[sokoloff]

I've got a coupe, so I know it well. I'm considering a cabriolet and want to know what differences there are and what things I need to consider/know. Is the cabriolet top just one thickness of canvas between you and the elements or is there some kind of interior liner? In the coupe, the tail gate has a compartment to store the charging cable. I think on the cabriolet that compartment is used to store the side rails. Is that correct and if so, is there a place to store the charging cable? What issues have you found with the cabriolet that may not be issues with the coupe?

Thanks.

Len
2014 EV

 

[MB DNA]

Is the cabriolet top just one thickness of canvas between you and the elements or is there some kind of interior liner? In the coupe, the tail gate has a compartment to store the charging cable. I think on the cabriolet that compartment is used to store the side rails. Is that correct and if so, is there a place to store the charging cable? What issues have you found with the cabriolet that may not be issues with the coupe?

451 ED cabrio does have interior headliner. It does not have tailgate EVSE storage as it is configured for rails and there is no alternate place to "store" cable as with the ED coupe.

451 ED cabrio is noisier (both wind and road) than coupe which might distract from the EV silent running.

On the other hand, you live in a mild climate so the top will be back most of the time adding that "kewl" factor while not using any battery power to cool/heat the interior!

451 ED cabrio may not be as easy to load up that Costco shopping cart as a coupe hatch but no real issues, just a matter of taste.

 

[10470]

Exactly as MB DNA stated.

I have a few additional comments, having first had two gas coupes, and now a Cabrio ED.

The Cabrio only seems noisier to me when the top is up. When it's open, it seems quiet, even on the freeway.

I learned that top-up wind noise is reduced significantly if you had previously closed the top while at a standstill rather than at speed. It might seal better that way?

Anyway, prior to buying it, I thought the extra noise might be an issue… but it's not a deal-breaker.

I'm fair-skinned, and need to avoid strong daytime sun. So I thought I wouldn't get much value from the Cabrio. Wrong! If it's hot outside, I still crack open the roof by several inches, giving a nice quiet airflow without baking me in the process. The extra draft created by cracking the roof just a few inches is amazing, and really reduces AC usage on warmer days. The roof is a lot more versatile than you might anticipate. In the early morning, late afternoon, and evening, the top always goes down. I never bother to remove the side rails.

With the top down, your rearward visibility is limited to about one-third of the upper portion of your cabin rearview mirror. I had thought this might be a problem, but it's not. If I need to back out of a parking situation and need better visibility, I just raise the roof to its first position so that the rear window is fully usable. When the top is up, there's never a problem.

I wondered if I might miss the coupe's panoramic roof, but I don't. The cabin is so tall, and there's so much glass already that it doesn't make it seem dark inside the Cabrio. Actually, it may stay a little cooler with the top up, which is important to me since I often have a canine companion riding shotgun. On the same subject of staying cool, I do like the Cabrio because I can leave the top cracked open in parking lots which keeps hot air from building up inside as much.

Because the Cabrio is tall AND has side rails, I don't worry as much about vandalism and security as I used to when I had low sports cars. Somebody couldn't slash the Cabrio top and simply reach in quickly to unlock it or grab something.

The Cabrio roof is very nicely finished in/out. At the rear, the lift-up feature of the window for loading really gives you excellent access. Overstuffed grocery bags slide right in with no problem! And I suppose, in theory, that you could load even more big/tall stuff (than in the coupe) if you were to put the Cabrio top down. And you could also load longer items by raising the rear window into its 'fixed raised' position, unlike the coupe which would require tying down the glass to do the same feat.

So far, the benefits of a Cabrio outweigh any downside, but they're both still great options!

 

[MB DNA]

I never bother to remove the side rails.

stevenvillatoro's comments are spot on!

Our rails generally stay on because of the flexibility that Steven describes!

Rails come off when you are headed to Cars and Coffee and want to scream THIS IS A TRUE CONVERTIBLE not a Fiat cabrio wanna be . . .

 

[DowneasTTer]

One of the big things I love about the cabrio is you can lower the top to first positive by using the key. That way you can get some of that built up heat out before getting in. To me if the top doesn't go down it's not worth owning. When living in Maine I had four soft tops. Now in FL down to three. Love them all.

 

[Mike T]

In the diesels, the coupé has massive engine noise but it's muted in the cabriolet. Wind noise is, however, worse in the cabriolet. The soft top makes the car so much more fun and versatile. I have stuffed my Cervélo racing bike in the car behind the seats sticking up vertically with the top down and two in the car. I'd not want a hardtop smart.