The summer is just around the corner, and what better way to prepare for it than to get yourself a small, classic, two-seater with a peppy engine and cool design? The roadsters have been car fans’ favorite for decades, and although they are not as popular as before, plenty of open-air enthusiasts still crave a specific driving feel. The best thing about them is that most of the classic roadsters are affordable and easy to work on, which is why we compiled a list of 10 cars that should provide you with much driving fun this summer.
1. MG B
One of the most popular and typical British roadsters from the ’60s is the MG B. Introduced in 1962, the B was the successor to the MG A, which helped establish the roadster class in the US. By the day’s standards, the MG B was a reasonably modern car with unibody construction, a roomy interior, and decent suspension and steering.
Some contemporary tests call MG B underpowered, and 95 HP from the 1.8-liter engine certainly isn’t much, but since the car weighs only 2200 lbs, it can keep up with modern traffic. For those who want more power, MG introduced the model C with a 3.0-liter six-cylinder and 145 HP and the MG B GT with a 3.5-liter V8 engine, available only in coupe form.
2. BMW Z3
Using the E36 Compact 3 Series platform and rear suspension from the old E30 model and covering it with a sexy new open-top body, BMW created the first Z3 model. The result was a stylish convertible with two seats, a lineup of potent four—and six-cylinder engines, lightweight, and excellent driving dynamics. The car was significantly more expensive than the Miata but also much better, faster, and more luxurious.
The Z3 was released in 1996 to an eager audience in the middle of the roadster renaissance. It was one of the best sellers in its class and a benchmark model in performance and handling. The Z3 was especially popular in America, and interestingly, it was the first BMW to be produced solely in the new South Carolina factory. Also, its appearance in the James Bond movie GoldenEye helped it become popular.
3. Triumph Spitfire
The Spitfire was the second definitive British roadster from the ’60s and, in our opinion, much cooler than the MG B. Despite having similar mechanics, modest power, and performance, the Spitfire got its name from a World War II fighter plane. It boasted a much more aggressive and sportier design with lower sides and a sharper front end.
This legendary roadster was introduced in 1962 and powered by a pretty diminutive 1.1-liter four-cylinder engine with 63 HP. Over the years, the power grew to a 1.5-liter engine with 71 HP and more torque, which improved the driving dynamics. As with all other British roadsters, the biggest market was the US, and of the 314,000 made, most ended up here.
4. Mazda Miata
One of the most successful stories in the car industry must be the tale about Mazda’s Miata roadster and how this little car changed the world and became the best-selling open-top model in history, passing the 1 million mark in 2013. The Miata’s secret was simplicity, lightweight, and balance. Mazda didn’t try to invent something new; they just copied the basic concept of a classic British roadster, added modern materials and design, and made the whole thing dependable and agile.
116 HP from a twin-cam 1.6-liter engine may not sound like much, but in a 2,200-lb car, it’s more than enough. If you are looking for the most affordable example, the first-generation Miata can provide many memorable moments for just a few thousand dollars.
5. Triumph TR6
If the Spitfire was Triumph’s roadster for the masses, the TR6 was a car for a serious lover of open-air driving and speed. The Spitfire could be considered underpowered despite its weighing only 1500 lbs, but the TR6 had decent power and convincing performance straight out of the box.
The TR6 was a successor to the TR5 and the US-market-only TR250, which all shared basic construction, dimensions, and design. Introduced in 1968, the TR6 featured disc brakes all around, independent suspension, and a 2.5-liter straight-six engine with 145 HP. Thanks to its weight of just under 2200 lbs, the TR6 was pretty agile and was amongst the fastest power roadsters on the market in the late ’60s.
6. Alfa Romeo Spider
Introduced in 1966, the Alfa Romeo Spider was an Italian answer to the popularity of British roadsters. Eventually, it became globally popular and became an Alfa Romeo model with the longest production run. Initially called the Duetto, the Spider was built on Alfa’s 105 sedan/coupe basis with a Pininfarina-designed body, all-alloy twin cam engines, and rear-wheel drive. During the late ’60s, Spider became very popular after the movie The Graduate, in which Dustin Hoffman drove a red example.
While the rest of the roadsters vanished from the American market, Alfa managed to sell Spiders to 1994, which just shows how popular this car was here. The engine choices ranged from 1.3 to 2.0-liter four-cylinder engines with 105 to 130 HP. Earlier cars had carburetors, and later models had fuel injection systems.
7. Porsche Boxster
Although the third generation of Porsche’s Boxster is currently in production, we will tell you about the first-generation model, introduced in 1996 and discontinued in 2004. Over twenty years after Porsche introduced this roadster, the Boxster revolutionized the concept of an open-top fun car and stood the test of time as a future classic you can own today.
The Boxster’s big advantage is its layout. While most other cars have front-engine, rear-wheel-drive construction, the Boxster has a mid-mounted flat-six engine, perfect balance, two trunks, and sublime handling. Since the base 2.5-liter delivers a healthy 200 HP, it makes even the most affordable Boxsters pretty agile, fast, and exciting to drive, especially if paired with a 6-speed manual transmission.
8. Fiat 124 Spider
The Alfa Spider wasn’t the only Italian contender in the classic roadster class. Fiat’s 124 Spider was also a very popular and affordable choice, and it is still an interesting proposition for lovers of convertible design form and Italian charm.
Introduced in 1966 and sold in America until 1985, the Fiat 124 Spider was designed by Pininfarina and built on the 124 Sedan platform. The mechanics were pretty straightforward: a twin-cam engine, 4-speed manual transmission, and rear-wheel drive. The early models had 90 HP from a 1.6-liter engine, while later versions got 2.0-liter engines with fuel injection and 102 HP.
9. Honda S2000
Introduced in 1999 and discontinued in 2009, the S2000 could be considered a ’90s model even though it was presented at the decade’s end. This model was a valid driver’s car with essential features like lightweight construction, ideal weight distribution, powerful and rev-happy engine, and razor-sharp handling—all in an elegant open-top package.
Under the hood was a 2.0 or 2.2-liter four-cylinder engine with 240 hp, the car’s main selling point. This little gem of an engine featured a 9000 rpm red line, four valves per cylinder, and the famous Honda V-Tec system, which provided all the power at high RPMs and an excellent screaming sound. Thanks to intelligent engineering and lightweight design, the S2000 had respectable performance and perfect handling, for which it was universally praised.
10. Mercedes SL R107
We were hesitant to include this car on our list since the Mercedes SL isn’t a small convertible, but if you look at it carefully, you will see that this generation (R107) fits the bill perfectly.
This generation was in production from 1971 to 1989 and is very common. The engine choices include one six-cylinder engine and several V8s, including the range-topping 560 V8. We recommend you find a 450 or 500 V8 engine since they are the most popular and offer the best combination of power and efficiency.