|
Motoring journalist and author Paul Guinness has been testing sports cars for more than 20 years for leading British newspapers and magazines. Here he picks the five best open top roadsters
Click to view Top 5 Open Top Sports Cars.
|
Best for Posing (Ferrari F430 Spider) |
|
 For some buyers, there is just one main requirement when choosing their next car: it has to turn heads. And when it comes to open-top sports cars with an open-ended budget, that can only lead in one direction – the Ferrari F430 Spider.
|
| |
Yes, we’re entering the world of the poseur, the kind of buyer who doesn’t necessarily want the best driving experience in the world (although that’s always a useful bonus), but who does demand the ultimate in attention-grabbing looks.
|
| |
 Look at it. In the genre of sexy machinery, the Ferrari F430 is up there with the best. And when it comes to attracting the attention of spotty schoolkids everywhere, it is quite simply without compare. Particularly when your colour of choice is yellow, of course…
The F430 doesn’t just attract attention for its looks, though; it also gets you noticed by the noise it emits. Yes, even in these days of increasingly strict noise pollution regulations, the F430 sounds simply glorious. Blip the throttle at just the right moment as you approach any unsuspecting passer-by and they’re guaranteed to stop in their tracks, long before the car actually hones into view. It’s that special.
|
Awesome Engine |
 That’s all thanks to the F430’s awesome 4.3-litre V8 powerplant, a 483bhp unit that not only delivers aural delights by the bucket load but is also one of the finest high-performance engines of its generation. Linked to a six-speed transmission (with buyers able to choose between traditional manual or an F1-style set-up) and making full use of Ferrari’s rather brilliant electronic differential (designed to transfer massive torque levels to the road even under extremely high cornering g-forces), this monster of a V8 endows the F430 with amazing performance and one of the finest driving experiences you’ll ever encounter.
|
| |
 Top speed of the F430 Spider is a claimed 193mph-plus, with the 0-60 sprint in a background-blurring four seconds dead. But for this particular category, those figures are perhaps not too important; I mean, who’s going to see you at the wheel when you’re going that fast? Still, it’s always good to know what any car’s capable of, and will no doubt liven up your conversations at the pub once you take delivery of your new F430 Spider.
You can keep your Lamborghinis, your Maseratis and your Aston Martins. When it comes to sheer posing potential, there is nothing – and I mean nothing – more guaranteed to do the job than a prancing horse badge adorning one of the most stunning looking cars of today. The Ferrari F430 Spider is it.
|
| |
TYPICAL PRICES - £127,000-£133,000/$182,000-$206,000
For currency converter click here |
|
Other great reviews in Driving:
|
|
RELATED PAGES
|
Could this