Convertibles with all-wheel drive may seem a controversial invention. Some people worry that the ability to remove the roof in hot weather makes a vehicle unfit for driving in the winter season. However, in most open-top vehicles today, the dense multi-layer structure of the waterproof and soundproof fabric provides a decent level of acoustic and temperature comfort. So if you want a car with all-season capability, convertibles with AWD are your perfect choice.
The history of convertibles begins with horse-drawn carriages. The idea of a transport facility with a removable roof dates back to ancient times. It was successfully realized with the advent of vehicles powered by internal combustion engines.
In the 1930s, the popularity of convertibles greatly increased. Convertibles were especially popular in the US due to the milder weather conditions as compared to Europe. By the end of the 1960s, the number of open-top cars declined noticeably. This was due to the fact that manufacturing companies switched to the use of load-bearing bodies. In the 70s, the production of convertibles ceased altogether due to the large-scale promotion of new means of automobile safety.
Modern convertibles are equipped with a folding soft or hard roof made of vinyl or cloth. As a rule, convertibles are built on the basis of existing sedans, hatchbacks, or coupes and are equipped with two or four doors.
All-wheel drive is a transmission design, in which the motor power is transmitted to the front and rear axles. The distribution of power from the gearbox to the wheels is handled by the transfer case. The recent trend is to replace the classic all-wheel drive with electronic assistants that distribute traction at their discretion.
Audi R8. The convertible's heart is an atmospheric 5.2-liter V10 FSI gasoline engine with a combined power and 40-valve train. It is combined with a seven-speed S Tronic transmission with a pair of clutches and a quattro all-wheel drive transmission with a multi-disc clutch, which takes the thrust to the front axle wheels.
Bentley Continental GT. Bentley has expanded the list of available options for the third-generation Continental GT coupe and GT Convertible to include versions with a V8 engine. Both models come standard with 20-inch wheels, three-chamber air suspension, and all-wheel drive with dynamic torque distribution between the axles. The convertible takes 4.1 seconds to accelerate from zero to sixty miles per hour.
Ford Bronco. The advanced all-wheel drive system has a pair of clutches in the rear differential, allowing to transfer all available rear axle traction to the right or left wheel, if necessary. There are seven driving modes: Normal, Eco, Sport, Slippery, Sand, Mud/Ruts, and Rock Crawl. Off-road Trail Control works at speeds up to 20 miles per hour.
Jaguar F-Type. Luxurious materials, superior craftsmanship, and attention to every detail are the hallmarks of a driver-focused interior. The key to even greater comfort is the new 12.3-inch high-resolution virtual dashboard, the enhanced Meridian audio system, Apple CarPlay, and Android Auto support.
Jeep Wrangler. The rigid roof can be removed, and the optional Dual Top with hard and soft top is available. The convertible body has always cost a lot, but the AWD convertible option has no price at all, as there are only two or three such variants all over the world. Jeep Wrangler SUV is one of them. There is also a 5-door Wrangler Unlimited with the same filling but even more space.
Lamborghini Huracan Evo. The convertible is equipped with a new electro-hydraulic soft-top system that lowers in just 17 seconds at speeds of up to 50 km/h. The Huracan Evo Spyder is equipped with a special Lamborghini Dinamica Veicolo Integrata (LDVI) processor that controls all dynamic behavior settings, including rear-wheel steering, all-wheel drive, torque control and improved traction control.
Porsche 911. The Porsche 911 Carrera 4 coupe accelerates to 60 mph in 4.2 seconds, and the optional SportChrono package reduces this time by 0.2 s. The all-wheel-drive convertible will do the same in 4.4 and 4.2 seconds, respectively. So, the all-wheel-drive "grafting" didn't make the base sports car more dynamic. However, Porsche said that the finalized four-wheel drive system for sports cars optimizes the torque distribution to the axles with greater accuracy – it's especially useful on slippery roads. The Carrera 4 Cabrio has adaptive suspension and a multimedia system with a 10.9-inch screen as standard equipment. Porsche Torque Vectoring, 21-inch wheels from the Carrera 4S, carbon-ceramic brakes, and the like are available as options.
Apart from the above-listed, the following AWD convertibles are worth mentioning: BMW 2 Series, BMW 8 Series, Audi TT and A5/S5, Mercedes-AMG S-Class, Mercedes-Benz C-Class and E-Class.
Convertibles indeed require a lot of maintenance. But drivers who buy them know for sure that active use of such a car can be pleasant if you approach it with all responsibility.
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