RF stands for ‘Retractable Fastback’. It uses a two-part metal roof that neatly slots into the same space as the fabric roof of the regular Mazda MX-5. It folds up and down electrically in around 13 seconds and works at speeds of up to 6mph – so you don’t even have to come to a complete stop to drop...

Is the MINI Convertible one of the coolest cars on the road? Much depends on the weather at the time, but you can always crank up the heating if things are a little too cool (ba-dum-tish). This is a car you buy with your heart more than your head. Emotional rather than rational. Desirability over...

Now in its fourth generation, the latest Mazda MX-5 is just as small (and light) as the original model from 1989. That’s quite significant in a world of increasingly obese cars. In soft-top form it weighs around 1100kg, while the Mazda MX-5 RF is only marginally heavier. There are two engines...

Compact and relatively affordable convertibles have a small but loyal following here in the UK. You’d think, with our weather, we’d be the last people to favour open-top four-seaters, but perhaps it’s because the sunshine feels so special that British buyers like cabrios. Audi was an early mover...

The Golf Cabriolet has always been a popular and instantly recognisable part of the Volkswagen line-up. So it’s all the more puzzling why it took nine years to replace it. Since the old Cabriolet (which was a Golf III with a Golf IV nose grafted onto the front) went off sale in 2002, there’s been...

The second generation MINI Convertible is slightly lighter and narrower than the original model yet has sightly more boot space. Another change is the pop-up rather than fixed rear roll bars, giving the Convertible a much cleaner look. At launch, the new MINI Convertible was available as a Cooper, Cooper...