Can You Identify These Convertibles?

By: Ian Fortey
Estimated Completion Time
4 min
Can You Identify These Convertibles?
Image: Wiki Commons by Spanish Coches

About This Quiz

Though the very first automobiles ever built didn't actually have tops, since they were modeled after horse-drawn carriages, they weren't convertibles either, since there was nothing to convert. No roof at all meant they couldn't be put down. But once cars started being built with actual rooftops and enclosed cabins, it wasn't long before someone wanted to get out in the open again. The first convertibles date back to the 1920s. Peugeot made the first power-retractable hard top for a car in 1934 with the Eclipse, and, by the 1940s, American cars were rolling out with the tops down as well. Of course, few convertibles will ever be as iconic as the Chevy Corvette, but it's just one of the massive numbers rolled out in the 1950s, when nearly every model had to have a convertible option to be competitive in the marketplace. 

The convertible may not be as popular today as it once was, but you can still find plenty of them on the road if you're looking to add that extra touch of adventure to a summer road trip. If your auto passion lies with letting the top down to enjoy the most exciting drive you can, then roll on into this quiz, and see how many you can ID!

Chevy Corvette
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Which of these was introduced to the world in 1953?
Pontac GTO
Chevy Corvette
Ford Thunderbird
Studebaker Golden Hawk
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The first generation of Chevy's iconic Corvette was produced in 1953 as a svelte little two-door convertible model. Though it's a classic today, in 1953 it was commercially unsuccessful, and Chevy almost stopped making them.

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MINI
Wiki Commons by Jakub "Flyz1" Maciejewski
Which of these cars was emblematic of Britain in the '60s?
MINI
Bugatti Veyron
Aston Martin DB3
Lancia Stratos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The MINI has been in production since 1959 and is still available today in its convertible form if you like the wind in your hair but a small, fuel-efficient ride at the same time. A brand new convertible will set you back roughly $28,900.

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Mercedes Benz 190SL
Wiki Commons by Lothar Spurzem
The non-convertible counterpart of which of these cars had gullwing doors?
DeLorean DMC-12
Ferrari 250GT
Mercedes Benz 190SL
Aston Martin Valkyrie
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercedes Benz 190SL was the convertible counterpart to the 300SL. It was in production from 1955 until 1963, and only about 25,000 of them were ever made. The soft top was priced under $4,000 when it first appeared.

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Porsche 356 Speedster
Wiki Commons by Ermell
You could remove the windscreen of which of these cars for racing?
Pagani Zonda
Porsche 356 Speedster
Lancia Stratos
Citroen DV2
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Porsche 356 had a very VW Beetle look to it, albeit more sleek and aerodynamic. The Speedster, however, was very much a sports car, especially with the windshield able to come right off if you wanted to do a little racing.

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Mercedes Benz Pagoda SL
Wiki Commons by Robotriot
Do you know which of these was also called the W113?
Jaguar E-Type
Shelby Cobra
Honda S2000
Mercedes Benz Pagoda SL
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercedes Benz Pagoda SL was produced from 1963 until 1971. It wasn't just a sports car, but also a long distance cruiser, meant to help you enjoy a nice long road trip if you wanted such a thing. It just happened to look great at the same time.

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Pontiac GTO
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
This muscle car showed up in 1964 with a convertible option. What is it?
Dodge Challenger
Plymouth Road Runner
Ford Thunderbird
Pontiac GTO
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Often considered the first "real" muscle car, the Pontiac GTO came in coupe, hardtop and convertible styles. Something of a legend these days, it was only produced for 10 years, back in the day, with a short resurrection from 2004 to 2006.

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VW Beetle
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
The convertible cabriolet model of which car was first made in 1948?
Holden Commodore
VW Beetle
Studebaker Golden Hawk
Alfa Romeo Spider
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Volkswagen Cabriolet came into being when Wilhelm Karmann of the Karmann manufacturing company bought a regular Beetle and converted it into a cabriolet. He presented the model he'd made to Volkswagen in 1948, and they liked it enough to start producing it in 1949.

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Studebaker Lark
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Which of these was produced from 1959 to 1966?
Triumph TR6
Mercury Capri
Studebaker Lark
Saab 9-3
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Studebaker Lark was sold under several nameplates, aside from just the standard Lark version. There was also the Lark Daytona, the Lark Commander and the Lark Cruiser. Models ranged from station wagon to coupe to convertible.

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Triumph Spitfire
Wiki Commons by Lothar Spurzem
A World War II plane was the inspiration for which of these cars?
Jensen Interceptor
Triumph Spitfire
MGB
Spyker C8
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Triumph Spitfire was a convertible roadster, made from 1962 all the way until 1980. The name comes from the Supermarine Spitfire, a Royal Air Force fighter plane that became famous during the Second World War.

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Mazda MX-5 Miata
Wiki Commons by TTTNIS
Which of these is the best-selling two-seat sports car ever?
Porsche Boxster
Pontiac Sunfire
Tesla Roadster
Mazda MX-5 Miata
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mazda MX-5 Miata has sold close to one million units during its lifetime, which is extremely high for a car that only seats two people. You can get one with either a soft top or a power retractable hard top.

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Chevy Bel Air
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
Which of these was produced for over 30 years?
Chevy Bel Air
Ford Fairlane
Buick LaCrosse
Cadillac Cimarron
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Chevy Bel Air convertible was made for the 1950 model year and stayed in production all the way until 1981. The convertible models were only manufactured from '50 through the '60s, though — eventually, if you wanted a convertible, you needed to look for an Impala.

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Jaguar XKSS
Wiki Commons by Sicnag
Actor Steve McQueen owned one of these that he called the "Green Rat." What is it?
Mazda Miata
Lotus Elan
Jaguar XKSS
Morgan Aero 8
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Jaguar XKSS was only produced in 1957, as a road-going version of one of their racing cars. The production run was extremely limited — fewer than 20 of them were ever produced. As you can see, it's one of the most gorgeous cars ever made.

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Jeep Wrangler
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Which of these off-roaders has been around since 1986?
Cadillac Escalade
Chevy Suburban
Ford Excursion
Jeep Wrangler
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

You don't usually think of an offroad capable, four-wheel-drive SUV as a convertible, but the Jeep Wrangler is a convertible nonetheless. The roof portion of Jeeps famously just zips or snaps right off and can be stowed away until needed.

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Alfa Romeo Spider
Wiki Commons by Rob Smith
Do you know which of these cars was supposed to be called the Duetto?
Lotus Elite
Alfa Romeo Spider
Pagani Zonda
Lancia Stratos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Alfa Romeo ran a contest to name the Spider back in 1966, and the winner was going to get a free car. About 100,000 people entered the contest, and the winning name was "Duetto," meaning "duet" in Italian. Unfortunately, someone had a copyright on that name, so they went with Spider instead. We hope the winner still received their prize.

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Austin-Healey Sprite
Wiki Commons by Berthold Werner
"Bugeye" and "Frogeye" were nicknames for which of these cars?
Austin-Healey Sprite
Porsche 911
Gibbs Aquada
Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Austin-Healey Sprite was a two-door roadster that started production in 1958. It earned the nicknames "Bugeye" and "Frogeye" for the very unusual headlight placement on the front of the car that made them look like two little eyes popping up from the hood.

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Bugatti Veyron
Wiki Commons by Michi1308
The non-convertible version of which car can hit 267 miles per hour?
Ferrari La Ferrari
McLaren 620S
Bugatti Veyron
Lamborghini Countach
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Bugatti Veyron 16.4 Grand Sport Vitesse may not be as fast as the standard Veyron, but it's still the fastest convertible in the world, with a top speed of just over 254 miles per hour. It can go from 0 to 60 in 2.4 seconds, too.

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Cadillac Eldorado
Wiki Commons by FotoSleuth
This car was produced for 50 years, across 12 generations. What is it?
Cadillac Eldorado
Studebaker Golden Hawk
Buick Skylark
Lincoln Continental
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

From 1952 until 2002, the Cadillac Eldorado was a massive luxury car that stood out in a crowd. The 1950s models were hands down the most memorable, especially the 1959 Eldorado, which started the fourth generation of the car — huge tailfins, jewel grille patterns and chrome everywhere.

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Ferrari 275 GTS
Wiki Commons by Axion23
Which car, pictured here, was offered with either a folding cloth top or a removable hard top?
Alfa Romeo Giulia
Aston Martin DB6
Ferrari 275 GTS
Lancia Stratos
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Manufactured from 1964 until 1968, as well as a 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder that was made in 1967, these are some of the most desirable Ferraris ever made. In 2013, someone paid $25 million for a 275 GTS/4 NART Spyder at auction.

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Ford Mustang
Wiki Commons by Ermell
1964 1/2 is often listed as the first model year of which car?
Buick Regal
Chevy Camaro
Ford Mustang
Plymouth Road Runner
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford Mustang is very technically a 1965 car, but they released it four months before what would usually have been the 1965 model year. This led to a number of people calling the first Mustangs the 1964 1/2 model.

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Jaguar E-Type
Wiki Commons by JoachimKohlerBremen
Enzo Ferrari called this British sports car the most beautiful car ever made. What is it?
Lotus Elan
Jaguar E-Type
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
Bentley M2
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Based on their racing Jaguar D-Type, the E-Type has enjoyed quite a bit of popularity in the years since it was introduced, thanks to retro TV shows and movies. It was featured on the show "Mad Men," and Austin Powers also drove one emblazoned with the Union Jack.

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Ford T-Bucket
Wiki Commons by dave_7
Hot rodders favored modifying which of these old-school convertibles for racing?
Ford T-Bucket
Chevy Straight Six
Studebaker Sprinter
Rolls-Royce Drophead Coupe
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Ford T-Bucket roadster is what happens when you heavily modify a Model T into a racing beast of a vehicle. The name comes from the passenger compartment, which sits on the frame a lot like a bucket might.

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Lincoln Continental
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Do you know which of these cars was 17.8 feet long in 1961?
Lincoln Continental
Spyker C8 Spyder
Jensen Interceptor
MGB
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

They made cars awfully big back in the day, and the Lincoln Continental was no exception. This car is mostly known today for being the model in which John F. Kennedy was riding on that fateful day when he was assassinated.

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Lotus Elan
Wiki Commons by Grenadille
The Mazda Miata was inspired by which of these cars?
Alfa Romeo Giuletta
Lotus Elan
Austin-Healey 3000
Toyota 2000GT
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lotus Elan was famed for being a lightweight roadster that hit speeds of up to 120 miles an hour, back in 1962. It earned its place in history for being the first road car to use a fiberglass body with a steel backbone chassis.

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Porsche Boxster
Wiki Commons by H92
The name of which of these cars is a portmanteau?
Aston Martin DB9 Volante
Porsche Boxster
Pagani Zonda
Gibbs Aquada
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Porsche has only been making its Boxster convertible since 1996. The name of the car is a portmanteau, which is to say Porsche took two existing words and mashed them together into a new word. In this case, it's a mix of "boxer," referring to its box engine, and "roadster."

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Shelby Cobra
Wiki Commons by Stahlkocher
A Ford engine in an AC body made which of these cars possible?
Shelby Cobra
Honda S2000
Audi TT Roadster
Mercury Capri
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Famed racer and designer Carroll Shelby came up with the Shelby Cobra, also known as the AC Cobra, by merging the very lightweight AC frame with a powerful Ford V8 engine to create an incredibly fast car.

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MG MGB
Wiki Commons by DeFacto
The original production run of which of these cars was from 1962 until 1980?
MG MGB
Porsche 914
Triumph TR6
Honda S2000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The MG MGB was initially produced by the British Motor Corporation until 1968. After that, it was taken up by British Leyland until 1980. It was resurrected again in 1993 by the Rover Group for a two-year production run.

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Chevy Corvair
Wiki Commons by dave_7
What is the only American-designed, mass-produced passenger car with a rear-mounted, air-cooled engine ever made?
Ford Fairlane
Buick Regal
Chevy Corvair
Dodge Charger
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Chevy Corvair was one of the earliest compact cars from the Big Three automakers. It also had the misfortune of being labeled an accident on wheels by Ralph Nader in his 1965 book "Unsafe at Any Speed," which basically ended the Corvair's popularity.

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Honda S2000
Wiki Commons by MarioM
Do you know which car could manage an impressive 124 horsepower per liter?
Porsche 911 Cabriolet
Saab 9-3
Triumph TR6
Honda S2000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Honda developed the S2000 to celebrate their 50th anniversary. The engine in the S2000 had a power output of 124 horsepower per liter, which is exceptionally high and ensured that the S2000 could definitely haul when you needed it to.

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Pagani Zonda Roadster
Wiki Commons by Robin Corps
Which car was originally supposed to be named the Fangio F1?
Pagani Zonda Roadster
Audi TT Roadster
Ferrari 250 GT Californa Spyder LWB
Aston Martin DB9 Volante
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Pagani's Zonda Roadster began production in 1999 and lasted until 2019. It was supposed to be named for race driver Juan Manuel Fangio, but after his untimely death, they decided to name it for the Zonda wind in Argentina instead.

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Jensen Interceptor
Wiki Commons by Brian Snelson
Britain never really got into the muscle car segment, but they did make which car, styled after Brazil's Brasinca Uirapuru?
Aston Martin Valkyrie
Jensen Interceptor
Spyker C8 Spyder
Triumph TR6
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Made from 1966 to 1976, the Jensen Interceptor was a grand touring car with a pretty powerful V8 engine. It was available as a convertible, as well as a hatchback or a coupe. Only 267 of the convertibles were produced, mostly sold in the United States.

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Gibbs Aquada
Wiki Commons by Johnteslade
Richard Branson crossed the English Channel in which of these?
Morgan Aero 8
Spyker C8 Spyder
Gibbs Aquada
Triumph TR6
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The very weird Gibbs Aquada is a car that can also function as a boat. It was designed from the ground up to be equally good at each task, rather than as one machine converted for use as the other. It could hit a top speed of 99 miles per hour on land and 27 knots in the water.

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Mercury Capri
Wiki Commons by Greg Gjerdingen
Do you know which of these was sold as a Ford in North America?
Saab 9-3
Mercury Capri
Hyundai Veloster
Genesis G70
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Mercury Capri had three separate production runs, but it was the final one from 1991 to 1994 in which it was released as a convertible roadster. A few earlier model variants were also convertibles, though, like the ASC McLaren, available from 1984 to 1986.

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Saab 9-3
Wiki Commons by Lukasz19930915
Which car was made from 1998 until 2014?
Porsche 911 Cabriolet
Studebaker Lark
Saab 9-3
Chevy Bel Air
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Saab 9-3 was first advertised as being nine to the power of three, or nine cubed, but it was always pronounced "nine three" in any advertising Saab put out. This was distinct from the older Saab 93 "ninety-three" model they produced in the 1950s.

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Audi TT roadster
Wiki Commons by Alexander Migl
Laser beam welding delayed the introduction of which of these cars?
Volvo P60
Chevy Corvair
Morgan Aero 8
Audi TT roadster
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Audi debuted the TT back in 1998. It was manufactured with a new laser welding technique that makes a seamless finished project, and delays in perfecting it caused the car to be late. A convertible version of the TT was available as of 2006.

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Morgan Aero 8
Wiki Commons by Vauxford
In its early years, which car was often criticized for looking cross-eyed?
Rolls-Royce Silver Wraith
Bentley Mulsanne
Morgan Aero 8
Austin-Healey 3000
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Despite the very retro look, the Morgan Aero 8 was manufactured from 2001 until 2010, and then again in 2015. Unlike many other sports cars, it did not incorporate anti-roll bars. Until 2007, the original design was made fun of for looking cross-eyed — supposedly an intentional choice to make it more aerodynamic.

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Aston Martin DB9
Wiki Commons by Kmf164
The convertible version of which car weighs more than the coupe?
Aston Martin DB9
Porsche 911
Triumph TR6
Citroen DS2
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

In order to make the DB9 Volante convertible safe for drivers, Aston Martin stiffened the frame. This actually added weight to the overall chassis, making it weigh more than the coupe version, despite not having a roof on the car.

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Spyker C8 Spyder
Wiki Commons by Mr.choppers
Do you know which of these cars is assembled in Zeewolde, Netherlands?
Pagani Zonda ZR1
MG MGA
Lotus Elise
Spyker C8 Spyder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

Spyker is a Dutch company that manufactures their cars in Zeewolde. The C8 has been in production since 2000. It is available in several body types, aside from the convertible Spyder, including the Laviolette coupe and the Doube 12S, a road version of their Double 12R racer.

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Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
Wiki Commons by ilikewaffles11
A famous fighting bull lent its name to which of these cars?
Pagani Huayra
Koenigsegg Agera
Bugatti Veyron
Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Lamborghini Gallardo was available from 2004 until 2014. The Gallardo Spyder convertible was unveiled in 2006, and the company treated it as a wholly different vehicle with a retractable soft top. A Gallardo is a type of fighting bull.

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Rolls Royce Phantom Drophead
Wiki Commons by Vetatur Fumare
In 2015, which of these cars would have cost you $533,000, brand new?
BMW M1
Jensen FF
Bentley Mulsanne
Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

The Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead coupe was the most expensive Rolls-Royce made by 2015, just before the car's end. It was in production from 2007 until 2016. Part of that cost came from the fact that it was handmade, with many luxury details, including wood veneer, stainless steel and teak interior.

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Pagani Huayra
Wiki Commons by Matti Blume
Which of these cars had swan doors for the convertible and gull-wing for the coupe?
McLaren F1
Pagani Huayra
Koenigsegg Agera
Toyota 2000GT
Correct Answer
Wrong Answer

A Pagani Huayra coupe has gull-wing doors that open straight up, but since you can't do that with a convertible, the doors were changed to swan doors. These are very similar to regular car doors, except they open at a slightly upward angle, like a bird spreading its wings.

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Wiki Commons by Spanish Coches