The Top Ten Auto Show: Season 2, EP. 7 - Convertibles (2001) - video Dailymotion

Men and Motors

On todays episode of Top Ten Auto's, Dave Lee Travis, Richard Hammond and Rob Hallam count down the top ten convertibles.  They take a look at the Mercedes CLK, Mazda MX5, Jaguar, Peugeot 306, Audi TT and the BMW 3 Series, but which is number one?  Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and hit the notification bell so you never miss a video!  ------------------ Enjoyed this video? Don't forget to LIKE and SHARE the video and get involved with our community by leaving a COMMENT below the video!   Check out what else our channel has to offer and don't forget to SUBSCRIBE to Men & Motors for more classic car and motorbike content! Why not? It is free after all!  Our website: http://menandmotors.com/  ---- Social Media ----  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/menandmotors/ Instagram: @menandmotorstv Twitter: @menandmotorstv  If you have any questions, e-mail us at talk@menandmotors.com  © Men and Motors - One Media iP 2023

Transcript

00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:03 [MUSIC PLAYING]

00:30 Hello, it's time to take the roof down and enjoy the thrills

00:33 of open air motoring.

00:35 This is Dave Lee Travis, counting you

00:36 down the top 10 convertibles on sale over the last year,

00:40 as chosen by the editors of the UK's top automotive magazines.

00:44 It may seem a real luxury to own a convertible,

00:46 but the days of leaky roofs and floppy chassis are in the past.

00:51 There are some great machines out there.

00:53 Security always will be a worry with convertibles,

00:55 but don't park anywhere dodgy and you'll be OK.

00:58 Right, let's hit the jukebox.

01:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]

01:05 At number 10, it's the Mercedes CLK Cabriolet.

01:08 It looks the business and exudes desirability.

01:11 This car comes in two flavors, with and without the letter K.

01:15 Now, the K stands for compressor,

01:17 and these engines give a noise which to some is exciting roar,

01:21 to others a noisy din.

01:23 For both versions, this car can be pretty costly to run,

01:26 with the 200K model giving you about 20 miles

01:29 to the gallon round town.

01:30 [MUSIC PLAYING]

01:38 So if you're going to pay through the nozzle,

01:40 you'd better be sure you're going

01:41 to get value for money in the driving and thrills department.

01:44 Well, this isn't really the case, I'm afraid.

01:47 The CLK is based on the old Mercedes C-Class, which

01:50 wasn't exactly a sporty beast.

01:52 The CLK is pretty well-mannered on the tarmac.

01:55 Just don't expect a really exciting driving experience,

01:58 that's all.

01:59 [MUSIC PLAYING]

02:13 At number nine, here's another hard top with a scalp.

02:16 The Saab 9-3 Convertible looks stylish and swish.

02:20 The 9-3 has excellent seats and a fair amount of onboard gear

02:23 for your cash.

02:24 Plus, if you need power under the pedal,

02:26 there's a top-end aero offering 205 brake horsepower.

02:30 But for a car with such an old chassis under the skin,

02:33 it's not a good idea, really.

02:35 It almost seems too much power to be usable.

02:38 After slicing the top off, it seems

02:40 like the Saab engineers have shoved a couple of iron

02:42 rods inside to compensate for the body and strength loss.

02:45 And the result is a nasty, unsettled ride

02:48 with scuttleshake galore.

02:50 Chopping the top off a car might mean

02:52 that you get the wind in your hair,

02:53 you get the tan as you commute, and really impressive girls

02:56 in the back.

02:57 But it seldom does anything at all

02:58 to improve the drive and handling of a car.

03:01 In fact, in the Saab 9-3, you get a huge amount

03:04 of scuttleshake, which I always thought

03:05 was a dance James Brown might shout out in one of his songs.

03:08 [SCATTERED SCUTTLESHAKE]

03:10 But what it means is the whole of the front of the car

03:11 twists and rocks because we've lost

03:13 the rigidity of the roof.

03:14 Then again, it's not, and never has been, a performance car.

03:19 Actually, once you've got past the scuttleshake,

03:21 the body control is really very good.

03:22 It doesn't rock and roll as much as you think it might.

03:25 And it is quite an entertaining drive.

03:27 There's still quite a lot of power

03:28 going through those front wheels,

03:29 so it will scrabble for grip from time to time.

03:32 And there is actually still a little bit

03:33 of a whoosh from the turbo when you get it right.

03:35 This is all well and good.

03:39 It's very nice, in fact.

03:41 But it doesn't happen very often.

03:42 We've had to wait 16 and 1/2 weeks to get a sunny day

03:44 to film it like this.

03:46 This is how you'll spend most of your time.

03:49 Roof, very definitely, up.

03:51 (upbeat music)

03:54 Good, now we can head off for some fun in the drizzle.

04:07 Much more like it.

04:08 But to some, looks are everything.

04:10 And if you're not seeking perfection

04:12 in the driving experience, the Saab 9-3 Convertible

04:15 offers a great image statement with performance.

04:18 The Saab 9-3 at number nine.

04:20 (upbeat music)

04:23 At number eight, it's a Mazda, the MX-5.

04:37 This was the car which really blazed the trail

04:39 of the affordable open-top sports car,

04:41 sticking to the good old tried and tested formula

04:43 of front engine, rear wheel drive configuration

04:46 in a neat and perky package.

04:48 A great British summertime, boring cricket matches,

04:51 curled up cucumber sandwiches, wind,

04:53 and usually no shortage of rain either.

04:56 Oh, and a longstanding love affair

04:57 with small, compact two-seater roadsters

05:00 in which to explore those country roads.

05:02 Mazda rekindled that love affair 10 years ago now

05:06 with the arrival of the original MX-5.

05:08 And this, the MX-5 Icon, is a special edition

05:11 to celebrate that.

05:13 At nearly 20,000 pounds, it's 2,000 more

05:16 than the standard MX-5 with a 1.8 engine.

05:18 So what are we getting for our extra spondulics?

05:21 Apart that it's from a decidedly dodgy color.

05:23 It's hardly inspiring for a party, is it?

05:25 Purple.

05:26 MX-5s have always been quite a nice place to be.

05:30 The cabin has a well-finished, understated feel to it,

05:33 which is very pleasant.

05:34 You don't feel there's anything gizmo or gimmicky about it.

05:37 It all feels pretty purposeful

05:38 and quite grown up for a small car.

05:47 For a car that harks back to the likes

05:49 of creaky old MGs and Spitfires,

05:51 the MX-5 Icon is pretty luxurious and sophisticated.

05:55 But is that what it's really all about?

05:57 Nearly 20,000 pounds for a little two-seater roadster

06:00 seems like a heck of a lot of money.

06:02 Admittedly, the MX-5 has, in its 10 years,

06:04 achieved cult-like status.

06:06 And perhaps for those who've earned a whole string of them,

06:08 this is the ultimate.

06:10 But for anybody looking to buy

06:11 their first small two-seater roadster,

06:13 I'd say maybe you should think about

06:15 going a little further back to basics.

06:17 (upbeat music)

06:19 At number seven, it's our first French contender,

06:39 the Peugeot 206 CC.

06:41 Standing not for cubic centimetres,

06:43 now that would be a puny engine,

06:45 but for coupe cabrio.

06:47 Already with a clutch of awards under its belt,

06:49 the 206 CC is a cute looker

06:52 and will impress in the car park.

06:54 But as for owning one,

06:55 there are a few more home truths to reveal.

06:57 First of all, when the roof is up,

06:59 the boot has more space than the standard 206.

07:02 But when the roof is down,

07:03 you get a pathetic area to store stuff in.

07:06 And the back seats look swish,

07:07 but are incredibly cramped for adult-sized passengers.

07:10 Plus, the driving position isn't that brilliant,

07:12 but this car has so much quality image.

07:15 These negatives really are just niggles.

07:17 The silver dials and drilled pedals

07:19 are some of the little touches

07:20 that make you think you're behind the wheel

07:22 of something special.

07:23 And of course, you are.

07:24 (upbeat music)

07:27 At number six, another French model.

07:40 And we discover the open-top version

07:42 of the top-selling Megane series.

07:44 The Megane Idea has been a real winner from Renault,

07:47 as they've used the same platform for all sorts of models,

07:49 including saloons and of course,

07:51 the groundbreaking Megane Scenic Mini MPV.

07:54 The Cabriolet version is a neat little open-top machine

07:57 that's very affordable

07:59 and gives a lot of good kit for your cash.

08:01 When it first came out,

08:02 the Megane Cabriolet was considered by many

08:05 to look of the business,

08:06 but then so was the Model T Ford.

08:08 And like it, the Renault is now starting to look

08:10 just a little longer in the tooth.

08:13 Oh my God, what am I doing?

08:14 I'm driving a drop-top car

08:16 without my official Cabriolet driver's hat.

08:19 Essential, much better.

08:21 Does suffer badly from that bane

08:24 of the Cabriolet, scuttle shape.

08:26 Dun, dun, duh.

08:27 In other words, a lot of wobble at the front end

08:29 where you've removed the roof.

08:31 Not a good thing.

08:32 This is a good value, small, sporty Cabriolet,

08:35 and it comes in at number six in our top 10 of 2001.

08:39 (upbeat music)

08:42 The Jaguar XK8 is a grand tourer

08:54 in every sense of the word.

08:56 Grand certainly in price,

08:58 as we're talking about 60,000 pounds

09:00 for this beautiful baby.

09:01 Just take this luxurious convertible out on the open road

09:04 and kick it down into action.

09:06 The exhilaration is truly thrilling,

09:08 yet the supportive but comfortable seats

09:10 offer a really relaxing experience on long journeys.

09:13 This is a car where you can't help but smile by driving.

09:16 The XK8 can make you feel good,

09:19 but if you need to sell,

09:20 here's where the negatives start to show.

09:22 This Jaguar is a heavy depreciator,

09:25 and you'll cry when you see how much the car

09:27 will lose in value from new over a few years.

09:30 (upbeat music)

09:38 Well, that's it for part one.

09:39 Stay with us for part two,

09:40 when we'll continue our countdown

09:42 towards the number one convertible of 2001.

09:45 See you in a couple of minutes.

09:46 (upbeat music)

09:49 Welcome back to the Top 10 Auto Show,

09:54 as we continue our countdown

09:55 of the top 10 convertibles of 2001.

09:58 (upbeat music)

10:01 At number four, we present a posh Swede,

10:07 and its name isn't Agnetta.

10:09 This is the Volvo C70 convertible,

10:11 another grand tourer from the same production lines

10:14 as the coupe version.

10:15 Both types boast loads of room,

10:17 even for rear passengers, plus there's a huge boot.

10:20 How did Volvo do it?

10:22 Just intelligent design that didn't compromise the styling.

10:25 The ride is excellent,

10:26 although don't expect the kind of driving dynamics

10:29 you enjoy with, say, a BMW 5 Series.

10:32 Now, you might not know it,

10:33 but performance isn't such a strange word to Volvo.

10:36 Years ago, they successfully rallied the old 240s.

10:39 They've had a cracking history

10:40 in the British Touring Car Championships,

10:42 and of course, they are the chosen motorway stormers

10:45 of our police force.

10:47 So powering the C70,

10:48 we get a fairly spicy five-cylinder turbocharged engine,

10:51 and that produces just under 200 brake horsepower,

10:55 but it's enough to get you to 60

10:56 in a little over eight seconds.

10:58 Just the thing when you need to rush home

11:00 to watch your favorite Swedish movies.

11:02 Now, when it comes to going topless,

11:04 some cars are better than others,

11:06 but the C70, well, it's not one of the better ones.

11:09 On a straight road or fairly subtle corners,

11:11 it's not too bad.

11:12 It's actually quite nice to drive,

11:14 but if you start to hurry it

11:15 and really push it through faster, sharper bends,

11:17 you're gonna scare yourself.

11:19 There's absolutely loads of body roll

11:20 and more flex than you'd get in a yoga instructor.

11:23 Now, if you're gonna buy the C70 Convertible

11:25 as a back lane stormer, you're gonna be disappointed,

11:28 but if you wanna cruise in comfort and style

11:30 with your family and friends, you're gonna be on a winner.

11:34 Who would have thought looking at this sleek cat

11:36 that Volvo once made a worthy but boring box on wheels?

11:40 This really is a great car,

11:42 which, though it lacks a bit of flair and cachet,

11:44 makes up by exuding quality and distinction.

11:48 When they tweak this car a bit,

11:49 more fun in the dynamic department, please, Volvo,

11:52 but overall, a great machine at number four.

11:55 (upbeat music)

11:58 (upbeat music)

12:01 Now we're into the top three, and here's another Peugeot.

12:11 This is the 306 Convertible at the number three position.

12:15 Here's a car which probably didn't have

12:16 a cabrio version in mind when it was first launched,

12:19 but slice off the top of the much-loved 306,

12:22 and it becomes a very handsome open-top machine.

12:24 Sharing the dynamic ability of the hatch version,

12:27 this is a cabrio which loves the twists and turns

12:30 and handles them brilliantly.

12:31 (upbeat music)

12:34 Precision steering helps the fun factor as well,

12:44 and when you see the highly affordable price tag,

12:47 Peugeot really have offered a very attractive package.

12:50 (upbeat music)

12:55 Of course, the 306 itself has been replaced by the 307,

12:58 which shows up many aspects of this car,

13:01 and you may be disappointed

13:02 by the pretty basic dashboard and switchgear.

13:04 If you're looking for fancy chrome fittings

13:06 and drilled aluminum pedals, you won't find them here.

13:09 What you will get, though,

13:11 is a very comprehensive level of standard kit,

13:13 and there's a pretty fast electric hood as well.

13:16 This isn't the fastest car in our top 10,

13:18 but the 1.8 engine does a decent enough job

13:21 to provide 112 brake horsepower,

13:23 which will be fine to pose on a summer's day.

13:26 But when you're not cruising,

13:27 the 306 is practically enough to be useful any day.

13:31 The 306 Cabriolet at number three.

13:33 (upbeat music)

13:36 Well, here's our number two car,

13:49 where you can get all the shiny bits you want,

13:52 the spectacular Audi TT.

13:54 Works as a design, both in coupe and roadster versions,

13:58 and is amazingly head-turning.

14:00 This car shows that you're a person of impeccable taste

14:03 and appreciate high-tech design.

14:05 It may not say you're a top driver, though.

14:07 This is a pretty heavy car,

14:09 and if you're expecting Boxster or even MX-5 thrills,

14:12 you won't get them here,

14:14 even with the 225 brake horsepower version.

14:17 So, how to describe it?

14:18 Well, I don't know, really.

14:19 It's a bit Beetle and a bit Porsche Boxster,

14:21 certainly in terms of the symmetry of it.

14:23 It's a bit Fritz Lang,

14:24 with a touch of Buck Rogers thrown in for good measure.

14:27 What I'm trying to say is it's modern.

14:29 Look at it.

14:30 Somehow, the roadster doesn't have the impact,

14:34 the completeness, the sheer beauty of the coupe,

14:36 certainly not at the sides and the rear, anyway.

14:39 And it's odd.

14:40 As you get older, you find yourself doing things

14:41 like buying shoes because they're comfortable,

14:44 frowning at girls who are wearing skirts

14:46 that are just too short,

14:47 and caring about things like boot space.

14:49 Maybe boring, but it is important.

14:51 In the case of the coupe,

14:52 you get a large and beautifully appointed boot

14:54 with very expensive carpet and lots of chrome fittings.

14:57 In the case of this, the roadster,

14:59 well, it's really rather a miserable little affair.

15:02 Look, bare metal.

15:04 Audi have gone the refined route here,

15:06 even muting the sporting sound out of the exhaust note.

15:09 The steering is nice and precise,

15:11 but could give a little more feedback.

15:13 But we're talking niggles here

15:15 because the Audi TT Roadster is a fantastic package

15:18 that will hold its value and give real ownership pleasure.

15:22 Well, hang on a second.

15:23 Who cares that it's as relaxed and easy to drive as a saloon?

15:26 Look at it.

15:27 It's a sports car.

15:28 I don't want relaxed.

15:30 Probably a better word for it is neutered.

15:32 It's certainly not the most involving drive

15:34 I've ever had from a sports car.

15:36 It is, however, based on the Audi A3 platform,

15:39 by which I think they're gonna take over the world

15:40 because you'll find that platform

15:42 underneath pretty much every car on the road today,

15:45 probably underneath your toaster and your dishwasher as well.

15:47 But it is good news

15:48 because it is a very, very good platform.

15:51 After all, sat behind the dash is just a thrill in itself,

15:54 admiring the design sense of the Audi team

15:56 who balanced up all the elements

15:58 of functionality with aesthetics.

16:00 Let's get one thing straight right from the very start.

16:02 These seats, they are not going to be standard.

16:05 They will be an optional extra.

16:07 They will not be to everyone's taste

16:09 because they look like baseball gloves.

16:11 But apart from that, the rest of the interior,

16:13 well, it's pretty much like the coupe version.

16:16 It's extremely stylish, very discreet,

16:18 and only the best materials are used throughout.

16:21 Also, there are some motifs repeated

16:23 that give it that extra special touch,

16:24 like these aluminum rings with these dimples in them.

16:27 They're everywhere, all over the place in here.

16:29 Standard equipment will include a CD auto changer,

16:32 air conditioning, and the electric roof.

16:44 Here's a car that's really very well built.

16:47 Audi have used the very best quality materials throughout,

16:50 and the car is so well screwed together,

16:52 it feels almost solid.

16:54 The Audi TT Roadster, number two in our chart.

16:57 So, before we reveal the number one car,

17:07 here's a rundown of the chart.

17:13 At number 10, it's the swish but expensive Mercedes CLK.

17:17 Number nine sees the convertible version of the Saab 9-3.

17:22 At number eight, the exciting Mazda MX-5.

17:25 At number seven, the cute and funky

17:27 Peugeot 206 Coupe Cabriolet.

17:30 Number six, it's the Renault Megane Cabriolet.

17:34 At number five, the gorgeous Jaguar XK8 convertible.

17:38 At four, Volvo's spacious and luxurious C70.

17:42 Number three, and another Peugeot, the 306 convertible.

17:46 And at number two, the astonishing curves of the Audi TT.

17:50 So, let's reveal the number one open-top car of 2001.

17:54 At one, it's BMW right there at the top of the pile

18:03 with the fantastic 3 Series convertible.

18:05 The Cabriolet version may not have been revised

18:08 like the other models in the 3 Series range,

18:10 but this offers an excellent combination

18:12 of all the attributes a driver really wants

18:14 for open-top motoring.

18:16 Hooray, at last, a BMW bike.

18:19 Mind you, it'll still set you back 2,100 quid.

18:22 Now, let me just press this button here.

18:27 Now, if you reckon that BMW is a little underpowered,

18:33 driven as it is by these two knotted pieces

18:35 of string I call legs, then this BMW certainly isn't

18:38 because it's powered by a new three-litre engine

18:41 available throughout their range,

18:42 but we've decided to test it in this 3 Series Cabriolet.

18:45 For the simple reason you can still experience

18:47 the same wind in your hair as on the bike,

18:49 if not wind on your knees.

18:51 Even though they've had to add the heavy strengthening

18:54 to the open version, the six-cylinder engines

18:56 are powerful enough to give sufficient power

18:58 under the pedal to give enjoyment on the open road

19:01 with good acceleration, pin-sharp handling,

19:04 and the refinement that comes as second nature to BMW.

19:07 This has to be unbeatable if you're looking

19:09 for quality Cabriolet motoring.

19:11 One characteristic you'd expect to find

19:13 in nearly all of the bigger four-seater convertibles

19:15 is scuttle shake.

19:17 No, it's not a '70s disco dart.

19:19 It's actually to do with the rigidity of the car.

19:22 Think about it, you chop the roof off,

19:23 that's a big old lump of tin that used to be there

19:25 to brace it, and as a result, without it,

19:27 the whole thing can twist and shake,

19:28 which makes it very difficult for the suspension to cope.

19:31 Well, in this, they've actually improved it by 20%

19:34 over the previous convertible, which is already pretty good.

19:36 So it's not at all bad.

19:38 That said, there's no way is it ever gonna be

19:40 as good as the tin top coupe or saloon.

19:43 The 3 Series is practical as well,

19:45 as it seats four comfortably.

19:47 The middle rear is a bit of a squeeze,

19:49 and with the roof up, you can shove the roof container

19:51 out of the way to make decent luggage space.

19:54 And here's something really clever.

19:56 In any soft top, you're gonna lose a bit of boot space,

19:58 because when the top itself is down,

20:00 it's gotta go somewhere, and usually,

20:02 they cut into your boot space area, so we lose a bit here,

20:04 and that's the case with the BMW.

20:06 But, and this is where it's clever,

20:08 if you're gonna leave your top up and you're going away,

20:10 you wanna put a few suitcases in it,

20:12 lift this lever, push it here, compress that space,

20:15 and voila, we have more boot space.

20:18 Clever.

20:19 In fact, this could be said to be one of your few chances

20:22 to please everybody in life.

20:24 For the show-off in you,

20:25 well, it's a convertible, isn't it?

20:26 Drop top.

20:27 For the family man or woman, it's a four-seater.

20:29 Very practical.

20:30 For the accountant, BMW convertibles

20:32 hold their value very well.

20:34 For the driver, well, it's rear-wheel drive

20:35 with that fantastic new three-liter engine, a real peach.

20:38 For the snob, well, it's a BMW badge, isn't it?

20:41 That said, it's not perfect,

20:42 because it can't be said to be class-leading

20:44 in every one of those fields,

20:46 but it is quite probably the best compromise,

20:48 and life is, after all, about compromise.

20:51 Otherwise, Einstein would have been born

20:53 looking like Marilyn Monroe.

20:54 The roof is really thick and snug-fitting,

20:58 and you get a decent glass window,

21:00 not a nasty, scratchy, plastic one,

21:03 and you get good kit for your money.

21:06 BMW bang on about their cars being driver's car,

21:09 rear-wheel drive being the best thing for real drivers,

21:11 but the other important point is, sitting in the cabin,

21:14 everything's aimed at me, literally.

21:16 Everything's pointing at me, me, me, the driver.

21:18 I'm the important one.

21:19 Down on the fascia in the center console,

21:21 everything's aimed at me.

21:23 Even the steering wheel is specially for me.

21:25 I've got special controls for everything,

21:27 and it looks and feels great.

21:29 I feel important.

21:30 (upbeat music)

21:33 - As with all Cabriolets, it's always best

21:38 to buy in the winter when few need them,

21:40 and sell in the summer when demand is high.

21:43 Do watch where you park, as thieves think

21:45 these cars are easy to break into, and Bob's your uncle.

21:48 Enjoy your wind-in-the-hair experience.

21:50 (upbeat music)

21:53 I hope you've enjoyed this week's Chart Rundown.

21:59 Join me, Dave Lee Travis, next week,

22:01 when I'll reveal the top 10 coupes.

22:03 See you then.

22:04 (upbeat music)

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22:35 [BLANK_AUDIO]

The Top Ten Auto Show: Season 2, EP. 7 - Convertibles (2001)

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