For a motoring enthusiast, there is no such thing as a perfect time for a ‘road trip’. But should one still cherry pick, then it would definitely be the monsoons. From the Himalayas to the Nilgiris, there is nothing more blissful than cruising on a winding road surrounded by a lush blanket of green and occasional ribbons of waterfalls. But what if you could enjoy the crisp wind in your hair, soak up some sun and feel the nip in the air? No, I am not talking about a cruiser bike, but something that is even more liberating and pulsating — a convertible. To do justice to the top-down weather, we took the three best convertibles available in the country, a German, a Brit and an Italian, and headed out for a spin to the mountainside. They are luxurious, sleek, loud, ridiculously fast, and with a flick of a switch they conduct a mechanical orchestra and drop their top, transforming into an even more potent show stopper. These three beauties will let you soak up the sun and get some fresh air on the go.

2016 Porsche 911 Carrera Cabriolet Five decades after its debut in 1963, the 911 is still going strong as the poster child of Porsche. Having launched just a few months back in India, the 2016 Porsche 911 is the youngest in our round up. There have been some subtle changes in the exterior with sharper bumpers, LED running lights and sportier tail lights. However, the biggest and the most controversial change is under the hood with the introduction of a 3.0 litre V6 turbocharged engine in lieu of a 3.6 litre naturally-aspirated V6. Through some clever engineering, Porsche has done its best to make the new 3.0 litre turbocharged sound and feel like its predecessor. Though the least powerful in our round up, it is in no way clunky. The rate at which the engine picks up speed is astonishing; 0 to 100 kmph in under 4.7 seconds. The smaller body frame and the brilliant mating of the engine with the seven speed dual clutch gearbox makes the 911 a breeze to drive in the infamous Mumbai traffic. Along with the three driving modes, the car also comes with a Sport Performance mode which electrifies the 387 horses and gives you 20 seconds of ultra sporty driving. The car offers plenty of grip, that along with the beautifully weighted steering, makes overtaking a lot of fun. What it lacks in panache and drama, it makes up for in practicality — it offers decent storage space, a lifting system that raises the front by 40mm, compact body frame for easy parking, four seats and the highest efficiency at 9.5 kmpl (highway).

Drops the top in — 20 seconds. Price — ₹1.94 cr (ex-Mumbai)

Jaguar F-type Roadster ‘It’s the most beautiful car ever made’ said Enzo Ferrari at the launch of Jaguar’s E type in 1963. Fast forward to 2013 and Jaguar launched the F-Type, the successor to the E-Type. Smooth lines flow through the aluminium body from the bonnet to the boot, along with elements like the front splitter and gaping intakes that give the F Type a refined yet menacing aggressive look. Under the humongous hood is a 5.0 litre supercharged V8 which churns out 495 horses that take the car from 0 to 100 in 4.6 seconds. Complementing the acceleration is the exhaust note, which is simply brilliant; a big kudos to the engineers at Jaguar. At full throttle, she lets out a primal and throaty sound which is nothing short of mesmerising. The hydraulic steering is stiff, delivers plenty of feedback and a classic sports car feel. This combined with a shorter wheel base provides excellent manoeuvrability. At 1,615 kgs the F-Type V8S effectively wears it weight with negligible body roll and dive. The adaptive dampers do a fine job of taking care of the little hurdles city roads throw at it. However, the ride is not as comfortable as the 911. Spend some time with the F-Type V8S on an empty road and it will perception of rush and adrenalin.

Drops the top in — 12 seconds. Price — ₹2.34 cr (ex-Mumbai)

Lamborghini Huracan Spyder As if Lamborghini’s entry level car was not sensationalist enough, those speed-crazed Italians at Sant’Agata have outdone themselves. Just looking at this car would put all your senses into overdrive. The outrageousness continues on the inside, as you have fighter jet inspired toggle switches, a high resolution TFT cockpit display, tons of carbon fibre and leather, and a start button caged in a red ring that needs to be pulled up to push the button. Pushing it unleashes a bark as the massive rear mounted 5.2L V10 engine and the 610 all-natural ponies come to life. Using launch control, the car can go from a standstill to 100 km/hr in 3.4 seconds; it’s the quickest, fastest and most expensive in our round up. The power is effectively tamed with the fluidic seven-speed dual clutch gearbox. Surprisingly it’s very easy to drive this car; the all-wheel drive delivers plenty of grip while keeping most of the power to the rear, whether slippery concrete or even gravel. You can drive, or rather enjoy, the Huracan in three driving modes, trada, Sport and Corsa, which impact the throttle response, gearbox, steering and suspension. The only caveat is that it offers the stiffest ride of the lot, but that is a nominal price to pay for a car demonstrating the best of Italian engineering, technology and style.

Drops the top in — 17 seconds. Price — ₹3.89cr (ex-Mumbai).

Dhiram Shah is the Mumbai-based founder of Luxurylaunches.com

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