Volkswagen New Beetle. (Volkswagen)
Left to right: Ford Mustang, BMW 328i (Ford, BMW)
To celebrate the arrival of spring and get in tune with the season, it's time to look at cars that will raise your spirits when their tops go down.
BMW 3-Series: Long the heart of the BMW brand, the 2011 328i (230 horsepower) and 335i (300 horsepower) mate to a standard six-speed manual or seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The car, which went on sale last month, uses sun-reflective technology to reduce temperatures on leather seats, armrests, headrests and shifter. Starting price: $45,000.
Chevrolet Corvette: A famous Corvette moniker returns for 2010: the Grand Sport. Like the base Corvette convertible, it uses a 430-horsepower V8 and a six-speed manual transmission. A six-speed automatic that can be shifted manually is optional. Fast? Yup. Burly? Sure. An iconic blast of spring/summer coolness? No doubt. Starting price: $54,530.
Chrysler Sebring: Thoughtfully, the Chrysler Sebring Convertible comes with a choice of a folding soft top or hardtop. The Sebring is one spacious convertible, and its styling has been revised for 2010. You'll give up some refinement compared with its competition, but opt for the V6, put the top down and you'll find its sins are easy to overlook. Starting price: $27,850.
Ford Mustang: The 2011 Ford Mustang Convertible is already on sale, and there's more power for this pony. It starts with the 3.7-liter V6, which produces 305 horsepower -- only 10 less than the V8 in the 2010 model. Meanwhile, this year's 5.0-liter V8 cranks out 412 horsepower, transforming the pony into a stallion. Starting price: $27,145.
Mazda MX-5 Miata: The affordable roadster, a vehicle pioneered by the British and perfected by Mazda, still lives. Now known as the MX-5 Miata, it has a retractable hardtop or soft top. It's a sporty car with a four-cylinder engine, cozy accommodations for two and enough trunk space for a weekend getaway. Starting price: $22,810.
Clockwise from top left: Chevrolet Corvette, Mercedes-Benz SLK, Volvo C70, Chrysler Sebring, Mazda MX-5 Miata.
Mercedes-Benz SLK: Mercedes' entry-level roadster, the SLK300, gets a Diamond White limited edition, with metallic white paint and a two-tone interior. A 228-horsepower V6 is standard. The SLK350 has 300 horsepower, while the SLK55 gets a bit more: 355. And the hardtop disappears at the touch of a button. Just pack lightly -- the trunk is small. Starting price: $47,775.
Volkswagen New Beetle: Although no longer new and often overlooked, the New Beetle droptop offers a lot of style for just a little cash. The 150-horsepower 2.5-liter engine provides enough power to put wind in your hair once you put the power top down. And for those cool nights, the standard heated front seats will keep you warm. Starting price: $26,170.
Volvo C70: As Volvo is known for its focus on safety, you might expect the forthcoming 2011 C70 to be among the safest hardtop convertibles. To help ensure that, sturdy roll bars shoot up in case of a rollover, and a door-mounted inflatable curtain protects against side impacts. Safety aside, styling updates keep the C70 in style. Starting price: $39,950.
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