seater roadster, the Audi R8 Spyder, McLaren 570S Spyder, and the Lamborghini Huracan Spyder are the best options as they combine amazing style, quality, and performance like no one else does.
Fiat 124 Spider
The Fiat 124 Spider costs around $25k which makes it one of the most affordable two-seater roadsters on the market. The 124 is essentially a Mazda Miata underneath, but the styling is an homage to the classic Fiat 124 Spider.
As such, the Fiat is a little bit more restrained compared to the Miata, but equally as simple and dynamic. The technology is easy to use and the entire car oozes simplicity, which lets you concentrate on the wind in your hair, all of which makes the Fiat 124 Spider a great coastal cruiser.
Mazda MX-5 Miata
As far as two-seater roadsters go, the Mazda Miata is certainly one of the more popular ones thanks to its $26k price tag, compact lightweight body, and fairly entertaining driving experience. The MX-5 is one of the least powerful roadsters money can buy, but the chassis is so balanced that it makes it one of the most dynamic roadsters out there.
The MX-5 resembles the Fiat 124 quite a bit, but the difference here is that the MX-5 is positioned as a sports car primarily, and people love the MX-5. Many car enthusiasts would go as far as saying that the MX-5 is the best sports car for the money in history, and it is easy to see why.
Jaguar F-Type
The Jaguar F-Type is arguably the best model out of the entire Jaguar line-up right now as it combines brutish styling, a fiery V8 engine, and impressive luxury and technology. Recently Jaguar gave the F-Type a bit of a refresh, and now the F-Type looks even more aggressive.
The F-Type costs around $65k for the base model 300hp 4-cylinder. But if you buy used, you can get the last generation F-Type with a 5.0L V8 for almost the same amount of money. Interior-wise, these two generations are almost the same, and this makes the last-gen used F-Type a great buy.
Porsche 911 Targa
The Porsche 911 Targa is actually not the only convertible 911, but certainly the best convertible 911 out of the lot. It’s kind of unthinkable to talk about sports car convertibles without talking about the 911 as the 911 is probably the greatest sports car of all time.
Even though the Targa is technically a 4-seater, you are never going to put anyone on the rear seats anyway. The 911 Targa is arguably one of the best-looking 911s as well, especially so in the new 992 generation, if you pair that with stout reliability and performance, the 911 Targa is definitely worth considering.
Mercedes Benz AMG GT Roadster
The F-Type, the 911, and the AMG GT Roadster are indeed the best two-seater sports car convertibles money can buy right now. But the difference between these three is that the 911 is surgical, the F-Type is exciting, but the AMG GT offers a perfect blend of both.
That being said, the AMG GT is powered by a BiTurbo V8 engine which is not as brutish as the one found in the F-Type, but more so than the flat-6 found in the 911. The AMG GT looks stunning and it also offers all the necessary MB technology which makes the GT luxurious and fast.
Audi R8, McLaren 570S, Lamborghini Huracan
If you want the very top end of two-seater convertibles without going into obscene money territory, these three are your best options. The Audi R8 is the most civilized of the bunch and it also offers the most space, best ride quality, but can sometimes feel a little bit too civilized, especially so because of the restrained V10 engine.
If you love the R8, but think it’s a little bit too restrained, the Lamborghini Huracan is the option for you as it offers everything an R8 offers times two. The McLaren 570S is the racer pick of the bunch as it offers the most dynamic chassis and is probably the fastest car out of the three.
FAQ Section
Is buying a convertible worth it?
If you can use the car with the roof down a decent amount of times per year, then of course it is. That being said, if you live in California for example, buying a convertible makes sense more than let’s say in the UK.
Think about it, if you are not going to use the car with the top down, go for a coupe variant of whatever car interests you. Chances are that the coupe is also a bit lighter and more structurally rigid which should also increase the car’s dynamic capabilities.
What is the best 4-seater luxury convertible?
The 4-seater luxury convertible is slowly gaining traction in recent years thanks to cars such as the Rolls Royce Wraith and the Bentley Continental GTC. Both of these are the very top end of 4-seater convertible luxury, but the Wraith is on an entirely different level.
Besides these two, a BMW 8-series convertible and an S-Class convertible are also worth considering.
Is a hard-top convertible better than a soft-top convertible?
A hard-top convertible is usually quieter and a bit more sophisticated and reassuring. But a hard-top is almost always way heavier and more costly to develop, and in recent years, car manufacturers are moving towards soft-top convertibles and Targa tops.
A soft top is easier to operate, lighter and it does not obstruct the practicality as much. In almost every regard a soft top is better, except for structural rigidity. That’s the reason why some manufacturers such as Ferrari and McLaren still only use hardtops.
