Get ready to blow your top

ET’S not get ahead of ourselves, but it seems there is light at the end of the pandemic tunnel and we may at last be able to head out for a getaway, this summer.

Foreign travel may be tricky, so let’s go in search of some sun in the UK, and what better way than on a road trip in a convertible?

Here are options for a variety of budgets.

At the lower end of the scale, we’re in the used car market. There’s plenty of choice at this price point, from the sporty Toyota MR2 to cityfocused Minis.

However, for a road-trip you want space and comfort and the Volvo C70 is large and fairly practical, while also being comfortable with great styling. It’s no sports car, but it’s a handsome all-rounder.

THE FULL PACKAGE: Bentley’s Continental GT

The undisputed top dog in the affordable convertible world is the Mazda MX-5, and £25,000 will get you into a new one – just. For this cash, you’re looking at the entrylevel trim with the 1.5-litre engine.

That’s no bad thing though, with many enthusiasts saying this is the optimal MX-5 combination for the purest driving experience.

Want more? Look at nearly new and you’ll find higher trim levels, as well as the more powerful 2.0litre engine.

We’ll make a bit more of a leap now, this time to a budget of £40,000, because that gets you in the Audi TT Roadster. Prices start about £2k under budget – and, if you drive a hard bargain, you could push yourself into a sportier S line trim.

Do this and you get a fantasticlooking convertible, that’s fun to drive and packed full of equipment.

If it is open-top thrills you are look

Volvo C70

BMW M3

Mazda MX-5

Audi TT Roadster

Porsche 718 Boxster

Porsche

911 Cabriolet

ing for, it’s tough to beat a Porsche, and a Boxster is one of the best.

There was a time when people looked down on this ‘entry level’ Porsche, but now it’s considered a fantastic car in its own right.

Its sleek, stylish looks ooze class, and while the new engines don’t have the character of classic models, they still pack a punch.

Prices increase rapidly now, and while it’s entirely too predictable to pick another Porsche, the German firm is considered one of the best in the business for a reason.

If you’re looking for change from six figures, you can get yourself into a 911 and even choose the four-wheel-drive Carrera model.

The 911 is one of the most iconic sports cars on the planet, and is so brilliantly designed that you could feasibly use it for day-to-day driving, as well as for spirited jaunts.

We’re reaching money-no-object prices now, and if that’s the case, there’s probably nothing better than a Bentley Continental GT.

There are more focused sports cars such as the Audi R8 Spyder, but that can be quite cramped for taller drivers.

The Continental GT, however, will get you around in supreme comfort and comes packed with all the technology you could ever need.

The price of near-perfection? In excess of £173,000...