Italian cars are some of the most desirable vehicles on the planet. They are the best looking, make the best engine noises, and have the most exquisitely designed interiors which scream elegance and style. Take the roof off any of them, and they instantly become better in every way.
Convertibles are not only stylish pieces of machinery to get from one place to another, but rather a vessel to experience the joys of driving while also getting some fresh air. More importantly, the lack of a roof also allows the driver and passengers to experience the pure, unadulterated sound of the exhaust – accentuated if the car in question is a Ferrari, Lamborghini, or Maserati. These cars – especially the older ones – illicit emotions that make the driver want to push the car to the limit, getting the most out of the raucous V8 or screaming V12. Italian cars just have this manner about them that makes them infinitely desirable – regardless of their reliability.
So, whether it is a classic Ferrari, modern Fiat, or mid-2000s Maserati, Italian convertibles simply cannot be beaten in the soulful department by anything from Germany, Britain, France, America, or Japan. With that, here are ten of the most desirable Italian cabriolets ever made.
10 Alfa Romeo Spider
The Alfa Romeo Spider is one of the most recognizable Italian convertibles on the planet, with around 120,000 units produced between 1966 and 1994. The original Spider was based on the beautiful 1956 Alfa Romeo S3000 CM Superflow concept car, sharing much of its design elements.
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The Spider was available with a series of Twin Cam inline-4 engines, starting with the 1.3-liter Junior trim which made 88 hp, and ending with the 1.8-liter Spider Veloce, which produced 116 hp. The Alfa Romeo Spider is a gorgeous piece of Italian design that is quite desirable thanks to its relatively cheap cost.
9 Fiat Barchetta
The Fiat Barchetta was a small convertible car sold by Italy’s largest auto manufacturer between 1995 and 2005. It was based on the Fiat Punto’s platform and featured a 1.8-liter inline-4 producing 130 hp and 121 lb-ft of torque. All the power was sent to the front wheels via a 5-speed manual transmission.
The Fiat Barchetta was a surprisingly good little car, rivaling the Mazda MX-5 in terms of the fun factor. Granted, it was only front-wheel-drive, but its lightness and playfulness made it an awesome little car. Richard Hammond drove one across the Middle East, showcasing its remarkable reliability.
8 Ferrari 308 GTS
The Ferrari 308 GTS is best known for its stint on the detective show, Magnum P.I, driven by a mustachioed Tom Selleck. The 308 is one of the more affordable classic Ferraris as it developed some problems as it got older.
The 308 GTS was fitted with a 3.0-liter V8 – hence the name – but was also available as the 208 in Italy, with a 2.0-liter V8 to get around engine taxes. The 308 GTS makes for a great cruiser or project car – especially when all the electrics are sorted out.
7 Pagani Zonda F Roadster
The Zonda was Pagani’s first supercar and appeared in 1999. The Zonda remained in production until 2019, with occasional special editions or one-off versions being made. In 2005, a mostly re-engineered version of the Zonda was unveiled in the form of the Zonda F (named after Juan Manuel Fangio).
The Zonda F had the same engine, but new ECU and exhaust systems, bumping power to nearly 600 hp from the 7.3-liter AMG V12. The F Roadster debuted a year later and looked even better, gaining only 11 lbs over the coupe. The F Roadster also had 640 hp and was a beautiful work of art – both to look at and to drive.
6 Lamborghini Gallardo Spyder
Lamborghini is among the most popular automakers on the planet in terms of fantasies and dreams. Luckily for us motoring enthusiasts, the Italian carmaker builds less expensive cars which have now entered the more affordable realm – specifically the Gallardo.
The Gallardo was in production between 2003 and 2013, making it one of the longest production runs of any Lamborghini. It was available with a 5.0 and 5.2-liter V10, three different model refreshes, and a manual or automatic. The Gallardo Spyder is among the most desirable as it offers an open roof to hear the engine roar.
5 Maserati GranCabrio GTS
The Maserati GranCabrio was the convertible version of the regular GranTurismo, sharing engines and transmissions. The GranCabrio – and GranTurismo for that matter – was built on the same platform as the Quattroporte V, initially sharing the transaxle F1-Style automated manual transmission, before being converted to a conventional torque-converter automatic.
The GranCabrio has the same 4.2 and 4.7-liter V8s as the Quattroporte, resulting in one of the greatest V8 noises to ever exist being emitted – without interruption – right towards the occupant’s ears. It is a glorious orchestra of automotive brilliance.
4 Pagani Huayra Roadster
The Pagani Huayra was the successor to the Zonda – even though both cars were being produced at the same time. The Huayra is technically out of production, with only the Huayra R still being made. In 2017, Pagani introduced the Huayra Roadster, one of the most striking hypercars ever made.
The Huayra Roadster was powered by the same 6.0-liter twin-turbo AMG V12 as the regular Huayra, but this time boosted to more than 750 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque. All this power is sent to the rear wheels only via a 7-speed automated manual transmission. The Huayra Roadster is one of the most desirable Italian cabriolets ever made – as well as one of the most expensive.
3 Ferrari 458 Spider
The Ferrari 458 is, without a doubt, one of the best Ferraris of all time. The balance of the chassis which accompanies the naturally aspirated 4.5-liter V8 just makes for one of the most enjoyable supercars ever made – both for track work and simply cruising along the Italian Riviera.
Ferrari made the car even better by taking the roof off, adding to the car's appeal. Somehow, the 458 Spider was dynamically even better to drive than the Italia, with both Jeremy Clarkson and James May continuously praising its dynamics. The 458 Spider is a great car, in many ways even better than the 488 and F8 which succeeded it.
2 Lamborghini Murcielago Roadster
The Lamborghini Murcielago is considered by many to be among the best of the best Lamborghinis in history. It was fitted with the final iteration of the legendary Lamborghini V12, introduced in 1963 in the 350GT. The engine saw multiple reworks and updates but was still the same at heart for more than 47 years.
The Roadster was the best of the best of the Murcielago range, offering an open-top experience to the magnificent V12. Best of all? The Murcielago was the last big Lambo to still be offered with a manual transmission and well over 600 hp, massively adding to the appeal.
1 Ferrari 250 GT California
The Ferrari 250 range of cars includes some of the Prancing Horse’s most famous vehicles, including the 250 GT Lusso, the 250 GTO, and the 250 LM. Then, of course, there is the utterly gorgeous 250 GT California – a car produced specifically for the stylish and wealthy of sunny California.
The GT Cali was available in two different wheelbases – SWB and LWB – with the shorter version being the one to go for. It was fitted with the glorious Colombo V12 which displaced 3.0 liters – leading to the 250 cc (15.3 cubic inches) per cylinder capacity. The Ferrari 250 GT California is probably the most desired Italian cabriolet out there – even at the astronomical price.