A two-door convertible with a retracting roof is inevitably sporty and eye-catching, regardless of the size or price. Here are five convertible compact cars we would love to see here.
Daihatsu Copen
The Daihatsu brand never officially made it here, but there are a few examples that did make it to our roads. The Copen is a compact convertible two-door, two-seater car from the last decade. It originally packed a compact and frugal 660-cc three-pot motor, but eventually got a heftier 1.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine making 87 hp and 120 Nm. That was enough for the 3.4-metre long, 850-kg Copen to hit 0-100 km/h in 9.5 seconds and get up to 180 km/h.
Volkswagen Eos
The Eos from VW was essentially the convertible version of the Golf; what is widely acknowledged as “all the car you’d ever need”. The Eos was an exciting two-door, four-seater car that looks just as conventional as any VW from the front, with its roof up. Engine options, 10 years ago, included petrol and diesel engines from a 122-hp TSI and 140-hp TDI to a 200-hp TSI for some serious performance potential.
Volvo C70
The only modern convertible from Volvo Cars was the C70. Rarely spoken of, it packed smooth styling, top-notch safety and space for four occupants. The engine range included a selection of petrol and diesel engines, including the very peppy T5 engine with 230 hp and 320 Nm. The 2.5-litre turbo-petrol T5 could dismiss 0-100 km/h in 7.0 seconds and get up to 241 km/h. A D5 diesel, with 180 hp and 400 Nm and promising 22 km/l, was also offered.
FIAT 124 Spider
If joy, affordability and driving fun could manifest as one form, it would probably look like this FIAT 124 Spider. That’s partly because it was based on the immensely popular Mazda MX-5 and even made by Mazda for FIAT. Arriving in 2016, it packed smooth and reliable 1.4-litre turbo-petrol four making 140 hp and 240 Nm. A choice of six-speed manual or an auto ‘box were offered. It could get from 0-100 km/h in 7.5 seconds and achieve a top whack of 215 km/h.
Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet
The VW T-Roc only arrived recently and is already sold out even these trying time. The good news, here, is that this T-Roc Cabriolet is a 2020 model and could arrive in India if enough of us cough up the dough and give a shout-out to VW India. The T-Roc Cabriolet is a two-door, four-seater, and the only convertible SUV in this list. It has all latest equipment and connectivity – and no sunroof, but, well…. – and could be offered with the same potent 1.5-litre TSI turbo-petrol engine making 150 hp and 250 Nm, paired to a fine DSG dual-clutch automatic.
