Top 10 spring fling new cars for 2013

By John LeBlanc It’s just not just the birds and bees that like to procreate when winter subsides. So do drivers. If you and your significant other are looking for an appropriate wind-in-your-hair set of wheels for your 2013 “spring fling,” here are 10 of our favourite rides to help you celebrate the departure of winter. And with each example, you can safely assume the top is coming off at some point: 2013 Audi TT 2.0 TFSI Quattro Roadster We can see why the German automaker says it sells more TTs worldwide than its two main Teutonic rivals — the BMW Z4 and Mercedes-Benz SLK — combined. Audi’s two-seat TT Roadster is a premium “spring fling” car for our times. It’s relatively inexpensive (prices — including transportation and pre-delivery costs — start at $53,595), fuel efficient (its 211 horsepower turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder is rated at 9.1 L/100 km in the city, and 6.4 on the highway) and practical (a dual-clutch automatic transmission and Audi’s excellent Quattro all-wheel-drive are standard). 2013 Aston Martin V8 Vantage Convertible Why pay over $200,000 for a DB9 to gain entry into the exclusive Aston Martin club when the $139,500 V8 Vantage Convertible is available? You still get typically Aston Martin long hood/short rear deck proportions. And the rear-wheel-drive, two-seater V8 Vantage's eponymous 4.7-litre mill with 420 horsepower has one of the best soundtracks in the automotive world. Velvety. Smooth. You pick. And the rest of the roadster's driving characteristics measure up to the V8 Vantage's role as the Aston for “spring fling” drivers. 2013 Fiat 500c Pop If your budget can’t afford the Aston Martin, how about the Fiat 500c Pop? At $21,590, Fiat’s front-wheel-drive, four-passenger 500c (the “c” stands for “Cabrio”) is the least expensive “spring fling” vehicle here. More like a giant sunroof than a fully open convertible, the 500c's cloth top only enhances the small car’s urban-friendly personality. You can pay more for more power in the Abarth version. But the 500c Pop’s 101-horsepower, 1.4-litre four-cylinder and five-speed manual combo will have you thinking of Rome in spring quicker than you can say la dolce vita. 2013 Ford Mustang Convertible V6 If you’re planning a domestic “spring fling,” may we recommend the $33,549 Mustang Convertible V6. With a 305-horsepower 3.7-litre six-cylinder and a six-speed manual transmission, the rear-wheel-drive Ford two-door ragtop scoots from zero to 100 km/h in only 5.4 seconds — handily beating rivals like the Chevrolet Camaro V6 by 0.7 seconds and the Dodge Challenger V6 by 2.2 seconds. The 2+2 Mustang is also more of the driver’s car, more nimble than the larger Chevy and Dodge coupes. 2013 Jeep Wrangler S Who says you have to limit your “spring fling” driving adventure to the pavement? That’s where the 2013 Jeep Wrangler S comes in. For only $24,790, the four-wheel-drive Jeep offers top-down motoring for four passengers for either on- or off-road motoring. A recently added 3.6-litre six-cylinder makes a healthy 285 horsepower and delivers better fuel economy than older versions, while an upgraded interior welcomes the Wrangler into the 21^st century. 2013 Mazda MX-5 GX You say, “spring fling,” and we say “Miata”, or what Mazda now calls the MX-5, the two-seat roadster that seems to have been designed to melt away winter’s woes. On the road, the $31,045 Mazda's 167 horsepower 2.0-litre four-cylinder does not overwhelm you with raw power. Instead, the MX-5’s relatively lightweight allows it to leap into corners. Plus the surgical precision from the roadster’s steering it a joy to drive, even if just around the block. 2013 Mercedes-Benz SLS AMG Convertible If your “spring fling” budget can be stretched a bit, may we present the better looking half of the SLS AMG family — the non-gullwing $216,195 Convertible. Powered by the same 563-horsepower, 6.3-litre eight-cylinder, the cloth top version of the modern day "Gullwing" supercar keeps the coupe’s classic long-hood, short-rear-deck proportions, but now ends with a sleek, boat-tail-like rear-end. Performance-wise,  know that the SLS AMG Convertible competes in the same stratosphere as the tens-of-thousands-of-dollars more expensive Ferrari California. 2013 Mini Cooper Roadster If you find the subcompact, Mini Cooper Convertible a bit too, well, big, we’d recommend the $30,495 Roadster. The smallest open-top Mini yet is all about minimalist driving. It has room for only two versus the two-plus-two Convertible — your lone passenger will feel flattered. And its unlined cloth top can be used as a tonneau cover when the top is stowed behind the seats — with no loss of what little trunk space is available. 2013 Porsche Boxster Forget the 911 Cabriolet: if you’re buying a Porsche convertible for some “spring fling” driving, the argument for little brother Boxster is stronger than ever. Compared to the rear-placement of the $110,000-plus 2+2 911 Cabriolet’s mill, the mid-chassis placement of the two-seat $58,495 Boxster’s 265 horsepower 2.7-litre six-cylinder engine defines its overwhelming handling characteristic — balanced. With a near-ideal 46:54 front-to-rear weight distribution, there are less centrifugal actions tugging on your intentions when connecting apexes in the lighter Boxster. Trust us. 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet Perhaps you’re planning a "spring fling” back in time. If so, the retro-themed 2013 Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet blends a modern Jetta sedan chassis with looks from the original 1930s Type 1 VW. The $30,170, front-wheel-drive, four-passenger Beetle makes due with a 170 horsepower 2.5-litre five-cylinder and a mandatory six-speed autobox. So driving thrills aren’t in the cards. But rear passengers have more room now than the older New Beetle, and the one-touch, power-operated cloth top can be operated at speeds up to 50 km/h for spontaneous, topless driving.

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