Convertibles
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Many things have changed in the car industry over the past 21 years, but one thing remains constant: Nissan produces a sports car bearing the letter Z. Known to some as the Fairlady, and others as simply as The Z, there's no question that Nissan has built a cult-like following for this model. It's no secret that we are big fans of the Z here at MotorAuthority. Our fearless editor Nelson Ireson owned a 2003 350Z, and I have a 1990 300ZX 2+2. When a 2011 370Z Roadster landed in my driveway for a week, a comparison between the past and present seemed only natural. Read on for the full analysis...
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2012 Audi RS5 Cabrio In The Works?
The gorgeous, imposing, and fortunately bound-for-America 2012 Audi RS5 finally made its official debut at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show earlier this month, but now talk is emerging that a convertible RS5 Cabrio may join the ranks. The talk is spurred by leaked patent drawings dug up by Autoblog...
Nelson Ireson -
2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster: First Drive
It's been nearly two years since we took you along for a first drive of the Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG gullwing, live from Laguna Seca. We were the first to call it Mercedes' Viper, summing it up thusly: "It's partly American in its tendency to speak out, part Italian in its cool-first aesthetic, and...
Martin Padgett -
2013 Mercedes-Benz SL-Class To Debut At 2012 Detroit Auto Show
UPDATE: The 2013 Mercedes-Benz SL Class has been revealed. Click here for all the info and photos. A few months ago, Mercedes-Benz quietly dropped the V-12 variants from its SL-Class lineup, and the popular interpretation was that it was preparing for the debut of the upcoming 2013 SL-Class...
Nelson Ireson -
Ferrari 458 Spider Live Photos: 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show
The new Ferrari 458 Spider has flipped its lid in Frankfurt and we have a fresh batch of live photos of the stunning supercar. As you’ll recall from our previous post, this convertible version of the 458 Italia gets an automated folding roof made from aluminum, which only takes 14 seconds to...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster Live Photos: 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show
Though the 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster has already made its North American debut at Laguna Seca, complete with a video walkaround from product manager Rob Moran, we can't skip the opportunity to bring you these live images from the floor of the Frankfurt show. The Frankfurt showing is...
Nelson Ireson -
Six liters of W-12 goodness. Five-hundred sixty-seven horsepower. A convertible top. Classic style through a modern lens. The 2012 Bentley Continental GTC. When the 2012 Continental GTC first showed its face to the web in August, it revealed the characteristically fine craftwork and attention to detail Bentley has built its brand on, and these live photos back that up with an extra dose of visual impact. If you want one of your own, grab the nearest $212,800 and phone up your local Bentley dealer. It goes on sale later this year.
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Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Supercar Gets New Options
Making its official world debut tomorrow at the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show is the new 2012 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Roadster, the open-top version of the SLS AMG ‘Gullwing’ that was first launched in ’09. Mercedes-Benz will be using the Frankfurt stage to also announce a handful of new...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Fernando Alonso Tests The Ferrari 458 Spider In Maranello: Video
Right before the start of this weekend’s 2011 Formula 1 Italian Grand Prix, Fernando Alonso wanted to try out the new Ferrari 458 Spider, even though the car isn’t set for its world debut until the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show on September 13. We’re sure being the automaker’s...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz SL Stalls In Flash Flood, Toyotas Plough Through: Video
An R230 series Mercedes-Benz SL-Class has fallen victim to a flash flood that hit Ellicott City, Maryland yesterday. The driver of the Mercedes attempts to proceed along a flooded street before the car stalls, attracting the attention of onlookers who happily film the event. Several Toyota vehicles...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz Planning New AMG, S-Class, CL-Class Variants: Report
The battle at the top of the luxury market has increasingly become about volume (see, for example, Porsche's expansion to new model niches) but it's also about profitability, which means not just selling more cars, but selling more high-end cars. To that end, Mercedes-Benz is said to be considering...
Nelson Ireson -
Alpina B6 Biturbo Convertible: 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show
An upgraded version of the 6 Series convertible from Alpina.
Chris Weiss -
The Audi R8 GT Spyder has been with us for a while but we still can’t get enough of it, and we hope you can’t either us as we’ve just dug up an official video walkaround of the sultry convertible. In case you missed our previous post, the R8 GT Spyder is a hardcore version of the already extreme R8 V10 Spyder, having shed more than 187 pounds and received stiffer suspension. Peak output remains the same, however, with its 5.2-liter V-10 engine spitting out 560 horsepower and 398 pound-feet of torque. With less mass to carry around, the R8 GT Spyder will sprint from 0-60 mph...
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2012 Porsche 911 Cabriolet To Feature Canvas And Metal Roof?
Porsche is going to great length to break as much new ground as possible with its latest 2012 911, or 991 to the diehards. The automaker has already confirmed that a new seven-speed manual, a world first for a production car, will feature, but now it looks like the convertible version will get an...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Mercedes-Benz SLA Roadster Back On The Table?
We know Mercedes-Benz is likely to launch four new models based around its latest generation small car platform, otherwise known as MFA (Mercedes Frontwheel Architecture). The first of these new models has already been revealed in the form of the 2012 Mercedes-Benz B-Class, and will be followed...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport Super Sport Spy Shots
The boss of Bugatti, Wolfgang Durheimer, recently revealed the 1,200 horsepower W-16 engine of the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport was not compatible with the body of the Veyron Grand Sport, though a more powerful version of the open-top supercar had not been ruled out. Today we have new spy shots of a...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Cadillac Designers Talk About The 2011 Ciel Concept: Video
Cadillac is eager to talk about its 2011 Ciel concept, which debuted at Pebble Beach last week.
Chris Weiss -
Project Kahn Releases Ferrari California SA Kahn Monza Edition
Not to be mistaken with Ferrari’s own SA Aperta, Britain’s Project Kahn has unveiled a new custom Ferrari California dubbed the SA Kahn Monza Edition. This vehicle features the kind of treatment that makes the designs of Project Kahn founder, Afzal Kahn, a favorite amongst discerning...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
The venerable BMW inline six-cylinder is, and has long been, one of our favorite engines. But for 2012, it's being replaced, in naturally aspirated guise, with a turbocharged four-cylinder. Blasphemy? Sorry, no. Not at all. That's right: The turbo four-cylinder in the 2012 Z4 sDrive 28i is a worthy replacement to the naturally-aspirated inline six. In fact, it might even be more fun. How can a tiny 2.0-liter turbo be anywhere near as much fun as a 3.0-liter inline six--especially in a luxury sport roadster? The answer comes, as it usually does with BMW, in the engineering. Strapped to the...
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Jay Leno And Ed Welburn Discuss The 2011 Cadillac Ciel Concept: Video
One of the big surprises of last weekend’s 2011 Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance was the stunning Cadillac Ciel Concept, an imposing four-door convertible that its maker described as an exploration into a range-topping flagship. Designed under the guidance of GM design boss Ed Welburn...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2012 Bentley Continental GTC: 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show
At the 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show in just a few weeks’ time, Bentley will unveil the facelifted version of its Continental GTC luxury convertible, the follow up to the facelifted Continental GT coupe that was unveiled last year. The new Continental GTC will come onto the market as a 2012 model...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Maserati GranTurismo Convertible Fendi: 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show
Maserati is the latest automaker to announce a partnership with a fashion icon, joining the likes of Lamborghini, Bugatti, and even Fiat and Hyundai. For Maserati, it was fellow Italian label Fendi that was called upon due to its common values such as craftsmanship and tradition. The project, based...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
Ferrari 458 Spider: 2011 Frankfurt Auto Show
Ferrari has taken the wraps off the convertible version of its 458 Italia, and as we predicted, the stunning supercar has gained a retractable hard-top. This makes the new Ferrari 458 Spider the world’s first mid-engined car with a retractable hard-top. For Ferrari, the decision was easy. The...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran -
2013 Infiniti IPL G Convertible On Sale Spring 2012
Infiniti has finally confirmed that the sultry IPL G Convertible Concept that we saw late last year will be going into production in time for a sales launch in the spring of next year. IPL, short for Infiniti Performance Line, is the upmarket Nissan division’s new performance branding...
Viknesh Vijayenthiran