Taken in the right spirit, the smart cabriolet is a delightful little vehicle. Don’t ever expect it to be normal, though.

Regardless of what you know about its origins, the Cadillac XLR is not just a Cadillac Corvette.  It’s true that this big, two-place sedan shares platforms (and an assembly line) with Chevrolet’s legendary sports car, but the wide-track stance and the woof from the exhaust are the only things that are the same.

This high-tech grand tourer for two is a direct attack on German luxocruisers like the Mercedes SL, and it underscores Cadillac’s intent to remain a powerful force in the luxury market.  Like the SL, the XLR has a …

Turn the key and it’s instantly obvious that this is not your average Audi.  Instead of a silky V6 purr, the distinctive burble of a V8 engine resonates through the dual exhausts.  It’s impossible to miss, especially if the top is down.  You don’t need to be told what happens when you give the accelerator a shove, do you?

Audi’s high-performance S4 lineup gets a new addition for 2004.  The S4 sedan and Avant wagon are joined by an S4 version of Audi’s slick A4 cabriolet, bringing high power and athletic …

Just try to behave yourself, and wear sunblock.

It does take a moment to get beyond the giddy, star-struck feeling of “Holy crap! I’m driving a 911!” Take a few deep breaths and get that out of your system, though, because there’s a lot to see and experience here, and you don’t want to miss any of it.

If Volvo keeps cranking out beautifully sculpted cars like the C70 convertible, its reputation as a provider of frumpy but safe sedans is going to be in serious jeopardy.  Our lovely Swedish test car was mistaken for a BMW or an Audi on more than one occasion during its stay with us.

The C70 was introduced in 1996, and was a surprising addition to the lineup, coming as it did from a brand better known for bank vaults on wheels.  The C70 has kept the same basic design since then, and …

The Maserati name is so legendary and recognized, even among non-car people, that you wouldn’t know they hadn’t sold any cars in the United States in over a decade.  The Italian sports car maker’s claim to fame is its long history of racing success, dating to the 1930s.  Grand Prix heroes like the A6GCM and the 250F were followed by road-going sports cars like the Mistral and unforgettable Ghibli of 1966.  These quintessentially Italian cars were memorable enough to firmly entrench the name “Maserati” in the ranks of the automotive …

Since its resurrection a year ago, the Ford Thunderbird has brought a healthy dash of panache to Ford’s generally pedestrian lineup.  This two-seat, full-size convertible comes straight out of the 1950s with a modern rethinking of the classic shape of the original 1955 Thunderbird.  Best of all, the T-Bird doesn’t require that you sacrifice driveability for those Hollywood looks.

The Thunderbird cruises into 2003 with detail changes only: a slight bump in horsepower, standard traction control and a few new colors inside and out.  The limited-production roadster is practically an instant …

Unofficially, there are two kinds of convertibles.  You have your flashy, look-at-me ragtops, with sexy sheetmetal wrapped around a pair of often color-keyed leather seats and a big engine.  Those are your BMW Z4s and Ford Thunderbirds and Jaguar XKs.  In the other corner, you have the more conservative convertibles, for folks who want to enjoy a nice sunny day but would rather do it without acting like movie stars.

The Audi A4 cabriolet, new for 2003, falls solidly into the latter category.  Its conservative, bar-of-soap design is elegant, but not …

Don’t panic.  Someone hasn’t gone and installed one of those horrible aftermarket vinyl tops on a Volkswagen New Beetle!  This is the real deal.  After five years on the market, the New Beetle finally gets the inevitable convertible version for 2003.  Even though winter is already in full swing, Volkswagen has sent us a reminder of more pleasant seasons to come.

The original Beetle convertible was almost as iconic as the Beetle itself.  Introduced in 1953, its compact shape and big, ungainly folded top became hallmarks of all future Volkswagen convertibles, …