The automobile industry has passed through a long journey of evolution in automotive design. The inventions of different types of cars and their features are fascinating and remarkable. One such wonder amongst all the inventions is convertible cars.

A convertible car, also known as a cabriolet car, can be driven with or without a roof. The roof or top can be soft or hard, and the technique of folding and storing the top depends on the size or type of the model’s body. Such cars can instantly be transformed into open roof cars to provide you with an experience of open-air driving and a feeling of freedom.

India is one of the largest marketplaces for the automotive industry that attracts manufacturers worldwide to retail their premium cars here. The demand for convertible cars is rising across the country. Here is a list of convertible cars in India with price, features and specifications:

1. MINI Cooper Convertible S | Starts From ₹ 44.00 Lakh

Mini Cooper Convertible S is one of the cheapest convertible cars in India. The S variant is currently the top model in the mini cooper lineup, with a mileage of 16.72 km/l, the horsepower of 189 bhp and 280Nm@ 1250 rpm of torque. This car also offers 10 attractive colours to satisfy your taste of premium appearance. Here are some more specifications:

• Launch Date: March 16, 2016
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 1998 CC
• Transmission: Automatic (Dual Clutch)
• Front Brake: Disc
• Rare Brake: Disc
• Steering Type: Power-assisted (Electric)
• Seat: 4

2. BMW Z4 sDrive 20i | Starts From ₹ 66.54 Lakh

Another cheap convertible car option in India with the best possible specs is BMW Z4 sDrive 20i. The base variant of the model has a 2.0-litre petrol engine, producing 14.37 km/l mileage, 197PS of horsepower and 320Nm of torque. In addition, this engine has an 8-speed automatic transmission. Below are the additional specifications -

• Launch Date: April 08, 2019
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 2998 CC
• Transmission: Automatic (Torque Converter)
• Front Brake: Ventilated Disc
• Rare Brake: Ventilated Disc
• Steering Type: Power-assisted (Electric) 
• Seat: 2

3. Mercedes-Benz C-Class C300 Cabriolet | Starts From ₹ 72.35 Lakh

Mercedes launched its C-Class variant of open roof cars in India, with a certified mileage of 9.6 kmpl and 66.0 ltr fuel tank capacity to produce 345.98 bhp of horsepower and 370Nm@1800-4000rpm of torque. In addition, these 4 seater convertible cars in India come in 6 eye-catchy colour variations. Below are the further specifications -

• Launch Date: N/A
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 1991 CC
• Transmission: Automatic
• Front Brake: Disc
• Rare Brake: Disc
• Steering Type: Power
• Seat: 4

4. Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 | Starts From ₹ 1.63 cr

If you are looking for convertible cars in India that can make you appear more affluent without wiggling your budget, Porsche 718 Cayman GT4 is the one. It is designed with an engine that produces 9.17 km/l mileage, 414.37 bhp of horsepower and 420Nm@8000rpm of torque and comes in 16 colour variations. Check out more features of Cayman GT4:

• Launch Date: October 2017
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 3995 CC
• Transmission: Automatic
• Front Brake: Aluminium monobloc Disc
• Rare Brake: Aluminium monobloc Disc
• Steering Type: Power
• Seat: 2

5. Mercedes-Benz AMG-GT R | Starts From ₹ 2.63 cr

This convertible car is the most hardcore variant among all the models of Mercedes-Benz. Mercedes-Benz AMG-GT R is powered by a 4.0-litre twin-turbo petrol engine that produces 12.65km/l mileage, 576.63 bhp of maximum power and 700Nm of torque. It also features an automatic dual-clutch transmission alongside other features as mentioned below -

• Launch Date: October 2017
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 3982 CC
• Transmission: Automatic
• Front Brake: Disc
• Rare Brake: Disc
• Steering Type: Power
• Seat: 2

6. Aston Martin DB 11 V8 | Starts From ₹ 3.80 cr

The DB11 V8 from Aston Martin is among the best open roof cars in India, having a dispenser engine to produce mileage of 8.93km/l, 502.88 bhp of horsepower and 675Nm@2000-5000rpm of torque. This is one of the most luxurious convertible cars with power steering, automatic climate control, fog lights in the front and plenty of other remarkable features. Below are given some more specs:

• Launch Date: March 2016
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 3998 CC
• Transmission: Manual
• Front Brake: Ventilated two-piece steel brake discs
• Rare Brake: Ventilated two-piece steel brake discs
• Steering Type: Power
• Seat: 4

7. Ferrari 812 | Starts From ₹ 5.20 cr

The Ferrari 812 is one of the most powerful front-engine production cars among the 2 seater convertible cars in India. This car is powered by a 6.5-litre V12 engine that can generate 6.7 km/l of mileage, 789 bhp of power and torque of 718Nm@ 7000rpm. Check out the other premium features of this car -

• Launch Date: April 2017
• Engine Type & CC: Petrol engine, 6496 CC
• Transmission: Automatic
• Front Brake: Ventilated discs
• Rare Brake: Ventilated discs
• Steering Type: Electric
• Seat: 2

Before getting into the thought of what is the best convertible car, you need to have a clear vision of all the types of convertible cars available currently in India. Open roof cars can be classified depending upon the roof type, seating configuration, body type, specification, etc. Here is a brief discussion about the types of convertible cars in India:

Fabric Soft Top

Cars with a soft-top or folding sunroof are the traditional type of convertible cars. A soft top is made of a flexible textile material that can be retracted and stored easily as it doesn’t take up much space. Soft top convertible cars are generally more affordable than the hard top ones.

Retractable Hardtop

A folding hardtop car, also known as a coupé convertible or coupé cabriolet, has an automated and self-storing hardtop. A hardtop generally offers better protection from weather and safety from any crash or accident. However, it increases the weight, mechanical complexity and all over cost.

Four-Seater

4 seater convertible cars have four seats arranged in a 2+2 seating configuration with a hard or soft roof loaded in the rear. The metal roof takes up more space, whereas the textile top leaves the rear more spacious for passengers.

Two-Seater

Two-seater open roof cars are often known as sports cars and have a foldable textile roof. These cars are usually small hence have a soft top, much more affordable convertible cars.

Supercar

Supercars are also called exotic cars, high-performance sports cars with an exotic design, premium car parts and advanced technology. These are comparatively more expensive than sports cars due to their exclusive design.

Cruiser

This car with an open roof is designed for a relaxed drive if you are more fascinated with sitting back and enjoying the scenery.

Rear Window

Rear windows are often part of the roof assembly. Typically, soft roof cars do not have a rare window, but sometimes you can find a rare window made of plastic. Recently, the hard roof convertible cars are being designed with a rare window that is not a part of the roof.

Two Door

Most open roof cars have two doors nowadays, whether the car is a two-seater or four-seater.

Four-Door

Usually, vintage convertible cars used to have four doors. Although four-door cars are outdated, you can find the current production of the four-door cars in SUVs.

Despite serving the purpose of an opulent look and premium features, convertible cars can have some drawbacks:

• Appearance: The convertible cars always stand out from the crowd for their looks and appearance. The open-top gives a luxurious look with a sense of freedom while driving.
• Visibility: If you are one of those who love to indulge in the beauty of nature, then open roof cars are for you. You can just sit back and relax while giving yourself the chance to enjoy the scenery.
• Versatility: You can use them in two ways: cover the top when the weather is not favourable and uncover the top when you want to enjoy the sky and the sunshine.

• Security: Even if you purchase the most popular convertible cars, it will not ensure the security of tampering.
• Safety: A convertible car cannot provide enough security as regular cars. The soft-roof cars especially fail to protect the passengers in a car crash and accident.
• Space: These cars cannot provide ample space as they need to have a storage space in the rear.

• Before buying a convertible car, you need to be clear about what type of top you want, soft or hard.
• Check the boot space available in the car.
• It is important to know how much space is there for the rare passengers if the car is 4 seater.
• Know how much time it takes to fold the roof.
• If you intend to buy an open roof sports car, know all the features and specs that allow the car to provide a high speed.