Summer is in full swing and that means one thing: convertible season is upon us.  While a convertible can be any ol’ drop top, a cabriolet has a specific definition, namely a convertible that seats at least four.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class Cabriolet, which comes as an E350 and an E550, is such a vehicle.  Going against the trend of a power-operated retractable hardtop convertible, this is a true ragtop and it looked beautiful.  Our gun-metal grey cabrio arrived with a beautiful blue cloth roof and it was a sight to be …

Spring is in the air and it’s our custom at Executive Road Warrior to put the roof down.  What better car to welcome the return of sunshine and warm weather than the Nissan 370Z.
The Nissan 370Z roadster traces its lineage back to the vaunted Datsun 240Z
New for 2010, the elegant yet muscular roadster is the perfect reason to drive to your next meeting.  Despite an industry trend towards hardtop convertibles, the 370Z sports a soft top that keeps the weight down and requires less space for storage.  The top can …

While the old adage ‘if it ain’t broke don’t fix it’ may be applicable to some brands, the people at Infiniti chose to throw that logic out the window with their 2011 QX brand where sales were already up 200% in 2010.  Infiniti took their tag line of “inspired performance” to task by focusing updates on several areas – most impressively with their technology – and executed pretty successfully.
I was able to experience this change myself when I test drove the car during a visit to Louisville, Kentucky.  The …

At the Acura ZDX’  introduction at the New York Auto Show last year, Acura vice president Jeff Conrad opined that the car “takes the best attributes of a stylish coupe, a versatile sedan, and a flexible SUV,  and successfully blends them into a head-turning vehicle for active and adventurous individuals to explore their passions.”
My introduction to the 2010 Acura ZDX was a bit different – and more painful. The car’s plunging roofline, an increasingly popular yet still daring design, greatly inhibits entry via the rear doors.  The design of the …

South Korean carmakers Hyundai and Kia (both owned by the same parent company) are relatively new entrants to the U.S. market and come from a country where the population values technology over performance.
While some may find the tall greenhouse awkward, the Kia Forte, created in the company’s California design studio, isn’t objectionable and it is certainly clean and uncluttered.  It is offered in three trim levels and the EX can be specified with a fuel economy package that boosts fuel economy.  Our test car was the top level Forte …

There’s no mistaking a Corvette – be it from 1953 or 2010 – with any other car on the road.  For me, the 2010 Corvette Convertible’s silhouette with the top down is the best representation of a true American icon.
Pressing the ignition button gives the driver a taste of what is to come as the engine comes to life with a mighty roar.  After such an auspicious start, it was difficult to just drive on city streets (although the ride was surprising smooth and refined) so I made it a …

For well over a decade, Cadillac has been an afterthought for many luxury car buyers in the market it helped create since its founding in 1902.
The new Cadillac CTS-V harkens back to the company’s reputation for luxury and precision engineering. Eight years ago Cadillac introduced the Cadillac CTS, the first car to bear its razor sharp “Art and Science” design language, to great acclaim
The CTS-V is the second generation of that concept (a completely new CTS was introduced for model year 2008) and executes so well on this concept …

MERCEDES-BENZ SL600
The SL roadster has been in the Mercedes lineup since 1957. Now in its fifth generation, the SL has featured a retractable hardtop since 2003.  According to Mercedes lore, the original 300SL roadster was created with the Southern California market in mind.
The SL was updated in 2009 and features a sporty new front fascia that is intended to connect visually with the 300SL.   Inside the elegant but slightly cramped cockpit, a new three-spoke steering wheel heralds a new variable-ratio steering system that makes the car very responsive on …

The Audi Q7, first introduced as a 2007 model, shares a platform with the Volkswagen Touareg and the Porsche Cayenne and is definitely the best looking of the three. Resembling more of a tall station wagon than anything else, it appears smaller than it really is. Its mammoth proportions (it is one of the largest and heaviest vehicles in its class) don’t really sink in until you are behind the wheel and you look out over the hood.
Despite its heft, handling is still reasonably nimble if the optional …

BMW introduced its first roadster, the 315/1, in 1934 at the Berlin Motor Show.  The 315 featured a long engine compartment, a six-cylinder motor, two sports seats, and a speedometer that went up to 150 km/h.   The result? Instant Freude am Fahren (Joy of Driving, BMW’s tagline).
After selling 230 roadsters, BMW introduced the more powerful 319/1 variant with similar styling, selling 178.  The 328 Roadster followed in 1936, becoming one of the fastest cars on the road (with a top speed of 155 km/h).  Only 464 units were built until …