I used to have this theory that every car was made better with a convertible top. I know, handling and structural rigidity, blahblahblah, but for normal driving on a day with good weather, nothing beats the sun and the wind.
Let me put it this way: If I offered you a Chrysler Sebring or a Chrysler Sebring convertible, which one would you take? (And no, you can't take the bus instead, smartass.) You'd take the Sebring 'vert, because at the very least you'll enjoy a nice day as you drive your crapcan around town.
I say "used to" because I was wrong, and this is the car that proved me wrong: the Nissan GT-R Convertible.
Relax, Nissan has not taken the lessons it learned from the ultra-successful and extremely beloved Murano CrossCabriolet and applied them to their meanest speed machine.
As Autoblog reports, these were done up by Newport Convertible Engineering in Southern California. They've done convertible Range Rovers and Jaguars before, and theur clients in Abu Dhabi requested that they do a droptop GT-R as well. Conversions start at $29,500 for the cheapest one they offer.
I can't hate on this business for what they do, and at least from these pictures the craftsmanship looks spot on. And if this is what you want, and you can afford it, then knock yourself out.
But there's just something jarring to me personally about taking a GT-R, less a pure sports car and more of a high performance machine dedicated to going as fast as possible while handling as incredibly as possible, and chopping its roof off.
It's like you're neutering what it's supposed to be somehow. I can't imagine it can still hit 60 mph in 2.7 seconds when its aerodynamic characteristics have been changed this much. A Nissan GT-R droptop just... it just isn't meant to be.
Oh well. If that's your thing, then have at it. You'll still be faster than damn near anything else on the road. Just don't get mad if it handles like a 30-year-old Saab now.
Photo credit Newport Convertible Engineering
The Nissan GT-R Convertible Is Not Okay