Summer is the time for convertibles: here are the best on the market, from supercars to beautiful and possible ones.

ROME – In the summer twilights, when the sky turns from blue to indigo and the onset of early darkness evokes René Magritte 's Empire of Light , convertibles convey an indelible emotion that justifies the price of the ticket. Even with a few sacrifices (little luggage) and precautions (soft bags, hats, sunscreen), traveling with the top down allows nature to 'enter' the cabin. As the road glides gently through the "warm evenings of the most beautiful season" described by Hermann Hesse , you become an integral part of the landscape.

If the fabulous world of drop-tops can be traced back to the origins of the automotive industry, the current range of convertibles has reached exciting heights in terms of style and performance. The offering ranges from rewarding compacts with price tags starting around €35,000 , to exclusive Italian and English Gran Turismos, whose prices can easily exceed half a million .

The common denominator of the experience lies in the pleasure of open-air driving, and starting with the most accessible options, the choice could fall on the Mazda MX-5 (the best-selling roadster in history with a manual opening mechanism) or orient oneself towards the Mini Cabrio and Volkswagen T-Roc Cabriolet . The latter uses the same soft top as the discontinued Range Rover Evoque Convertible and, considering its size, is one of the cars with the most spacious interiors in its category.

Moving up in size, German 2+2 sedans combine comfort and ingenious solutions such as the tried-and-tested windbreak systems of the Mercedes-Benz Cle Cabrio (also available in the 110,000 euro Cle AMG version).

BMW offers the 4 Series Cabriolet with diesel and gasoline engines, as well as the all-wheel drive M4 Competition (priced from €124,000), where the 3.0-liter twin-turbo inline-6 engine delivers 530 horsepower. Audi also offers the elegant A5 (from €63,000), which in the 40 TFSI S-tronic trim benefits from plug-in hybrid propulsion and a fabric soft top that opens and closes in 15 seconds, up to a speed of 50 kilometers per hour.

The recent demise of the Jaguar F-Type Cabrio has deprived enthusiasts of one of the most aesthetically pleasing open-top two-seater models, but pure driving enthusiasts can opt for the Porsche 718 Spyder RS (priced from €168,000), powered by a 500-horsepower six-cylinder boxer engine. The German manufacturer also dominates the category with the 911 Carrera Cabrio (starting at €158,000). A direct rival to the Zuffenhausen sports car is the Mercedes-AMG SL Roadster, which reaches its peak performance (816 horsepower and 1,170 Nm of torque) in the €237,000 63 Se Performance version and is equipped with a revving V8.

The 4.0-liter V8 engine, paired with an electric motor, powers the new Bentley Continental GTC , a plug-in hybrid with 680 horsepower and 930 Nm of torque. The 0-100 km/h sprint in 3.8 seconds and 80 km of zero-emissions range are complemented by impeccable handcrafted gear changes and the Bentley active chassis system with Dynamic Ride active suspension, all-wheel steering, and an electronic limited-slip differential. The result is an aristocratic and ultra-luxurious 2+2 convertible priced at €330,000.

Also arriving from the United Kingdom are the new generations of “open” Aston Martins, starting with the Vantage Roadster . The €225,000 English two-seater holds the record for the fastest electric soft top in the world (6.8 seconds), while lightning-fast acceleration comes courtesy of the 4.0-liter V8 turbo petrol engine with 665 horsepower and 800 Nm of torque. The same engine is mounted on the extremely elegant DB12 Volante super-tourer with an eight-layer soft top, meticulously crafted interior and prices starting from €266,000.

For those who want even more, there's the Vanquish Volante , Gaydon's flagship model costing €440,000 and powered by a 5.2-liter twin-turbo V12 producing 835 horsepower. The alternative to this latest gem is the Ferrari 12Cilindri Spider . The world's only convertible with a naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12 engine and priced from €435,000, it pays homage to Maranello's grand tourers of the past by combining retro-futuristic design, thrilling sounds, and motorsport performance, highlighted by a top speed of 340 kilometers per hour and a 0-100 kilometers per hour time of 2.9 seconds.

And among the Italian pearls there is the beautiful Maserati GranCabrio , both electric, the Folgore with 761 horsepower and priced from 210,800 and the V6 petrol in the “normal” versions with 490 horsepower and 169,600 euros and the Trofeo with 550 horsepower and priced from 210,800 euros.