Automotive Reviews
Posts tagged convertible
2011 Mercedes E550 Cabriolet
Aug 12th
The modern automobile is more than just a way to get from place to place. A car can be a statement of purpose and status, or it can be a simple work of art. It can be away to interact with one’s world, and an escape from that very same thing. The transcendent nature of the car is strong in convertibles, and the all-new Mercedes E550 cabriolet raises it to an art form.
Sharing underpinnings with the rest of the new-for-2010 E-Class, the new E550 cabriolet brings fresh styling, top-up and top-down comfort and radical new safety technology to the table, but that’s not all. This four-passenger droptop also exudes a confident and comfortable pleasure for life that rubs off all too easily on the driver. One does not step lightly into the E550. More >
2012 Fiat 500 Cabriolet
Jun 24th
The Fiat 500C isn’t just cute; it knows it’s cute. In true Italian fashion, this little car doesn’t stand by the curb being adorable and feigning surprise when someone notices. No, the Fiat 500C jumps out at you, steps into your field of vision with its retro sheet metal covered in a wide range of designer hues, and says, “Look at me. I am adorable, and you cannot resist.”
And why would you want to? The Italian manufacturer, making a return to the U.S. market after almost three decades, is hitting the streets of North America with a subcompact that combines the style of a classic Euro-commuter with modern fuel efficiency and safety, one of the quietest rides in its class, and a funky-cool canvas soft-top. More >
2005 Chevrolet SSR
Nov 13th
Yes, it’s real. The Chevrolet SSR started life as a dream truck that combined 1930s styling cues, 1990s hot-rod modifications, and a modern drivetrain. Thanks to overwhelming public approval, the SSR made the leap from show car to showroom, and now it’s one of Chevy’s halo cars. Is it really a truck? Sort of. Think of it as the coolest El Camino ever, and you’ll be on the right track. In its second year on the market, Chevrolet’s big-boy toy gets a new powertrain to give it some serious go power.
No one is going to mistake an SSR for anything else. As if the retro bodywork wasn’t enough, this is also the only retractable hardtop pickup truck on the market. The extravagant curves of the front fenders and grille sweep into a compact, arch-topped cab. Chevy says the design was inspired by the Advanced Design pickups of 1947-54. The bed has a rigid tonneau cover, and the rounded-off tail has circular taillights in the fenders, just like the old trucks that inspired it. Chevrolet’s signature horizontal chrome bar bisects the line of the headlights up front. The SSR’s fender lines are echoed on other Chevrolet products as well, but nothing else has curves like this. The massive wheels, measuring 19″ in the front and 20″ in the rear, are the most overtly modern aspect of the SSR. More >