People might now be enticed by the finer weather and warmer temperatures. But when spring thaw occurs, it is not exactly recommended to start enjoying your muscle car with summer performance tires. It is best to take a weighted approach towards the desire to enjoy the open road.
Some say that nothing beats AWD when it comes to making sure traction is always there. Others think the wind blowing in your hair will make you feel more alive than ever. So, on at least a few occasions, automakers decided to merge these two. And tried to create an entirely new automotive niche.
With various degrees of truly little success. And ranging from an absolute disaster of a vehicle no one would be caught dead in, to what a fine and unique Cabrio-SUV you have there – did anyone else pay for it? Examples include the cool Range Rover Evoque Cabrio. The middle-ground Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet. And the appalling Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet, among others.
And do not get us started with reminders about the contemporary Ford Bronco and Jeep Wrangler, or the bad-to-the-bone Hummer H1 and luxurious Mercedes-Maybach G 650 Landaulet. They are truly in a league of their own, even the mundane Blue Oval and Mopar models. We are only here to discuss crossover Cabrio SUVs. The ones that would be good for grocery shopping, a night out in the city, or a quick run to the closest winter resort.
Photo: sugardesign_1 / Instagram
Speaking of both late-snow winter adventures and the upcoming spring breaks we are all waiting for, there are a few hypothetical Cabrio-SUV scenarios we would love to discuss. They are all courtesy of the same pixel master. Sugar Chow, the virtual artist better known as sugardesign_1 on social media, has taken a quick pause from his usual “Touring the world!” periplus of making everything a station wagon or a shooting brake hero.
That is not surprising, as he sometimes loves to dwell across other market segments. And this time around, he has prepared an entire compilation of Cabrio-SUV digital projects. The reel opens up with a crimson Jaguar F-Pace that looks almost ready to go down the 5.0-liter supercharged V8 route by way of a lowered attitude and humongous, sporty wheels.
But then, all of a sudden, it had a virtual change of heart. And instead got rid of a pair of doors and the rooftop. The resulting crossover between a cabriolet and an SUV is not bad at all. Especially when complete with a ski/snowboard trunk rack to appease those who actually love winter and sports. Alas, that was probably just the appetizer.
Photo: sugardesign_1 / Instagram
An Alfa Romeo Stelvio “Spider” naturally comes next, also in red attire. Not for Rudolph, the red-nosed reindeer, though. But rather for some high-end road trips. Instead, the Maserati Levante “GranCabrio” looks hunkered down on a set of contrasting black wheels and with summer specifics on its mind, considering the surfboard residing on its trunk.
That one does not bode well for the snowy background too much. Unlike the adventurous BMW that would put its xDrive to good use when communing with nature. Along with a set of bikes for some family adventures. By the way, city dwellers also get a chance to see an Audi Q2 Cabriolet ducking it out in fashionable poses against some fellow little crossovers.
Last, but certainly not least, also comes a Volvo XC60. And this is the one that has the most support from the CGI expert’s fan base, along with the Alfa reinterpretation. No need to wonder why, as these two are pretty “exotic” even in stock form. So, do let us know in the comments section which one (if any) is your favorite!
Aurel has aimed high all his life (literally, at 16 he was flying gliders all by himself) so in 2006 he switched careers and got hired as a writer at his favorite magazine. Since then, his work has been published both by print and online outlets, most recently right here, on autoevolution. Full profile
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