5 Hottest Luxury Drop Tops Without The Luxury Price Tags

Sunday’s instalment of Top Gear saw everyone’s favourite group of cranky old men drive to Spain in a trio of budget convertible supercars. Of course, the ‘budget’ part of that description was somewhat tongue in cheek, as the roadsters of choice were the McLaren 12C Spider, Ferrari 458 Spider and Audi R8 V10...ahem...Spyder. The latter being the cheapest of the lot, at a ‘penny-pinching’ £125,360.

Fortunately, you don’t have to splash quite that much cash to get yourself behind the wheel of a delectable drop-top. In fact, if you’re willing to prowl through the classic car classifieds, getting hold of a swanky convertible with which to make the most of the splendid summer we’re enjoying can cost less than you might think. To prove it, we’ve found five classy cabriolets, all laden with panache, that’ll allow you to live the Veuve Clicquot lifestyle on Kronenbourg money.

Porsche 944/968

A 944 in white: about as laden with '80s Miami chic as it's possible to get?

With the hood down, the 944 cabrio looks like something that’d be at home on the set of Miami Vice – and that’s reason enough to spend five grand on  this well-historied example. OK, so the purists will wail that the soft top isn’t as sharp as the regular 944, but frankly, with the exception of some heaviness around the back end, this is a cracking-looking convertible Porsche that’s oozing late ’80s cred. And with 211bhp, it was no slouch either. But if you prefer pop-out to pop-up headlights, why not have a look at this later 968 cabrio? A 944 facelift in all but name, it featured heavily revised styling and a tweaked version of the same 3.0-litre four-pot, now producing 236bhp.

Mercedes-Benz SL500 (R129)

The SL500 is big, brutish and built like a tank. Oh, and there's a small matter of a 5.0-litre V8.

If pure prestige is what you’re after, this tops the bill. The R129 SL500’s prime asset was its three-pointed star, guaranteeing its owner prestige and respect wherever he or she might have gone. Not to mention, of course, that the R129 dated from the days of what magazine journos liked to call ‘hewn from granite’ build quality. But it could shift, too; as its name suggested, the 500 packed a 5.0-litre V8 with 32 valves and 322bhp, although with a kerb weight in the order of two tonnes, it wasn’t quite as fast as those figures would suggest. Still, a good, well-maintained example like this one should provide years of glamorous top-down motoring, and will be at home no matter which star-studded black-tie gala dinner you take it to.

BMW M3 (E46)

While arguably less posh than the rest, the M3's undoubtedly the driver's choice here

Hard to believe, but it’s true: you can now buy a good, solid E46 M3 convertible for as little as £7000. With full history, decent mileage and even in a good colour, this example looks a bit of a steal, though if you’re happy with an SMG gearbox or one of the M3’s less widely-loved colour schemes, there are plenty around for this sort of cash these days. You don’t need us to tell you that the E46 was one of BMW’s finest hours, with looks intimidating enough to give you jitters and a sublime 3.2-litre straight-six engine kicking out 338bhp. Add in the sunshine appeal of the ragtop, and this makes for a convincing recipe. It’s easily the best driver’s car here, too – so if you want your prestige drop-top to have some punch, this is the one.

Jaguar XK8

The XK8's curvy and classy. And V8-y, too. Is that a word? It is now.

If pure class is high on your list of priorities, however, then you can’t do much better than a Jaguar. Aristocratic and voluptuous, the XK8 caused a bit of a storm when it came out in 1996, and while age has dulled the impact of its looks somewhat, it’s still every bit as upper-crust as it once was. And with a swaddling interior drenched in leather and wood, not to mention a thrusting 290bhp V8, it was an effortless way to cover big distances quickly. A 2000 model like this one is the best bet, avoiding the earlier Nikasil-related engine issues thanks to a series of changes brought in at the start of the year, but also avoiding the higher road tax a later model would incur. Don’t expect it to handle like an Elise – but do expect it to provide hours of joy on a sunny evening schmooze.

Maserati Biturbo Spyder

It's a Maserati, Jim, but not as we know it (Source: maserati-alfieri.co.uk)

So you simply must have the word ‘Spyder’ in your car’s name? Don’t fret. We’ve got just the thing – and it also happens to be rare and unusual. It’s the Maserati Biturbo Spyder. The what now? Well, you’d be forgiven if you hadn’t heard of the Biturbo. This is a Maser from the era after they were cool. And, er, before they were cool again. But today, the De Tomaso era Maseratis have a subtlety and elegance all of their own – which comes partly from the razor-edged styling, and partly from the fact nobody knows what they are. The Spyder is a genuine classic Italian drop-top with 250bhp in un-catalysized form, so you can boast as such to all of your mates. And what’s more, you get a properly luxurious interior with lashings of tree and cow to soothe and delight. Tempted? Try this one on for size. OK, so it needs a little work, but the mileage is low, the history's good, and with a bit of money spent it’d make a very individual way to enjoy the summer sun.