SUVs are heavy vehicles, but sports cars are expected to be their diametral opposites, right? Well, there are a few exceptions to that rule, and they are convertible sports cars.
After yesterday’s story on the lightest SUVs available in Europe, we wanted to see if we can find the five heaviest sports cars. Within a dozen minutes of searching through spec sheets, we found a few “winners.” It comes as a no-brainer that these cars were also convertibles, which are always heavier than their coupe counterparts.
In some cases, these convertible sports cars are heavier than the lightest SUVs found on the European market, which may come as a surprise to some. However, as driving any of the models below will reveal to you, getting a large convertible with sporty ambitions does not mean that you have a slow car.
On the contrary, every one of the vehicles below is rather quick, but it all boils down to their massive engines, which can overcome the weight they must propel. As it turns out, every one of the cars on this list sprints from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in five seconds or less.
The figures alone can bring any of the models listed below on a list of quick cars, which goes to show that being heavy does not prevent you from being fast. When corners are concerned, things may be different, but all of the above manage admirably.
Maserati offers a splendid coupe called GranSport, and it is also available in drop-top form. The Italians call it GranCabrio, and it can be ordered in three versions: GranCabrio, Gran Cabrio Sport, and GranCabrio MC. The latter was also used as a base for a Centennial Edition, which celebrated 100 years since the Maserati brand was founded.
No matter what version of the GranCabrio you select, it will come with a V8 engine, and they all have four seats. The single transmission choice is a six-speed automatic designed and built by ZF, which comes with five operating modes. The 460 HP GranCabrio Sport can sprint from o to 62 mph (100 km/h) in five seconds flat.
Its size and configuration have led to a weight of 1,887 kilograms (4,160 lbs). When compared to other cars in the segment, it is significantly lighter. While you can find other roadsters with less weight in their name, few will match this level of performance and still offer four seats.
Also with a V8 engine, but an entirely different breed of a motor, you can get the Mercedes-AMG C63 S Convertible. For those of you unfamiliar with Mercedes-Benz naming schemes, it is the more powerful version of the Mercedes-AMG C63, which is the performance version of the C-Class. Evidently, with the “Convertible” in its name, this is a drop-top Mercedes-Benz, and the AMG division has refined the model in question.
Its 510 HP V8 engine ensures a 0-62 mph acceleration time of just 4,1 seconds, which puts it in supercar territory. The seven-speed AMG Speedshift transmission sends power to the rear wheels. A manual transmission is not offered in the range, and all-wheel-drive is also not available.
When weight is concerned, the C63 S Cabriolet is heavier than the Maserati, as its specification sheet announces 1,925 kilograms (4,243 lbs). As you will find below, it is not the heaviest model in this niche segment.
BMW’s biggest Cabriolet is also a heavy car, and the performance version does not make an exception. With just over two metric tons (4,530 lbs), the M6 Cabriolet sits in the middle of our list. It comes with a 560 HP twin-turbo V8 engine, which helps it accelerate from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 4.3 seconds.
BMW only offers the M6 Cabriolet with an automatic transmission, and it drives the rear wheels, just like almost all of the convertibles on this list. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph (250 km/h). BMW’s M6 Cabriolet is four-seater, and the size of its body is generous enough to supply enough room for four adults.
The two rear seats are divided by a console, which could have been eliminated to seat a fifth person. However, if BMW had done that modification, the fifth person would not get too much room in the back, and a taller person would not have a comfortable ride.
The only V12 model on this list comes from Mercedes-Benz, and it is the Mercedes-AMG S65 Cabriolet. Unlike the C-Class, the S-Class’s performance variant does not have an “S” version, but it could get one with the introduction of the facelift in this range.
Just like its equivalents on this list, the S-Class Convertible is the largest drop-top model in the portfolio of the automaker that offers it on the market. It can fit four adults inside with ease and comfort, and the 6.0-liter 630 HP V12 twin-turbo engine has enough oomph for effortless acceleration.
The largest performance-oriented four-seat convertible from Mercedes-AMG weighs 2,255 kilograms (4,971 lbs), but that does not stop it from accelerating from 0 to 62 mph (100 km/h) in 4.1 seconds. As you may have observed, it matches the time of the C63 S Cabriolet, which is about 300 kilograms lighter (661 lbs). Rear-wheel-drive is the only option, and the same goes for a seven-speed automatic gearbox.
While the S65 is the only V12 model on our list, you can get another sporty convertible with twelve cylinders and four seats. We are referring to the Bentley Continental Supersports Convertible, which happens to be the most powerful production Bentley ever offered.
It comes with 710 HP and 1,017 Nm (750 lb-ft) out of a 6.0-liter twin-turbo W12. The engine itself is massive, and Bentley mated it to an eight-speed automatic transmission from ZF. The unit sends power to all four wheels, which has a 40:60 rear bias for a more traditional roadster feeling.
The Continental Supersports is also the fastest-accelerating Bentley ever offered, with a 0-62 mph (100 km/) time of 3.9 seconds. If the models above did not impress you in any way, this Bentley has what it takes to stick anyone’s back to the luxuriously quilted leather seats when the gas is pressed vigorously. Bentley did not bother restricting the top speed of this car, which means that it can reach 330 km/h (205 mph).
When you add a massive engine, all-wheel-drive, and a generously-sized body in the mix, it is almost impossible to offer a lightweight vehicle. The weight of this model is 2,455 kilograms (5,412 lbs), which is significantly more than what you might encounter on yesterday’s list of the lightest SUVs available in Europe. With that said, we would not mind one at all, Sir.
Sebastian's love for cars began at a young age. Little did he know that a career would emerge from this passion (and that it would not, sadly, involve being a professional racecar driver). In over fourteen years, he got behind the wheel of several hundred vehicles and in the offices of the most important car publications in his homeland. Full profile
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