Problem. It’s a balmy summer night and you’re all hot and sticky. Solution. Ooze your way to the freezer and crack a few cubes of ice into a tumbler laced with mint, honey, lime and soda water. Oh yeah, and a shot of vodka. Don’t forget the vodka. Result. A satisfying yet all too brief shutdown of the nuclear meltdown erupting inside your body’s core. Alternative. You pick up a set of car keys and head out towards the door of your garage.

Throwing it open you blip a switch, drop a hood and storm through a city of neon as the nocturnal air sweeps your skin, banishing sweat like god’s own air conditioner. Relief. With that supernova averted I think it’s time to restate my assumption. Convertibles are the best way to keep cool in a heat wave with this lot being the very best of the breed. From radical supercars to modern throwbacks to the roadsters of yesteryear, say hello to this year’s must have toys of summer. Conclusion. Rolling topless has never been better.

Audi R8 V10 Spyder: R2 169 140

Perfect For:

Auto trendsters and men who live by the mantra, “She’ll love me for what I drive.”

Ragtop Résumé:

Driven by Iron Man, the Audi R8 Spyder is perhaps one of the sexiest supercars doing the rounds at the moment. Just as brilliant to drive as its Coupé sister, this roofless wonder takes you closer to that eargasmic V10 engine than ever before thanks to the fitment of a folding fabric hood. Stowing neatly behind the seats in a scant 19-seconds, losing it turns the frenzy of pumping pistons into your own personal rock concert. A Bang and Olufsen sound system may come standard but believe you me you’ll never want to use it. Finished off with matte silver air vents and LED headlamps, droptops are seldom more desirable. Whatever you do be sure to not spec that nasty R-Tronic gearbox.

Most Awesome Feature:

A hands-free microphone built into the seatbelt that allows you to talk with the top down at 200km/h. Good thing, because once you’re seen in this your phone won’t stop ringing.

BMW Z4 sDrive35is: R770 500

Perfect For:

People who think the Porsche Boxster and Audi TT are a little passé.

Ragtop Résumé:

Stupid name, wicked car, the big bad daddy of the BMW Z4 range finally puts an end to all those limp-wristed wisecracks thanks to a hearty serving of turbocharged whupass. Admittedly it doesn’t look any quicker than its lesser Z4 cousins but the presence of those little “is” badges (last seen on legendary gusheshe of the late ‘80s) means that’ll rip apart nearly any other car foolish enough to challenge it when stopped at the traffic lights. Effortlessly fast when you want it to be, Beemer’s shark of the road looks every bit as racy standing still with a snout and headlamp arrangement that’s positively evil. Get one licked in Alpine White with lashings of black leather and you’ll never get out of it.

Most Awesome Feature:

Special sound flaps in the Z4’s exhaust system that gives it the power to growl louder that Panjo the tiger. Find yourself a long tunnel and unleash the beast.

Porsche Boxster Spyder: R755 000

Perfect For:

Keen drivers who fancy themselves as the modern-day James Dean

Ragtop Résumé:

Paying homage to the 550 Spyder that rocked the ‘50s race scene, this stripped out rocket is the fastest road-going Boxster that Porsche has ever produced. A stellar example of binge dieting done right, a team of Stuttgart gurus scorched away its Americano fat (think aircon, cup holders, radio) to show the world what real topless thrills are all about. And, finished off with aluminum doors and a scant canvas roof that’ll no doubt disintegrate inside an automated carwash, it turns out that they’re pretty damn good. Lighter, quicker and stickier through the corners, open-air motoring doesn’t get much sharper than this.

Most Awesome Feature:

There are two here. Namely the ‘60s style Porsche logo on its sides and those double boot deck humps that give a nod to the 718 RS 60 Spyder. Very subtle, very nice…

Lotus Elise S: R450 000

Perfect For:

Speed-thirsty mavericks that take a perverse pleasure in being different

Ragtop Résumé:

A sports car that makes even the aforementioned Porsche seem somewhat decadent, the barebones Elise S will only ever find favour with a special breed of driver. You know, the sort of person whose idea of a good time would be to stomp through some desolate tundra with survival superstar Bear Grylls. Yup, they’re prepared to live with this Lotus’s rough ride, stingy specification and overall lack of refinement because they know that doing so will lead to all sorts of reward when they eventually steer it down the right road. Indeed, lightweight and blessed with the acceleration of sprinter Usain Bolt, the Elise S handles with all the precision and poise of a racing car. Compromised, yes, but biblically good.

Most Awesome Feature:

That fold-up canvas roof. It’s like the motoring world’s very own Rubik’s Cube

Mazda MX-5: R350 880

Perfect For:

Purists who want classic roadster kicks delivered in a modern package

Ragtop Résumé:

Harking back to the decade that gave us New Order and the Casio Databank watch (now highly collectable by the way), the little MX-5 is perhaps one of the best mainstream roadsters ever made. Of course it’s come a long way from the original pop-up-lights model that debuted in 1989 but today it still delivers the same exquisite handling that’s made it such a firm favorite with cash-conscious driving enthusiasts. Unfortunately, thanks to its rather cutesy design cues, the little MX-5 has developed a reputation for being something of a hairdresser’s car – a tag that it certainly doesn’t deserve. So if you’re of the Y-chromosome, you better be man enough to be the butt of endless jokes.

Most Awesome Feature:

That chassis. It’ll take a much pricier machine to beat this Mazda through the bends