Interesting convertibles that didn't go to plan

Slide of Not all convertibles have been created equal. While some invoke feelings of glamour and sun-soaked adventures, others carry a little more baggage. Here’s our light-hearted look at those drop-tops you might not want to be spotted in this summer, listed in alphabetical order: Slide of Cadillac Allanté The Cadillac Allanté only really ever had one problem when it was new: the Mercedes SL. Wealthy Americans prior to 1987 only really had the German roadster as a way of expressing taste and buying power. Cadillac wanted a bit of this action and sought the help of Pininfarina to get some Euro chic. On the face of it, the Allante was a success. Then the real problems set in, notably a leaky roof, and the reputational damage was done even if Cadillac rapidly improved its roadster. Another factor in the Allanté’s downfall and lack of sales was price, which started at $50,000 in 1987. This was due to a grandiose production routine that required each car to cross the Atlantic twice on purpose-designed Boeing 747s, known as the Allanté Air Bridge, between Italy and Detroit. As a result of all this, surviving Allantés have a whiff of failure about them even though they now offer a decent drive and V8 motor at reasonable prices. Slide of Chevrolet SSR On paper, the Chevrolet SSR was everything buyers wanted from the Super Sport Roadster concept shown at the Detroit motorshow in 2000. The looks survived almost intact from concept to reality, the drop-top roof was there, along with the curvy retro styling. Yet, the rush of customers stumbled when they found out the two tonne-plus pick-up was powered by a mere 300bhp 5.3-litre V8 instead of the original concept’s 6.0-litre V8. The shortage of power meant the SSR was more cruiser than bruiser, and even replacing the engine with a 390bhp 6.0-litre V8 in 2005 couldn’t save the SSR. Ignore the doubters, however, and the later versions with six-speed manual gearbox crack 0-60mph in 5.3 seconds, so very few people will see who’s at the wheel. Slide of Chrysler PT Cruiser A convertible is supposed to confer a bit of glamour, a certain joie de vivre. The Chrysler PT Cruiser looked more like you’d given up on life. The hunched styling of this two-door drop top wasn’t as dramatic as its hatchback sister model and wasn’t helped by the hood jutting up above the body line when it was lowered. However, the PT Cruiser Convertible offered decent cabin space for four at a time when affordable cabrios were thin on the ground. The hood itself was electrically operated, taking 20 seconds to go up or down, and it left the interior well insulated when raised. Slide of Chrysler Sebring Cabriolet Chrysler had been peddling its Sebring Cabriolet in the US since 1996, but it took a little longer to reach Europe. When it did, it was met with a tidal wave of indifference in a market saturated with premium four-seat drop-tops from Audi, BMW and Mercedes. This doomed the Sebring to sales you could count without taking off your flip-flops. Even the later arrival of the third generation Sebring Cabriolet with folding metal roof wasn’t enough to save the Chrysler. The good things now are it’s very affordable, offers four seats, and hardly anyone will know what car you are driving. Slide of Citroën C3 Pluriel Citroën claimed the C3 Pluriel was five cars in one and a car for all seasons, though we’re not sure if that means there is a mysterious fifth season only the French know about. Regardless of this, the Pluriel could be configured in hatch, full-length sunroof, open-top, complete convertible, and even as a pick-up. Formidable, non? Well, no, not really, as changing the Pluriel’s body from one style to another often involved the sort of work even a scaffolder would shy away from. Then there was the issue of where to stow the roof spars if you removed them as there was nowhere to put them in the car. Even if you could countenance all of this, there was still the problem of leaks to contend with – a recurring theme in this feature. Slide of Fiat Punto Convertible The Fiat Punto Convertible is firmly in the ‘I don’t care what you think’ section of cabrios. While some might scoff at the Italian’s less than harmonious styling, bulky hood, limited rear seat space, and tiny boot, you’ll be too busy enjoying the drive. Like most drop-tops converted from hatches in the 1990s, the Punto suffers from a dollop of scuttle shake, yet it still offers a buzzy, entertaining drive. It helps the 1.2- and 1.6-litre engines fitted had only just enough power to be fun rather than challenge the chassis, while the triple layer hood offers fine insulation. Slide of Ford Focus CC Much of the Ford Focus CC was shared with the Volvo C70, yet the Ford has not enjoyed the same plaudits as its Swedish counterpart. Some of this is down the Ford’s plainer looks, but a lot more was to do with poor weather seals when the