Saturday, August 8, 2015

6 Weird and Wonderful Roadsters For Summer

BOLD RIDE

Copyright © 2015 Bold Ride LLC.
 
2000 S2000 Roadster

Summer is here, no matter what the rain clouds keep telling us. For much of the country right now, people are soaking in the Summer sun before having to head back to work or school. It’s time to celebrate this beautiful weather while we still can.
 
But what if your perfect summer day isn’t hiking, swimming, or going for a run? What if you’d rather be blasting down the highway with the wind in your hair and the sun on your face? For those more automotive inclined, we decided to build a small list of the best summer roadsters you could have for all your sun loving enjoyment. Some practical, some downright insane—either way they’ll be a hoot to drive in the summer sun.


2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata


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As many of you know, the Miata is still the reigning champ among all affordable, convertible sports cars. It’s the mack daddy, the car that brought sports cars to the masses. And seeing as Mazda just launched its latest iteration of the Miata, the new ND MX-5, we couldn’t think of a better roadster to kick off your summer right.
 
The little sportscar features a 2.0-liter inline four-cylinder engine, a manual transmission, and open space that would make Yellowstone envious. Given that the price starts at a improbably low $25,735, it’s an incredible bang for your buck too.


1932 Ford Hot Rod


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If the Miata is what brought the sportscar to the masses, the ’32 Ford is what brought convertibles into the public consciousness. When you’re kicking back, and rocking out to classic rock, there’s no other car in the world that is more suited to blasting down the highway than a hotrodded ’32 Ford. The lines, reliability, and hot rod tradition have made this car an automotive icon of the highest order.

With ‘32s you can spec and modify them to your heart’s content, and builds range from the tame and traditional, to the outright ridiculous. But no matter where your build takes you, you know that as soon as you get behind the wheel, everything worry will be forgotten and you’ll be transported back in time.


2015 Yamaha Deus Ex Machina XV950 D-Side


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Naturally, summer and warm weather brings out the motorcyclists. Myself included. We, the lovers of speed and noise, head out on the highways of the United States looking for that open road. Not only for the freedom we have on our motorcycles, but also the ability to split lanes and say, “to hell with traffic jams!”

The one you see here is a standard Yamaha XV950 fitted with the latest (and prettiest) side car on the market, the Deus Ex Machina XV950 D-Side. Because your dog needs a place to sit too.


2015 McLaren 650S


McLaren 650S Review 5
 
About a month ago, we tested out the absolutely mental McLaren 650S. It had the optional $7,000 sports exhaust, and a roof that disappeared with the push of a button. That combination of a folding roof and sports exhaust creates pure ecstasy. The noise that emanates from the 3.8-liter twin-turbocharged V8 can only be compared to an F-22 Raptor throttling up for take-off.

It’s a supersonic roadster of the highest caliber, one that’s definitely worth the astronomic price tag. At almost $400,000, it’s easily one of the most expensive roadsters you could buy, but one that you’ll never tire over.


Suzuki X-90


Suzuki X-90

Maybe the open road isn’t to your taste—you like to get dirty. Instead of opting for a six-figure Land Rover or a rag-top Jeep, you might want to check the used market for the lovably weird Suzuki X-90.

The X-90 hit the market in 1995, and while granted, it’s not exactly a roadster, it provided two years of quirky bliss for off-road enthusiasts and convertible fans alike. It had a 90-horsepower engine, a full-removable t-top, and in 2013, Top Gear ranked it as one of the worst cars of the last 20 years. But who cares—SUZUKI!


Honda S2000


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From 1999-2009, Honda built one of the best roadsters on the market: the S2000. If differed from the iconic Miata in both power and handling, and turned the relatively sleepy roadster market into a force to be reckoned with.

Granted, Honda hasn’t built a new S2000 in over six years. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still pick one up on the cheap.

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