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I just returned from the press launch of a certain, shall we say unexpected convertible. The kind of vehicle that makes you stop and wonder what’s being put in the water at a certain product planning department. Look for a review tomorrow, but in the meantime, as a kind of innoculation, consider this Subaru STI drop-top modified for Manchester Subaru. It’s one thing to chop the top off a car that doesn’t lend itself to convertible versions, but it’s quite another to add picnic basket-handle roll bars and then top it all off with a huge rear spoiler. It’s no Transvertible, but death is still too good for this little monster.
33 Comments on “What’s Wrong With This Picture: Put That Top Back On Edition...”
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Another page from the “answers to questions no one asked file.”
On the other hand, if this were a coupe, everybody would be happy.
Yuck. That simply doesn’t work – either from an aesthetic standpoint or a practical one. The PT Cruiser convertible was kind of in the same league – a car not designed to be a convertible – ever! Let alone this. Which leads me to believe you will see this at your friendly neighborhood Subaru dealer – soon!
Manchester Subaru is about 15-20 miles from me. I have to stop and check this awesome ugliness out in person!
I actually like the look of the current Impreza Hatchback, but I have to say that this is one strange conglomerate of a vehicle.
Is that roll bar structural or cosmetic? If the latter, any side collision will fold that WRX up like a tin can.
Are these selling well?
IDK, but the side curtain airbags would have been removed with the roof, so it may not matter much.
The roll bar is a structural part of the original unibody. That’s why whoever did the conversion couldn’t chop it off.
A guy near here who does some road testing for newspapers posted pics on Facebook of a Nissan Murano convertible, which looks exactly like what that sounds like, a Nissan Murano with its top cut off. It reminds me of the “parade car” cut-down Caddy sedans and 4-door hardtops I see now and then.
http://homepages.tscnet.com/pmadsen/muranoj.jpg
I suspect that’s the “unexpected convertible” Niedermeyer is referring to.
Pictures of someone looking a lot like our esteemed editor driving a Murano convertible have circulated on Facebook as well.
I saw the Murano choptop at the Chicago show. The only way it could be tolerable to look at would be if Ms. McBigbra and Ted’s significant other were sitting in the car.
My Subaru rattles like a empty paint can full of old bolts, and that’s with the “ring shaped reinforcement” still intact. I’d hate to think what this will sound after five years of road use now they’ve hacked the major structural bits out.
I am 100% with you on this comment… my 2010 Forester (13K miles now) has so many rattles I cannot even count them all. I simply cannot imagine removing most of what holds the bloody car together!
My 2006 WRX Limited wagon does not have a single rattle after 100,000 miles. Wind noise? Now that is another matter.
I apologize for my homestate. Currently, we aren’t the most logical state in the nation. We are getting a lot of publicity, though…
Nah, we are the most logical state. However Manchester is not the most logical city.
The state motto always needed a little tweaking in my opinion – Instead of “Live Free or Die” – I always thought “Live Free AND Die” was more appropriate. And NH took it seriously. I did undergrad at Saint Anselm – no sales tax, no motorcycle helmet (did make you wear eye protection the oppressive bastards) or seatbelts required. Smoke ’em if you got ’em – in bars and restaurants (yummy!). The 1:45 AM “last call” always caught me by surprise. All in all a really cool place to live –
No more drugs for the designer/builder of this mess he full up
Reminds me of a similar bad idea I saw at the Milwaukee Auto show this week: a Chrysler 300 convertible. Gotta say, it looked great but also gotta think that its life expectancy was shortened considerably by the chop job.
Marty,
A few years ago ASC did a fully engineered 4 door 300 convertible concept called the Helios that ASC claimed was stiffer than the hardtop, but according to reports circa 2006 Chrysler had decided to go with Magna Steyr. I don’t know if any were ever made.
yes, but you left the really fun part out. You can have this car for XX,XXX.00 or a new Corvette or low side Porsche…and wouldn’t you rather this than a Boxster…or if you want four seats, a decently optioned 335
No ?
I live mebbe 2 miles from Manchester Subie. Connecticut has had a very troubling snow season, and only now are some residents creeping out of their igloos looking all white and crazed. Someone probably made this in his basement over the loooong winter.
Sorry, this is Subaru of Manchester, New Hampshire, not Connecticut. It was made by some Manchvegas cr4ckhe4d who thinks they can get $75,000 for it.
This is Manchester Subaru in Manchester, NH. A few minutes down the road from my house and several hundred miles north of Manchester, Connecticut.
If you think your winters are bad…lol.
So is this why there are no 4-door convertibles?
AFAIK the only 4-door convertible is the Lincoln Continental…
Well, lots of stuff in the 20s, 30s, and 40s was available as a 4-door convertible.
And, if you want to be generous, there is the Wrangler Unlimited right now.
No one ever bought a Subaru for looks. But heck, even Barbra Streisand got married.
Covertible – check
Seats 4 – check
0-60mph in 4.7sec – nice, check
All wheel Drive – Awesome
Manual Trans – check
4 doors!! – WTF
Almost … back to looking at Mustang GT’s. I’m sure the Subaru is overpriced anyway.
Looks like the bastard son of a Legacy wagon and a mid-80s VW Golf Cabro…..
The critter would look stupendous atop concrete blocks so if ever sold in this area I would expect to either be a top-seller or attain the rank of most-stolen vehicle in these parts.
Ill only buy it if I can get it with gold rims. Hopefully one of the other 4 they are making will have this option.
“This is the first of five STi convertibles to be built for Manchester Subaru.”
http://www.manchestersubaru.com/test.htm
Some how they also make this claim; “Progress is a wonderful thing.” I would love to know what they mean by “progress”, because the only explanation I can think of involves Darwinism.
Oh dear lord!! This is about 10 minutes from my house in Bedford. Why oh why would you do this to an STI!!? The roll bar!! EWW!
No no no no no no no no NO. If I were a millionaire I might buy all 5 and then have them crushed.