Skip to main content

Some things go out of style. Parachute pants, fidget spinners, and, tragically, so too did my Member’s Only jacket. Oh well. Such is the case with convertible hardtop cars, too. However, if you prefer a folding hardtop rather than a soft-top, these four models have you covered.

There are fewer convertible hardtop cars than there were 8 years ago, but these four refuse to give it up

  • 2024 Chevrolet Corvette
  • 2024 Mazda MX-5 RF 
  • 2024 Porsche 911 Targa
  • 2024 Chevrolet Corvette Z06

The merits of a convertible hardtop car are three-fold. First, the hard panels add a layer of security that a soft-top convertible doesn’t provide. For instance, a friend of mine had a BMW 135i Convertible years ago. It was a soft-top model, and a criminal slashed his soft top with a blade. Today, that same friend of mine has a folding hardtop E89 Z4 that won’t allow an opportunist access quite so easily.

However, since the E89 generation Z4 bowed out to the current G29 in 2018, the Z4 hasn’t offered a hardtop convertible variant. Not just the Z4, either; the Mercedes-Benz SLK, Cadillac XLR, and INFINITI Q60 disappeared entirely. 

An orange Chevrolet Corvette Stingray hardtop convertible performance car.
C8 Chevrolet Corvette Convertible | General Motors

Still, despite the industry shift back to soft-tops cars, the Corvette adopted a hardtop convertible for the first time in 2020. As such, the 2024 Chevrolet Corvette is available as either a removable hardtop or a hardtop convertible. Better yet, the Corvette pairs its open-air driving experience with a 495 horsepower LT2 V8 and a sub-3.0-second sprint to 60 mph.

If a Corvette is a bit out of your budget, the 2024 Mazda MX-5 is always the answer. Get it? I’ll move on. Starting at $30,170 the 2024 Mazda MX-5 is the last name in affordable roadsters for the U.S. market. Better yet, the RF option trades the soft-top for a power-retractable roof panel.

Then we reach the gold standard of luxury performance car nameplates, the iconic rear-engine Porsche 911. For 2024, the non-turbo Porsche 911 offers three Targa models. However, instead of being a removable roof section like Targas of the past, these 992-generation cars will send the roof back and let the sky in with the push of a button. It’s a pay-to-play button, though; the Targa 4 starts at $136,150 for 2024.

Related
BMW, Porsche, MINI Beat Tesla in Brand Loyalty

BMW, Porsche, MINI Beat Tesla in Brand Loyalty

Reviewers Were Wrong About the E89 BMW Z4

Reviewers Were Wrong About the E89 BMW Z4

Best in Sedans & Coupes
Avatar photo
Staff Writer

Erik Sherman

Erik Sherman joined the MotorBiscuit team as an Autos Writer in 2022. An admitted petrolhead and an avid motorcyclist, Erik has owned everything from classic cars to motorcycles to modern driver’s cars. Erik also has extensive experience with military and emergency vehicles, ranging from ambulances and fire engines to MRAPs and M-ATVs. Erik is an eager car and motorcycle reviewer with experience covering everything from sports cars to pontoon boats and jet skis.

Erik holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations (IRG) from the University of Texas at Austin and has studied Chinese, Energy, and European Politics at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. Erik’s background is unorthodox; he is a United States Marine Corps (USMC) combat veteran, water survival practitioner, and a former firefighter/EMT. Additionally, Erik is a regular volunteer and former instructor with the American Red Cross (ARC).