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Nine cars we wish were convertibles

The snow has melted, the sun is shining, and the days are getting longer. At the Autoblog Detroit office we feel like our winter hibernation is finally over. And with warmer temperatures come visions of opening up a convertible roof and cruising. You know, just turn up the bass and let the Alpine blast. There are plenty of droptops on sale in the US, and more on the way (like the 2016 Mazda MX-5 Miata). That said, we always want more. More! More! More! In that spirit, we cooked up a list of nine cars aren't currently sold as convertible, but ought to be. Check out our picks, below. Summer's just around the corner. Subaru BRZ / Scion FR-S In some parallel universe, this car actually happened. Toyota showed us a FT 86 Convertible concept at the Geneva Motor Show in 2013, and we immediately started licking our chops over the thought of a rear-wheel-drive convertible based on the Subaru BRZ and Scion FR-S twins. These days, the MX-5 Miata is our only option for affordable roadster fun. A competitor to the Mazda seems like a no-brainer to us, especially since we have naught but good to say about the BRZ/FR-S as-is. Unfortunately in our present timeline, this car is as likely for production as a BRZ STI. Which is to say, not very. Dang. Lexus RC F Unlike the FR-S, a convertible from Toyota's luxury division might actually see the light of day. The current IS convertible is about to be phased out, and the Lexus LF-C2 concept from the 2014 Los Angeles Auto Show is really a thinly veiled look at a possible RC convertible. A droptop RC would be plenty good, but let's reach for the starts. What we really want is to run topless in an RC F, complete with that powerful, loud, 5.0-liter V8 engine. Lexus says the RC F is a true competitor to the BMW M4. If that's true, it only makes sense for Lexus to mimic the Germans and offer its performance coupe in a folding hardtop form. Maybach Landaulet Maybach is bach back, recast as an upper crust trim level for Mercedes-Benz. The Mercedes-Maybach S600 is seriously awesome, and more luxurious than a trip to the spa. But why not go a step into the truly ridiculous levels of extravagence and bring back that open-top Landaulet? We think your local princess will love this idea, and with better S-Class bones underneath, Jeeves will have a pretty enjoyable ship to steer, too. Besides, with that slick new Mercedes design language, a Landaulet redux wouldn't be nearly as hideous as the old model, pictured here.

Junkyard Gem: 1963 Dodge Dart two-door sedan

The 1963-1966 Dodge Dart, sibling to the Plymouth Valiant, was sturdy, cheap, and easy to drive, and it sold very well. Here's a worn-but-solid example of the two-door '63 Dart sedan, spotted in a Denver-area self-service wrecking yard. The only transmission choices for the Dart this year were a three-speed manual and an automatic controlled by Chrysler's famous dash-mounted pushbutton shifter. These shifters worked surprisingly well, even when used for road racing. Starting in the 1964 model year, the Dart could be purchased with a 273-cubic-inch V8 engine, but in 1963 Dart buyers had but two engine choices: a slant-6 displacing 170 cubic inches and good for 101 horsepower and a slant-6 displacing 225 cubic inches and making 145 horsepower. This car has the big engine. This is one of the most reliable engines to come out of Detroit, period. The interior is pretty beat, but the metal isn't rusty. You'd think that someone would have rescued this car long before it came to this sorry end, but perhaps Dart restorers only want numbers-matching V8 cars these days. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. "The new kind of compact in the large economy size."

Dodge Charger Hellcat and Tesla Model S P85D in Motor Trend Head 2 Head battle

One has James Bond Mode, Insane Mode, Creep Mode, and, yes, Insane Creep Mode. The other has 707 horsepower and is a heck of a lot cheaper. But which one is the bigger American badass? We figure most people already have strong opinions on the Dodge Charger Hellcat and Tesla Model S P85D, and they aren't likely to be swayed too far in the opposite direction by another person's viewpoint. Still, we think you'll enjoy watching the video above. In it, Autoblog friend and Motor Trend "Head 2 Head" host Jonny Lieberman summons smoke, shares smiles, and spouts spiels about both cars, finally finding one just slightly more badass than the other. Which ridiculously ludicrous American sedan takes top honors? Watch above to find out. Related Gallery 2015 Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat View 142 Photos Related Gallery 2015 Tesla Model S P85D: Detroit 2015 View 18 Photos News Source: Motor Trend via YouTube Green Dodge Tesla Electric Performance Videos Sedan motor trend head 2 head dodge charger hellcat autoblog black