Question of the Day: Coupe or Convertible?
To many of us the ultimate expression of a sporting car will always be one without a top. And it’s hard to argue that there isn’t something magical about driving with a bracing breeze against one’s cheek. To others though, a sports car must be have the style and poise that only a two-door coupe can offer. Many automakers will offer the same car in both coupe and ‘vert guise, making the question that much harder, and more interesting to answer. What say you; is the lidded car or lidless one a more pure sporting device? Give us your answers, in comments.
Comments
driving course
Targa!
jpaul
Personally I believe a convertible makes the experience better, that said there are times where convertibles are not as sporty as coupes. Take for example the M3 that is pictured. The car is designed as a hard top first, then the convertible is designed from that. This makes the convertible heavier and not as rigid. That means the handling and acceleration are not as good. I don't like a convertible when it is not quite as sporty as the hard top. If you take a car that is a convertible first, S2000, then I would rather have that. There is no compromise for open air driving.
mbslrm
Targa FTW!
Hardtop convertibles are also nice. Since targas are really rare, a coupe with a large sunroof is what I like.
Paul In Jersey
They're two different animals that can't be compared. You need one of each.
George T
---Sorry, there are no tops and only a wind-deflector on a PURE sporting car.
You are in total awareness of all sensory inputs in a PURE sporting automobile.
You have unobstructed vision and awareness.
FPF422
SLK... Coupe/convertible... perfection !
Patrick from Astoria
My next one will be a convertible for sure; I won't have too many more chances before the family situation starts to dictate certain decisions, and I've had to wait for far too long as it is.
That said, there are certain coupes I would prefer over their open-air brethren, the Aston Martin Vantage and Corvette Z06 being the most personally prominent examples. (I know the Corvette isn't a straight comparison, but please bear with me.) At the same time, I'm totally Boxster over Cayman and GTS over GTB.
Happily, there really is no accounting for taste (just so it's good).
uragan
Coupes, definitely. Convertibles are for people with low self-esteem carving for attention. Or for gorgeous girls. The only probable exception is Ferrari.
Bald-win
Topless.
corco16446
It depends on what kind of sport you are looking for.
I'd say a true Sports Touring car is a convertible. But when looking for Sport you look for performance, and that can only be found in a coupe.
I prefer the touring fun of a convertible, but for raw performance "sport" driving, a coupe is where it's at
DanD
The convertible or roadster bodystyle, whether its top is the traditional soft canvas or vinyl design or the usually more complex folding hardtop variety, compromises ultimate performance to some degree or other in favor of a driving experience that takes in the surroundings of the car. To some, me included, that makes the lidless car a more sporty device than a comparable fixed roof coupe.
Andy II
@Uragan
I usually agree with you... but not on this! People who have convertibles are not attention whores! I love convertibles. Why roll down your windows and open your sunroof when you can just take the entire top down? It is the open air experience.
Also, according to a cars.com survey taken a couple of years ago, women think men who drive convertibles are more down to earth and open for different things.
So if anything convertibles are chick magnets. The gorgeous girls go in the passenger seat!
I am a total fan of convertibles and think every person with a convertible should drive with the top down all year round. I totally agree with MINI's 9-10 clause. It makes me mad when I see people driving convertibles with the top up on gorgeous days. There is absolutely no excuse why the top should not be down.
So if you couldn't tell by all of this,
CONVERTILBES!
Kal
I agree with the T-Top/Targa example. It's the best of both worlds. Rigidity is only slightly compromised and you still get the open air feeling.
I'd love to get my hands on a 993 Targa. I won't hold my breath though.
Mark in Maine
Convertible. While the coupe with a big sunroof is definitely a nice way to travel, there really is nothing else to compare with top-down driving. I have two, both had coupe counterparts, I would not have bought either one as a coupe. I don't know the one about low self-esteem and craving for attention - I just like convertibles.
94 Taurus owner
Depends on which car it is.
Robert
convertible, but I agree with the ideas mentioned earlier about cars that were designed as a coupe and then had the roof cut off, I'm also a bigger fan of cars that were designed as convertibles from the beginning (i.e. s2000, miata, cappuccino...etc.)
Tim
Daily driving? Sunday cruises? Convertible!
Track day? Backroad Blasts? Coupe!
Rat-ta-tat-tat
As a gay man, I can say this...convertibles are gay.
Adam
Well, I love my BMW 325is coupe (like in the picture above). It's a beautiful car, has a lot of presence. I considered a convertible, but my main gripe was that it was just not practical. Very drafty, and if it's raining out... you hear nothing but the rain.
That being said, many would say the coupe's not much more practical- no rear space, not good in bad weather... but it does what I need!
josh
Andy II
You obviously haven't experienced an 8+ hour day outside driving around with the top down. The first weekend I had my Mustang GT convertible started off with a 45 minute drive to to Watkins Glen, only to wait an hour for my chance to cruise around the track (fund raiser, opening day event). After walking around the ad-hock car show that follows, I spent the afternoon driving around the finger lakes wine tasting, only to discover I had the worst sunburn I've ever had, thanks to a cool, but comfortable late April day in central NY.
I used to agree with you about the aggravation with people driving with the top up on a nice day, but you have to consider the people inside the car, and how long they've been there. I also used to hate seeing people drive with the top down, windows up, but that does have its place, like when it cools off, near dusk, but you don't want to stop just to put the top up.
ZeGerman
Definitely a hardtop coupe. I've never enjoyed open-top cars (or moon-roofs) enough to justify sacrificing the overall rigidity.
Cicero
Coupe, convertibles add weight
Saxman19
As the question is asking for a pure SPORTING device, it'd have to be a coupe. Going slower because of no roof and having extra fold-able roof mechanisms and extra structural weight to support the frame of the car from having no roof is not sportier (roadsters not included). You want wind? open the sunroof and windows.
If the question asked for a FLASHY device, it'd be that other choice.
Steve
I'm definitaly a convertible lover. My current car fleet includes a 1991 Miata, a 1984 911 Carrera Cabriolet and a 1994 Mercedes E320 Cab. Then again, I live in Northern California, so these are year-round propositions.
Some Porsche fanatics claim that only the coupes are the ones to have. Personally, I love the lines of the coupes the best but the performance of these cars can't really be exploited on the street anyway. If I had a car just for track days I'd have a coupe. But, in this case, the convertible is actually better to live with than the targa variant and the car isn't exactly a daily driver anyway.
I love the feeling of driving with the top down. It really exposes you to the smells, temperatures, and other environmental elements around you. Regarding the top-up on nice days comments, though, I agree that there are just days I don't want the top down. If I'm getting ready for a long freeway slog the top stays up (too noisy with all the trucks around and there are those aforementioned "environmental factors" that are just unpleasant in this situation).
Mena
I own a convertible but I prefer coupes. Although, this car is fun as hell!!
VMMVMMM
Coupe. Convertibles are a bit effeminate. Unless you are a girl, then by all means, convertible.
Leo H
COUPE !! Hey , come now its a coupe end of story !!!
Ducati Minor
No, convertible. C'mon: anything VMMVMMM is against has to be good: convertibles, an education, women...
turr520
Coupe! Coupes look better and perform better. In most cases, coupes also cost less. Easy decision to me.
Rimorbod
I agree with turr520- coupes are cheaper, more beautiful and with better performance.
Andy II
@ Josh
That's why I use sunscreen :)
Oollyoumn
I have owned coupes, convertibles and targas (AKA sport roofs by Toyota), but I don't hold any affection for these. I do wish for a two door sport wagon.
Brett
An either/or Question? Seyth, why don't you go back to asking yes/no Questions? How unimaginative. Okay... Convertible.
X3 SoB
Convertibles have gotten windshields with faster rake(more layed back), so the "topless experience" is vastly diminished, unless you're driving an older car, of course. I've driven in a convertible with the top down, and I have to admit, when you're concentrating on your driving all you see is the windshield header in the upper field of your vision, not that different from driving with your sunroof open and the windows down. Or you could drive around looking upward, never a good idea. Plus all the the other problems, weight, security, perception, too hot, too cold, etc., so, I'll take a coupe. Or a two door sport wagon.
Andy
As the owner of a BMW 3-series convertible with a removable hardtop, I have say convertible. With a front strut brace installed, at anything short of track driving, I defy anyone to feel any cowl flex. In winter with the hardtop on, it's exactly the same as a coupe; in summer we get the full feeling of speed by having the top down. With a windblocker and the windows up on the highway, you can easily hold a reasonable converstion at well-past-legal speeds, and it's not drafty at all. The soft top doesn't take up much trunk room compared to the coupe. And - added bonus - you can carry a surprising amount of awkwardly shaped things in a four seat convertible with the top down, such as two sets of Billy bookshelves from Ikea. My wife and I call it The Little Car That Can.
Cheers,
Andy
RL
I prefer driving a hardtop. However society would be better served if everyone had open-topped cars. Conversation when stuck in traffic jams would be easier. Also possible to lob tennis balls back and forth.
GEORGE
Enzo said "Coupes are for racers, Convertables are for playboys" He built both and never gave it another thought.
MotoB
COUPES for any performance enthusiast. Convertibles are for people who cannot ride motorcycles - the ultimate open air vehicle.
DR Bush
GEORGE and MotoB took the words right outta my mouth. Well said. ;) Coupes are my choice for performance hands down.
stevedbmw
At 67 yrs and counting, I am doing my first ragtop (S2000) and thoroughly enjoying it. Chicks love it!
Mark V
So how is it that no designers are exploring options with power T-tops? I never did see a T-top offered on 4-door sedans either. Personally, I like the open-air feeling in a car. Having owned a Targa coupe, full convertible and Cars with a sunroof/moonroof, it captures a certain "passion" or "romance" with the car. While we are at it, how about the return of the power back window similar to the 1960's Mercury? That would work well with a pwer t-top.
Bunclebill
Windblockers are for pussies!
bepsf
IMO, coupes are sportier drives and convertibles are better for more relaxed driving (which is why an M3 convertible is just plain dumb)
bepsf
Mark V -
Back in the 70's, there were customizers that tried offering Toronados and Eldorados with power T-tops, but they weren't successful.
http://members.cox.net/phxjer/eldo/history.htm
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