What Is A Cabriolet? The Best 80’s & 90’s Cabriolets For The Summer

What Is A Cabriolet? The Best 80’s & 90’s Cabriolets For The Summer

For anyone not aware of cabriolet cars, the word derives from French origin and refers to vehicles that have either a hard or a soft-top retractable roof; or as you may have heard to these types of vehicles called a convertible.

Summer is just around the corner, and for many classic car enthusiasts that will mean one thing: checking the option marked 'convertible' on those used car websites. If classic motoring is one of life's great joys, there's perhaps just one thing that can top it: roof-down, wind-in the-hair, open-top classic motoring.

Here's our pick of some of the best cabriolets and convertibles from the 1980s and 1990s. We've chosen this era because it saw the rise of the four-seater cabriolet, with popular cars like the Vauxhall Astra and VW Golf entering a market previously dominated by two-seaters such as the MG Midget and Triumph Spitfire.

In fact, we've gone for a judicious mix of two- and four-seaters in our list. Whether you want to motor solo or with a significant other, or bring the whole family along, you've got plenty of options here.

Once you've got hold of your dream soft-top from the ‘80s or ‘90s, you'll want to look after it with some modern classic car insurance. And don’t forget to check out our helpful guide on caring for your classic convertible's hood.

Mercedes SL (R107)

If we had to pick purely the most handsome convertible of this era, for our money the laurels go to Mercedes' imposing yet graceful SL grand tourer. Both its predecessors, the 300SL 'Gullwing' and the 'W113 'Pagoda Top', were revered cars, setting new standards for both performance and elegance (and easily making it into our list of favourite Mercedes classics).

Spacious, comfortable and good-looking in an imposing kind of way, the R107 may not, these days, enjoy quite the halo status of its two ancestors. However, for today's classic car enthusiast in search of an iconic yet affordable drop-top, that lesser status can only be a good thing.

Yes, prices for this third SL generation are way more affordable – leaving you with something left in the bank for your other expenses, such as ongoing repair bills and your annual modern classic car insurance premiums.

Engine options go from a 2.8-litre straight-six all the way up to a whopping 5.6-litre V8 – the majority of models you'll come across on the used market will be V8s.

Some 300,000 R107s were made, meaning they are fairly easy to find on the used car market.

Rover 200 Cabriolet

The Rover 200, and its 25 successor, may be mostly remembered these days as a somewhat boxy, if relatively premium small hatchback. However, it did produce two offshoots that had a little more glamour about them. We're talking about the 200 Coupé – a sleek, angular and frankly rather gorgeous derivative of the standard hatch, and a favourite classic Rover of ours – and its Cabriolet sibling.

The 200's second, 'R8' generation of 1989 to 1995 was the first to get a soft-top version. That generation got a facelift part way through, with the earlier front end replaced by the new Rover 'face', with lashings of chrome and more of a sense of occasion. And, on the used market today, you'll find a mix of pre- and post-facelift 200 Convertibles.

Heading beyond the grille and into the engine, you could get your drop-top Rover with either a 1.4 or 1.6-litre unit. Hardly Porsche-troubling levels of power, then: more a car to waft elegantly around Britain's B-roads during the summer months. Today, these cars remain affordable and, as such, a highly recommendable investment.

Lotus Elise

If you're craving a little more performance from your roofless runabout, can we interest you in a Lotus Elise? Making its debut back in 1996, the Elise stepped proudly into the Lotus tradition: lightweight, compact, and nimble as anything else out there. Its driving experience was visceral, with its super-light composite bodyshell, mid-engined layout and stiffened suspension all working together to deliver superb sports-car handling.

The Elise actually sourced its power from fellow Brits Rover – in the form of the latter's K-series engine, here in 1.8-litre guise. That unit pushed out 118 brake horse power which – when applied to a car weighing a tiny 723kg – made for some serious hustle.

The first-generation Elise now has classic status, thanks largely to that raw, undiluted driving experience. As such, it's one of the more expensive cars on our list – you'll look to pay upwards of £15,000 for a decent, non-thrashed example. A little bit special, this: apply some decent modern classic car insurance without delay.

Volkswagen Golf Mk1 Cabriolet

The original Golf cabrio is perhaps the archetypal 1980s four-seater soft-top – and was also one of the earliest, arriving way back in 1980. The designs were by German coachbuilders Karmann, who've given us a few brilliant convertibles down the decades – indeed, they'll come up again in this list.

One great thing about the Golf cabrio was that it truly was a car for all seasons: yes you could enjoy the very best of top-down motoring in the summer months, but when the weather turned colder you were covered (literally) by the heated glass rear window and insulated hood.

Golf convertibles tended to soldier on much longer than their hard-top variants: so, although the tin-top Mk1 Golf was replaced by the Mk2 in late 1983, this convertible version remained in production all the way through to 1994 – by which time the hard-top was onto its third generation.

That long production run means that the Mk1 Golf cabrio isn't as rare on the used market as you might think. Once you find one for you, sign up to the Mk1 Golf Owners Club for a range of benefits including a busy social calendar, oodles of friendly expertise and potential discounts on your modern classic car insurance.

Ford Escort Mk3 Cabriolet

The new Mk3 Escort was launched in 1980 – indeed, it's a car that seems to define that decade, not least because it topped the sales charts for much of it. (The Escort was Britain's best-selling car for an incredible eight years from 1982 through to 1989, as we recalled in our feature on the era's Ford v Vauxhall sales wars).

It's interesting, though, that it took Ford until 1983 to bring a rag-top Escort to market, leaving the above-mentioned VW Golf an unchallenged run as the soft-top four-seater at the start of the decade. The Escort Cabriolet, when it did emerge, could be acquired in 1.6-litre Ghia and XR3i guises. Later in the decade, a more budget-conscious 1.3-litre engine and some lower trim level, would join the fray.

The conversion itself was another job for those experts at Karmann, who'd also designed the Escort's Golf rival.

Vauxhall Astra Mk2 Convertible

There seemed to be a time lag of around three years before the majors rushed out soft-top versions of their best-selling hatches. So, the VW Golf arrived in 1977, and in soft-top form in 1980. The Mk3 Escort hit showrooms in 1980, its drop-top sibling in 1983. And there was a similar story for the Mk2 Astra: the hatch, now in its second generation, launched in 1984, while the convertible waited until 1987 to make its grand entrance.

Was it worth the wait? On balance, we'd say yes: the MK2 Astra fabric-top was a nice-looking car, even with the necessary presence of that anti-roll bar across the middle.

The Mk2 Astra always had some seriously capable performance versions, and the convertible didn't miss out here. The car was available with the same 2.0-litre engine found in the GTE hot hatch, which could leave an Escort XR3 for dust at the traffic lights.

If, on the other hand, you just wanted summertime thrills without ear-splitting performance (and wallet-shredding insurance bills), you could get the car with a more sensible 1.6-litre unit.

Skoda Rapid Convertible

The glamour of soft-top motoring may not seem like an obvious fit for Skoda, who back around this time was – deservedly or not – the butt of many jokes. The marque, still very much a product of Communist Czechoslovakia when the Rapid made its entrance in 1984, were known for their basic, budget-conscious cars. Consequently they were, to many '80s car-watchers, something of a laughing stock. That was unfair, as it turned out, as the Rapid in particular was a decent car.

In fact, its rear-engined, rear-wheel-drive handling earned the Skoda Rapid a reputation as a sort of poor man's Porsche 9111. The Rapid and its Estelle stablemate actually racked up an impressive quantity of rally wins across the 1980s, giving the Skoda name a certain sporty ring.

And yes, you could specify your Rapid in drop-top guise. However, these were not factory-fresh from the Skoda plant in Bratislava. Rather, they were imported as normal hard-tops and converted by the Kentish outfit Ludgate Design & Development, before finding their way to Skoda dealerships around the UK.

At £5,000, these cars represented your cheapest way into the convertible lifestyle. And they possibly still do…

BMW E30 Convertible

Mercedes didn't offer a four-seater convertible throughout the 1970s, 1980s or 1990s (the gorgeous, previously discussed SL was a two-seater). That left the field clear for BMW to get the first premium four-seater soft-top onto the market in 1985.

Not only was this car the first of its kind: it was also the soft-top version of a car that had already written itself into motoring legend. Yes, the second, E30 generation of BMW's 3 Series was a peach of a car. The first generation, the E21, had been decent enough, but the E30 moved the game on considerably in terms of comfort, ergonomics, build quality and more. This, make no mistake, is where the 3 Series legend was born.

So, if you wanted a luxurious four-seater car with brilliant driving dynamics and a soft top back in the mid 1980s, you really didn't have to look very far. The E30 convertible was solidly built, very nearly as good to drive as the legendarily brilliant E30 saloon… and very good-looking, too. You could get your 3-Series Convertible in 2.0- or 2.5-litre guise: both featured straight-six engines that were both refined and potent.

The car enjoyed a deservedly long shelf life, remaining on sale until 1993, and is not all that hard to find today.

Audi Cabriolet

Audi saw what BMW were achieving with the E30 Convertible, and decided that they wanted a slice of the drop-top compact-exec action. And so, in 1991, the world got a look at the simply-named Cabriolet – essentially, a third generation (BS) Audi 80 with the top sawn off. Available with a choice of 2.3-litre inline-five, 2.0-litre inline-four, and 2.6-litre V6 engines, the Cabriolet had those square-jawed, purposeful looks of Audis of its era. And that clean, unfussy appearance has aged, to our eyes at least, rather well.

The Cabriolet managed almost a decade's worth of production, finally bowing out in 2000. There followed a short intermission in the Audi convertible story, before the first A4 convertible emerged in 2002.

Cabriolets are now going for somewhere between £3,000 and £6,000 on the used market – around half the price of a comparable E30 Convertible, a car that, thanks to its legendary status, commands higher used prices. As such, an Audi Cabriolet looks like a smart way into affordable yet premium open-top motoring.

Peugeot 205 CTi

The Peugeot 205 always had good looks on its side, and its convertible (or CTi) variant was certainly no exception.

Designed and built in Italy by the legendary Pininfarina, the 205 managed all the neat elegance of the hard-top 205, adding in a little flair all of its own. It also managed to be as great to drive as it was to look at, with a not-insignificant 105bhp and most of the much-loved handling of the standard 205 hatchback.

As with the Astra above, you also had the option of soft-top looks and fun without big fuel and insurance bills. Yes, economy-minded drivers could choose the 205 CJ, a 1.4-litre model that missed out on the CTi's extra grunt, but not on its sense of fun.

Saab 900 Convertible

Throughout the '80s and '90s, Saab was the marque for discerning drivers who wanted a premium, bullet-proof and fine-handling saloon, but didn't want to go down the default German route.

And, if those selfsame discerning buyers wanted to spend their hard-earned cash on a convertible, they had an option here, too.

The 900 Convertible appeared in 1986 – some eight years after the hard-top 900 had gone on sale. Buyers wanting some Swedish soft-top style flocked to showrooms, and the car was a sales success.

And those buyers weren't disappointed: the 900's 16-valve turbocharged engines and superb build quality promised years of enjoyable, stress-free driving. What's more, Saab's proven understanding of driving dynamics meant that the 900 drove with more rigidity and sharpness than many a wallowy soft-top.

Mazda MX-5

You were probably expecting to see this one in the list, weren't you? The first-generation MX-5 was, quite simply, one of the best cars of the '90s, convertible or not. And, as a car that seems set only to grow in popularity as the years go on, a first-generation MX-5 now looks a very sound investment indeed.

Introduced in 1989, the new Mazda was an attempt to evoke the simple engineering and sheer sense of joy of 1960s British convertibles – cars like the Lotus Elan, MG Midget and Austin-Healey Sprite. What it had over those venerable classics, of course, was superior reliability and, dare we say it, even more grin-inducing driving dynamics. No wonder the MX-5 later became the best-selling soft-top two-seater convertible in history.

That means, of course, that you will have no trouble at all finding a decent used example (or ten). In fact, you'll be able to find plenty at whatever price point, engine size and trim level you require. Just watch out for that rust!

There's a big, friendly owner community out there, too. Join the MX-5 Owners Club to access this welcoming world of expertise: you should also be able to secure a club discount on your modern classic car insurance.

BMW Z3

BMW built one revered two-seater back in the late 1950s, in the shape of the wonderful 507, one of our favourite Beemers of all time. Elegantly simple and effortlessly chic, the 507 rivalled contemporaries like the Mercedes 'Gullwing' and the Ferrari 250 in its sheer grace.

How do you follow a masterpiece like that? The answer is that BMW didn't – for 30 years. Their next convertible, the Z1 of 1989 to 1991, was fascinating but short-lived. It wasn't until the Z3 of 1995 onwards that BMW found their feet again in the roadster department.

Stylish, well built, and a strong performer, the Z3 was a deserved success (an appearance in the Bond film Goldeneye can't have harmed its chances, either). Selling in big numbers, these fun little pocket rockets are now fairly easy to find on the second-hand market. Snaffle one up, protect it with some modern classic car insurance – and get ready to drive off into the sunset.

Honda S2000

Honda's much-admired S2000 is a brilliant car on so many levels that to merely label it as a great convertible isn't really to do it justice. However, the fact remains that if you're after a sharp-looking, high-performing '90s drop-top with absolutely bombproof reliability, the S2000 should be at or very near the top of your list.

Honda has always been known for its rigorous, almost obsessive approach to engineering excellence, and it arguably reached a peak with this wonderful car. Rear-wheel-drive, the S2000 featured perfect 50/50 weight distribution and a low centre of gravity. To this combination, already a recipe for handling excellence, it added a super-stiff bodyshell.

The result? Surely one of the best-handling cars ever made.

The S2000 had the performance that those driving manners demanded, too: its 2.0-litre Variable Valve Timing (VTEC) engine pushed out 237bhp, allowing for a 0-60 time of 6.2 seconds. To this already intimidating list of capabilities, Honda added sharp looks and their legendary build quality and reliability.

If all this sounds as though it's going to be out of your reach, it needn't necessarily be: £8,000 to £10,000 will score you an early and/or high-mileage car, while £12,000 to £15,000 should get you one in very nice condition. Just leave something over for the modern classic car insurance that this gem of a car undoubtedly warrants.

Alfa Romeo 916 Spider

We couldn't leave without mentioning an Italian, could we? After all, this is the nation that brought us – in the shape of cars like the Alfa Romeo Duetto, Ferrari 365 GTB/4 Daytona and Lancia Aurelia Spider – some of the most beautiful topless cars of all time. Yes, Italy is a nation legendary for its style, and it certainly hasn't skimped in the automobile department.

The 1995 916 Spider was a worthy successor to those iconic fabric-top Alfas of yore – such as the second-generation Duetto memorably driven by a young Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate.

The 90s Spider was effectively a drop-top version of the GTV coupé, similarly one of the best-looking cars in its class. Both available powerplants – the Twin Spark and the 3.0-litre V6 – offered strong performance as well as that distinctive Alfa soundtrack. It's a good-looking thing, too, and – here comes more good news – can be yours from upwards of £2,000. Not much to pay for a little Italian flair.

Carefree motoring with the right modern classic car insurance

​You'll enjoy your open-top motoring all the more when you're secure in the knowledge that your car is protected with some specialist modern classic car insurance. Here at Lancaster Insurance, our benefits include:​

• Two-year agreed valuation
• Static show and historic rally cover
• Choice of repairer
• Car Club member discounts up to 25%
• 24-Hour claims helpline
• Limit mileage discounts

Contact us today for a modern classic car insurance quote.