BMW/Bentley/Porsche/Mercedes-Benz
It’s well-established that luxury convertibles are among the most fun vehicles to drive. Sometimes, though, you want something with a little more oomph. That’s where the roadster comes in. The two-seater—though many these days frequently ignore that part of the description—is an open-top sports car with a lineage in automotive history that starts nearly at the beginning. Roadsters deliver visceral thrills and a top-notch driving experience in a gorgeous and increasingly luxe package. With that in mind, here are the seven best luxury roadsters currently on the market.
Our Best Roadster Picks:
— Best Overall: Mercedes-AMG SL Roadster
— Best Ultra-Luxury: Bentley Continental GTC
— Most Traditional: BMW 8 Series Convertible
— Best Sports Car Alternative: BMW M8 Competition Convertible
— Best Value: BMW Z4
— Best Powertrain Options: Maserati GranCabrio
— Best Looking: Porsche 718 Boxster
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Best Overall: Mercedes-AMG SL Roadster
Image Credit: Mercedes-AMG The Mercedes-AMG SL is, for many, the platonic ideal of a roadster. With its wide-mouth grille, clean lines, and athletic stance, the modern-day descendant of the legendary 300 SL is one of the better-looking cars currently on the market. Its interior is suitably luxe and feature-packed—just look at its gigantic touchscreen display—even if the rear seats aren’t going to be comfortable for adults or many children. It’s also an AMG car, which means it has plenty of performance lurking under its sleek hood. The new range-topper, the SL 63 S E Performance, has a ridiculously potent hybrid-assisted twin-turbo 4.0-liter V-8 that churns out a ferocious 805 horses.
In Production Since: 1954
Top Powertrain Option: Hybrid-assisted twin-turbocharged 4.0-liter V-8 (SL 63 S E Performance)
Power: 805 hp and 1,047 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 2.8 seconds
Top Speed: 196 mph
Starting Price: $111,800 -
Best Ultra-Luxury: Bentley Continental GTC
Image Credit: Bentley There are plenty of genuine luxury cars on this list and then there’s a Bentley Continental GTC. The open-top version of the marque’s elegant grand tourer takes open-top decadence to new heights. It has a commanding but streamlined body and a roomy interior that’s as cushy as they come—even before you start loading up on the bespoke Mulliner add-ons (which Bentley owners are quite fond of). It’s also a bit of a beast once it gets out on the road thanks to a brawny 6.0-liter W-12 that can pump out up to 650 hp and 664 ft lbs of torque.
In Production Since: 2006
Top Powertrain Option: 6.0-liter W-12 (Speed)
Power: 650 hp and 664 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.7 seconds
Top Speed: 208 mph
Starting Price: $300,000 -
Most Traditional: BMW 8 Series Convertible
Image Credit: BMW The BMW 8 Series Convertible is for those who want something with a little more grace than its smaller 4 Series counterpart. The stretched proportions lend this roadster a real air of sophistication, whether or not its tailored soft-top is up. That also means its plush cabin has room to comfortably fit four actual adults (yes, roadsters traditionally only have two seats, but you’ll love the extra room). There’s plenty of substance to go with the car’s excellent style, though. The all-wheel-drive version, the 840i xDrive, comes with a 3.0-liter inline-six that produces a robust 330 hp, which is enough to push the car from zero to 60 mph in less than four-and-a-half seconds.
In Production Since: 2018
Top Powertrain Option: Twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six
Power: 335 hp and 368 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.6 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph
Starting Price: $100,500 -
Best Sports Car Alternative: BMW M8 Competition Convertible
Image Credit: BMW BMW’s standard 8 Series Convertible has more than an adequate amount of pep, but if you’re looking for something you can really have some fun with the M8 Competition is the one you want. The German luxury marque’s most powerful open-top model is seriously potent. The open-top GT has a twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8 that churns out a hair-raising 617 horses and 553 ft lbs of twist lurking under its hood. That much grunt means the car has more-than-impressive performance, allowing it to sprint from zero to 60 mph in just 3.1 seconds and to reach a top speed of 189 mph (when equipped with the M Driver’s package). On top of all that, it’ll turn heads thanks to a design that is at once polished and muscular.
In Production Since: 2019
Top Powertrain Option: Twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V-8
Power: 667 hp and 553 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.1 seconds
Top Speed: 189 mph
Starting Price: $148,800 -
Best Value: BMW Z4
Image Credit: Z4 BMW lovers aren’t limited to the 8 Series and M8, though. The Z4 is an open-top option for those in the market for something a little more compact. The Z4 isn’t just a shrunken-down two-door, though. It has its own unique and appropriately sporty design. The interior is much the same, though it’s nowhere near as roomy thanks to there being 20 inches less space between the vehicle’s bumpers. The car has some real pep, too. The twin-turbocharged inline-six in the range-topping M40i produces a robust 382 horses, which actually makes it more powerful than the standard 8 Series.
In Production Since: 2009
Top Powertrain Option: Twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter inline-six (M40i)
Power: 382 hp and 369 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 4.1 seconds
Top Speed: 155 mph
Starting Price: $54,050 -
Best Powertrain Options: Maserati GranCabrio
Image Credit: Maserati The Maserati GranCabrio looks just as athletic as the hard-top GranTurismo, but the subtraction of its roof gives it some much-needed glamour. The GranCabrio is the sort of roadster you and your three passengers will want to be seen in. It is still a sports car, though, and as such the gas-powered Trofeo variant comes with a powerful V-6 that pumps out over 546 hp. If that’s not enough for you, the electric variant, dubbed the Folgore, has a tri-motor powertrain that bumps that figure up to 761 hp. The EV has better acceleration (zero to 60 in 2.7 seconds), but the Trofeo has a better top speed (196 mph).
In Production Since: 2010
Top Powertrain Options: Twin-turbocharged 3.0-liter V-6 (Trofeo)/Tri-motor electric powertrain (Folgore)
Power: 542 hp and 460 ft lbs of torque (Trofeo)/761 hp and 996 ft lbs of torque (Folgore)
Zero to 60 mph: 3.4 seconds (Trofeo)/2.7 seconds (Folgore)
Top Speed: 196 mph (Trofeo)/180 mph
Starting Price: $203,000 -
Best Looking: Porsche 718 Boxster
Image Credit: Porsche Yes, we know the 911 gets all the attention, but Porsche makes plenty of other cars worthy of a spot in your garage. Near the top of that list is the 718 Boxster. The open-top version of the long-running model (which predates the hard-top Cayman by nearly a decade) pairs a gorgeous, streamlined body with a lively turbocharged 2.0-liter inline-four. That mill provides more than enough pep for most, but if not, there’s always the range-topping 718 Spyder, which has a high-revving, naturally aspirated 4.0 six-cylinder that produces 493 hp and 331 ft lbs of torque. Thanks to that, this version of the two-seater can rocket from zero to 60 mph in just over three seconds. Not bad, right?
In Production Since: 1996
Top Powertrain Option: 6.0-liter W-12 (Speed)
Power: 650 hp and 664 ft lbs of torque
Zero to 60 mph: 3.2 seconds
Top Speed: 191 mph
Starting Price: $70,400
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