Convertibles
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This week’s Beijing Auto Show is coming to a close but there are still a few surprising vehicles coming out even after most of the motoring journalists and industry officials have packed up and left. Take for example the new Guangzhou Auto Coupe-Cabrio concept – one of China’s first vehicles equipped with a folding hardtop. According to The Tycho, the new car will hit the market in production form before the end of the year and is designed to head to head with the F8 convertible from Chinese rival BYD. No details about the car’s mechanical package have been revealed...
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Brabus kit for the Mercedes-Benz SLK55 AMG faceliftMercedes-Benz went to great effort to improve the power and efficiency of its SLK range for the 2009 model year facelift but for the guys at German tuner Brabus the output of the standard model was never going to be enough. That’s why for their latest custom kit for the facelifted SLK, Brabus...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ford presents 2009 Focus CC 'Black Magic'Ford’s European Focus family was recently given a midlife facelift and to spruce things up further the top-end cabrio model is also now available in a limited ‘Black Magic’ trim. Like the previous Fiesta edition, the new model will be limited to just 1,500 examples and is...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
VW Eos tops Consumer Reports convertible shoot-outInfluential magazine Consumer Reports has given the Volkswagen Eos the best overall score in its latest convertible comparo, putting it ahead of six other contenders ranging from $32,660 to $49,525 in price. Coming a close second was BMW’s 328i cabrio, followed by the Saab 9-3 and Volvo C70...
Alex Kaufmann -
Preview: 2010 Alfa Romeo Mi.To cabrioAlfa Romeo’s new Mi.To hatch was only unveiled last week but already attention has turned to a rumored new cabrio variant. Pictured here is an artist’s impression of the droptop that’s tipped to go on sale in the first half of next year, just in time for the northern summer. The...
Siddarth Raja -
Preview: Audi A5 cabrio arriving in 2009Audi has confirmed production of its A4 cabrio will come to an end later this year and will be replaced early next year by the all-new A5 cabrio. Unlike the previous A4 version, which was built by Karmann, the new A5 drop-top will be built by Audi at its Neckarsulm plant in Germany alongside the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Germany’s largest independent carmaker and supplier, Karmann, has brokered a deal with BMW to install the convertible roofs for the new 1-series cabrio. The deal will last until 2013 and is expected to see between 170,000 and 300,000 1-series cabrios roll out of the Zary plant in Poland. Speaking with reporters from Automotive News Europe, Karmann spokesman Peter Harbig told reporters that the latest announcement is an important contribution towards securing Karmann’s financial future. The new 1-series cabrio features a conventional folding softtop, which can go up or down in 22...
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Peugeot launches RC Line and Roland Garros 207 CCPeugeot’s stand at this year’s Geneva Motor Show was unusually quiet with the only major attraction worth mentioning being the launch of the new RC Line and Roland Garros 207 CC. Both cars are based on the standard 207 CC but get a number of styling changes and extra equipment to...
Kenneth Hall -
Aston Martin updates DB9 and VolanteAston Martin has updated its DB9 GT and Volante convertible for the 2009 model year, giving the cars slight styling tweaks inside and out plus several performance upgrades to the V12 engine and six-speed transmission. The 6.0L mill now produces a peak output of 470hp, 20hp more than the previous...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
MANSORY 'Bel Air' Rolls-Royce DropheadRounding out the trio of modified cars from Mansory on display at this year’s Geneva Motor Show is the ‘Bel Air’ Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe, which gets dressed up with a striking bodykit and even more luxury items in the already opulent cabin. Not like the standard Rolls’...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Maybach 62 Landaulet goes into productionDespite sales troubles in Australia and a general lack of interest in its Maybach brand, Daimler has chosen to go to production with its Maybach 62 Landaulet, shown first in concept form in Dubai last year, and again at the Detroit auto show. The first examples will emerge in the third quarter of...
Nelson Ireson -
Techart GTstreet Porsche 911 Turbo CabrioletTuner cars are often works of art, flights of fancy or out-and-out racers, but rarely are the upper echelons of performance-tuned cars graced by models intended as daily drivers. Techart's GTstreet Porsche is an exception to that rule, however - if you can afford the upkeep. Starting with the...
Nelson Ireson -
Our love affair with Alfa Romeo's beautiful 8C Competizione continues with the announcement today that the even more stylish Spider convertible will be appearing at next month’s Geneva Motor Show in full production trim. Like the hardtop, Alfa will build just 500 examples of the stunning 8C Spider and the bulk of cars have already been earmarked for the U.S. and Germany. As gorgeous as the new Spider is, it’s also set to be a stunning performer as our first drive of the 8C Competizione has shown. The new model features the familiar 4.7L Ferrari-built V8 engine and delivers the...
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Audi A4 Cabrio production coming to an endProduction of the Audi A4 convertible by independent carmaker Karmann is scheduled to come to an end later this year and to mark the occasion Audi will launch a new limited edition ‘Advance’ series of the car. Karmann has built the A4 Convertible since 2002 and has seen close to 200,000...
James Martinez -
Fisker Karma convertible in the worksFisker surprised many at last month’s Detroit Auto Show when it revealed its striking Karma luxury plug-in hybrid sedan was headed for production and a 2009 launch. Here was a small coachbuilder promising to deliver a plug-in hybrid vehicle at least one year before heavyweights like Toyota...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Official: Mercedes SL65 AMG And SL63 AMG UnveiledHot on the heels of the newly revised standard SL, we can now show you pictures of AMG's top-of-the-line SL65 and it's V8-engined brother, the SL63. Both Mercs come with a slew of new technologies to keep the SL on top of the luxury convertible market until its eventual replacement. Official...
Kenneth Hall -
Gallery: 2009 Mercedes-Benz SLKThe Mercedes-Benz SLK was hardly in need of improvement in the styling department so when it came time for a midlife facelift developers didn’t muck around too much with the look of the car. Instead they chose to modify it where it matters the most – under the bonnet. For the 2009 model...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2009 Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet faceliftFord has revealed its facelifted Focus Coupe-Cabriolet a month ahead of its official debut scheduled for the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. The new model joins the three-door, four-door, five-door, wagon and sporty ST models in the facelifted Focus range, which means there’s only the high...
Ralph Hanson -
Noble may no longer be building its M12 supercar but existing owners have an opportunity to bring the new car feel back into their lives thanks to a new convertible conversion kit. The kit was developed by Bristol-based Salica Cars, and not only does it include a new removable roof but it also incorporates a full redesign of the body and interior plus several upgrades to the engine. For £20,500 ($40,500), Salica will replace the original body panels, install new components in the cabin and upgrade the engine with a new intercooler and radiator. They’ll also replace the existing...
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Updated: 2009 Mitsubishi Eclipse Coupe and SpyderUpdated with high-res images. Images of Mitsubishi’s 2009 model year Eclipse range have turned up just days before the official release of the car at this week’s Chicago Auto Show. The biggest update for the car is the new front end, which sports a revised bumper styled similarly to the...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
U.S. spec Mercedes SL facelift and SL63 detailsEarlier today we posted information about the European launch of Mercedes’ facelifted SL convertible and now we have all the details for the U.S. market. Americans will once again miss out on the V6 models, including the new entry-level SL280, and instead get updated versions of the SL550 V8...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2009 Mercedes-Benz SL Convertible official detailsAfter weeks of spy shots and this month’s leak of official images, Mercedes-Benz has finally released the full gamut of details and images for its facelifted SL Convertible. Due for launch at the Geneva Motor Show in March, the new two-seater gets a range of upgrades both under the skin and...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2010 Ford Mustang engine detailsFord’s iconic Mustang is only due for an update next year but it appears developers will be completely revising the powertrain lineup in addition to tweaking the car’s sheet metal. Fears of impending CAFE regulations has got Ford management worried, so much so that officials are...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz to introduce entry-level SL280With the introduction of the facelifted SL convertible Mercedes-Benz will be launching a new entry-level model powered by a 231hp six-cylinder engine. The facelifted SL range will now kick off with the new SL280 variant and top out with the V12-powered SL600. Other models include the SL350 and...
James Martinez