Now in its seventh year, the BMW 650i is available as a coupe and convertible. It will likely impress BMW fans and alienate car buyers who wonder why so much fuss is made about the popular Germany automaker's offerings. There's no denying the 2010 650i is attractive. It debuted in 2004 and was updated in 2006 and in 2008. The current result are smooth body lines not to dissimilar from the look of classic Porsches. 

Convertibles are mostly two-seat, sports cars and are often a luxury purchase. In recent tough economy times, sales have dropped dramatically and owning an extra vehicle purely for enjoyment isn’t prudent. Yet some convertibles are more workmanlike, like the Chrysler Sebring. It’s a convertible with practical appeal. The Sebring is priced and performs moderately and looks sharp. And it’s enduring because it satisfies the wont to own a convertible.

After much anticipation, earlier this year BMW introduced to the United States its 128 series. It’s the German manufacturer’s reasonably priced coupe and convertible, and it couldn’t have been introduced at a better time. From my weekly drive with the 128i convertible and its 3.0-liter, 230-horsepower inline six-cylinder engine, the car is an unqualified success.

With no responsibilities on a recent sun-drenched Saturday afternoon, the candy-apple red sports car seemingly recognized my surprising block of free time and was beckoning for some action. Given my week with this vintage version of this 1960s dream car was coming to an end, I decided it would be a shame not to enjoy a carefree drive in the 2008 Ford Mustang Convertible. 

Needing a little "bling" in its lineup, Saturn finally convinced parent company General Motors a sports car could elicit positive results. Although the Sky convertible wasn’t exactly unique when it came out a year ago, it provided Saturn with definite eye appeal.

And even if car shoppers didn’t buy it, at least they were taking a good look at the attractive Sky, a better version of the Pontiac Solstice, another GM product.

This is the ultimate cute car, which is why there aren’t many men tooling around in a Volkswagen Beetle convertible.

Although the adorable Beetle is still loved by women, the luster has worn off somewhat over the past decade even for the fairer sex. The Beetle has become commonplace and there is no big fuss or heads turning when the little “bug” is cruising down the road.

Six years after its return to United States distribution, the Mini Cooper is no longer a novelty retro. Yet until the Smart, the Daimler-Chrysler mini-car, arrives next year, the Mini-Cooper is still the shortest car available in the United States.

As such, the English-built sports car still attracts more than its share of comments. I've now driven the last three years of the Mini, and I have no reason to change my mind from my original experience. Everyone has somthing to say about the Mini, and it's the most fun car I've ever driven.

In 2005 and last year, my weekly driver was the S convertible, the supercharged version with 172 horsepower. With my 2007 test drive, I still zipped around in warm, early fall California weather — mostly with the convertible top down. This time, I had the standard 1.6-liter convertible with 115 horsepower and the Mini's new six-speed automatic transmission.  

The Saturn Sky was introduced as the manufacturer's first "high-performance" convertible sports car as a 2007 model although it was first available in the spring of 2006.

And If there's one sure thing about the Sky, it's the new sports car's attention-grabbing appearance. Passersby stopped me at traffic signals and asked questions. Restaurant patrons came to my table and inquired. Neighbors wanted to know about the Sky, and even friends who care little about cars were interested.

Driving a nicely performing convertible with the top down on a sun-baked day is about as good as it gets. But the varying functionality and quality of convertible tops can easily diminish the experience.

With the 2007 Eclipse Spyder, Mitsubishi is attempting to squelch the concerns of convertible buyers who may constantly wonder just how long their vehicle's ragtop will work properly.

After restyling and adding improved safety features to the Eclipse coupe for 2006, the convertible version became available for the first time this month (March, 2006). And it's impressive.

The attractive Volvo C70 (2006) can hang with any of the premium convertible coupes on the market. It's one cool vehicle and possesses all the typical safety features one expects from this safety-conscious Swedish manufacturer.