What you see above is a concept sketch for a MINI roadster model entitled the MINI Speedster. As you can see, it has all of the iconic MINI features in addition to a convertible top. A physical version of the sketch is said to make its debut at this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show which is right around the corner.

In terms of a release date, WorldCarFans have learned from an official that both the MINI Speedster and a MINI Coupe will enter into production for the 2011 model year and will be available everyone MINIs are currently offered.

Continue reading...

2009 marks the Mazda Miata’s 20th Anniversary and, to celebrate, Mazda has announced that they will be releasing a special 20th Anniversary edition of it in Japan.

Entitled in Japan as the 20th Anniversary Special Edition Roadster, this car will start at around $30,000 (or ¥2,860,000). Spec wise the car will be based on the Roadster RS and feature a retractable soft-top, and a 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.

Additionally, the car will be outfitted with a bunch of 20th Anniversary badges, 17-inch wheels and Recaro bucket seats.

via WorldCarFans

Continue reading...

According to recent reports, Lamborghini has begun previewing their Reventon Roadster to select clients today. No confirmation has come from Lambo themselves but if previous rumors are to be believed the Reventon Roadster will be a drop-top convertible version of the Reventon supercar we see hit the market some time ago.

Spec wise again there is no official word, but if it features an engine similar to the regular Lamborghini Reventon we are are looking at at least 640HP, if not more.

Wondering how you get to be one of those select clients or how much the Reventon Roadster will cost? Well, as the saying goes, if you have to ask…

via Carsuk

Continue reading...

Nissan North America officially unveiled the prices of its latest vehicle which comes in two available models, the 2010 370Z Roadster. Coming out this September, the suggested price are as follows:

• 370Z Roadster 6MT – $36,970
• 370Z Roadster 7AT – $38,720

There are likewise two touring models coming out. The only difference is that these two other models carry a 6CD Bose audio system, XM Satellite Radio, Bluetooth Hands-free Phone System, HomeLink Universal Transceiver, aluminum-trimmed pedals and power leather-appointed heated and cooled ventilated net seats. With these features, the models are priced accordingly:

• 370Z Roadster 6MT – $40,520
• 370Z Roadster 7AT – $41,820

(Source) Press

Continue reading...

Tesla is pround to announce that their NYC debut store will officially open this Friday, July 17th at 511 W. 25th Street.

AutoBlogGreen reports that the store will showcase Tesla’s all-new 2010 Roadster along with the Roadster Sport. What’s more, Bank of America has announced that they will be providing Tesla with financing that will be sure to provide some security for potential buyers.

This is great news for Tesla as they begin to open stores all over the world. Any bets on where a Tesla store will pop up next?

Continue reading...

Nissan has recently taken the time to announce a convertible version of the 370Z, the 370Z Roadster — As you can see above this car will feature a nice drop top that any buyer is sure to enjoy in the nice weather.

The car will reportedly run you $37,690 for the base model with 6-speed manual transmission. If you’re going to opt for the 7-speed automatic you will be paying $38.990. Additionally there are various luxuries available such as heated and cooled leater seats, Bose stero system, Bluetooth phone connectivity, Homelink and aluminum pedals.

Don’t think you’ll be getting all of those nice things for free, however, as you’re looking at $40,520 with the manual transmission and $42,540 with automatic. Hey, it costs to live life large.

Read (Autoblog)

Continue reading...

E-Rod Roadster

The E-Rod electric roadster is the newest creation from German design firm Mileworks. Scheduled to go on sale Spring 2010, the new E-Rod has an advanced electric powertrain with a twin motor design churning out 230hp and 2,100Nm of torque. This twin motor design allows one motor to power each axle, which in turn provides four-wheel-drive capability.

A 32kWh battery is said to give the vehicle a range of over 120mi (200km) and uses a typical 240V and a 10-16amp European household power outlet so charging times should not take longer than 12 hours. This 1,000 pound retro-styled roadster that seats two will accelerate from 0-100km/h in five seconds and can reach a top speed of 200km/h. Full production details are  not yet confirmed, but Mileworks hopes to build 1,500 examples of the E-Rod next year and price it under $84,000

Continue reading...

Just in case Pagain’s Zonda Cinque wasn’t expensive enough, Pagani has gone ahead and announced the Zonda Cinque Roadster.

Despite having a €1.3 million price tag, underneath the hood buyers will find some very enticing goodies. It sports an AMG tuned engine capable of 678HP and a 0-100km/h sprint of just 3.4 seconds. Match that with the ceramic-coated titanium exhaust, traction control, six-speed sequential transmission, 19/20-inch aluminum, mangesium wheels and carbo-ceramic brakes you find yourself with a car fit for a king.

If by some stretch of the imagination you have enough money to purchase one of these you better pull some strings because there will be only 5 of them made.

Continue reading...

Porsche 914

With Porsche’s current financial troubles, one suggestion for additional income would be the introduction of a new entry-level roadster built along the lines of the Porsche 914 of the late 1960s and early 1970s. Porsche research and development chief Wolfgang Dürheimer denied claims the company was working on such a car, however German media is reporting that it’s still a possibility.

Speaking with Automobilwoche, Porsche production manager Michael Macht said the car could be as priced as low as €33,000 to €35,000. He went on to explain that this would not fit in with the company’s current market position but it could if a fifth model line was added. If it became a reality, the baby roadster would likely be a joint effort between Porsche and VW.

Continue reading...

Despite being put on hold in the middle of last month, Volkswagen was recently quoted to say that their BlueSpor troadster is ready to go into production and would cost around $30,000.

There’s not even solid word on if the BlueSport roadster will ever make it off the production line but AutoBlog is reporting that if it does it will find its way into US dealerships as early as 2013.

For those not paying attention, VW’s BlueSport roadster will get an estimated 42 miles per gallon diesel fuel and features a turbo-chared, direct-injected engine. All I know is that I’d definitely choose this vehicle over the similarly priced all-electric iMiEV anyday.

Continue reading...

Tesla and Lotus have together issued a recall regarding 2008 Roadster’s and 2009 Elise and Exiges.

The official recall notice points to the fact that the rear hube flange bolts on some of the 345 Roadsters produced in 2008 may not have been properly torqued which could lead to decreasingly worse vehicle handling and a rubbing noise from the back of the vehicle. The rubbing noise obviously isn’t a big deal but a car with decreased handling poses all sorts of safety hazards.

If you didn’t know, Lotus provides Tesla with some engineering, mainly the Roadster’s main chassis which shares some parts with their Elise and Exige models thus leaving them to issue a similar recall.

Continue reading...

BRUSA Spyder

The Swiss company, BRUSA, that specializes in components for electric vehicles, has just revealed a new all-electric roadster known as the Spyder. The car’s origin actually started out as a university thesis for the engineering school of Buchs NTB in Switzerland, but with support from BRUSA, we could possibly see it competing against other electric sports cars such as the Tesla Roadster.

The body design is influenced from a number of sources. The Spyder is not quite as quick as the Tesla Roadster but will still do 62mph in less than six seconds with a top speed of more than 125mph. The battery has a capacity of 16kWh, which can get the Spyder over a distance of 80 miles when traveling at an average speed of 50mph. It will take three hours to charge the battery to 60% but a solar lay out on the roof helps speed this process up. No word yet on production.

Continue reading...

VW Bluesport Concept

Volkswagen has revealed it might not go ahead with plans to build the new Bluesport roadster. The news came from VW’s communications manager Christian Haacke at the launch of the new 2010 Polo, reports Drive. “The state we are at right now regarding Concept Bluesport is we are carefully calculating how to earn money with a niche car,’ said Haacke. “It is a niche product and especially in crisis times like this it will be a challenge to come up with a volume we could require to earn money with it.”

Still, Haacke is hopeful that the roadster may come to life once the economy pulls out of its tailspin. “The idea of a small two-seater sport car has been around for a really long time and I hope that the concept Bluesport will finally make it through the calculators,” he said. The Bluesport roadster concept isn’t just a sporty two-seater – it has real eco-credibility as well. It is powered by a 2.0L four-pot turbodiesel, puts out 180hp (134kW) and achieved 60mph in 6.2 seconds, all while managing 35mpg.

Continue reading...

MG TF

Under SAIC’s ownership, the line of British-built MG roadsters has been brought back to life, beginning with the currently-available TF LE-500, and before long to be joined by an updated version of the TF 135. Those familiar with MG’s UK operations will remember the TF 135 model name, and the vast majority of the car itself, from 2005, when MG was still MG Rover, before it was bought out by the Chinese.

The car returning to the British market is for the most part the same and will feature a 1.8L 16-valve K-series engine rated at 135hp (100kW). A different model, an 85th anniversary edition, will also be joining the TF lineup soon, getting an upgraded suspension treatment with Bilstein shocks, shorter springs, new anti-torsion elements and upgraded anti-roll bars.

Continue reading...

Bad news for people who were looking to find comfort on the 2010 Lotus Evora. Though many expected it to be a car built for 4, it looks like it will only be built for two.

Lotus plans to keep the Evora hype going by adding new features to the car each year – including a paddle-shift gearbox and a high-performance supercharged variant – culminating in a roadster model in 2012. However, to make room for the convertible top, Lotus engineers had to do away with the Evora’s rear seat.

“It’s not going to be easy to fit the roof in,” Steve Crijns, the Evora’s exterior designer, told Autocar. “It will have to go in front of the engine, where the rear seats are now. The rest of the car has been designed with the cabrio in mind; the doors, for instance, are styled so that they can accommodate the system without any changes.”

Crijns also revealed the Evora will do with a soft top rather than a retractable hardtop. The decision to use a more conventional soft top will not only save on engineering time but will also keep the car’s weight down.

(Source) Left Lane News

Continue reading...