Motoring Con Brio

We like coupes – we are driving enthusiasts, after all, and there’s something to be said about structural rigidity – but that isn’t to say top-down motoring isn’t without its (quite frankly) immense appeal. Which begs the question: if you had to drive without a roof, which car(s) would you most want to do it in? Assume that cost is no object; however, no cars that were produced only as roadsters (so no XKSS, as an example).

Here are a few of our selections, in no particular order. We think roadster driving suggests a different kind of motoring experience – less haste, more stopping and smelling of flowers – so we went more for elegance than for outright performance.

Just lovely, lovely cars, all of them.

Mercedes-Benz W113 (Pagoda):

Lancia Aurelia B24 Spider:

Jaguar XK120:

AC Ace Bristol:

Alfa Giulietta Spider:

And an honorable mention from the ‘real’ world— BMW 325i (E30):

We know, we know— we love these cars (E30s), so we’re biased. And they’re technically not roadsters. Yet one could do a lot worse than driving an E30 ‘vert (as they’re affectionately known) — plus it’s a genuine four-seater so you can bring the whole family. As with all E30s, we think good, unmolested examples will only appreciate and become more desirable with time. Make ours the M-Technic model (I or II).

Posted in Grab bag, Moment of zen, Still images, What would you buy