I see this a lot; don’t fixate on wheelbase, look at your overall length. Your car with short overhang morphs was just 160” long (4.06m) which makes it shorter than every car on the inspriation list other than the VW, 4” (.1m) shorter than the Renault Alliance, which was very much a subcompact in the US market.
2 Likes
Thanks for the tip. By the way, you were right to reject my entry for looking too minimalistic on the outside, and not offering enough value for money compared to its closest competitors.
1 Like
I did read the top post and I understand the naming has to be “CSR147 - insert username here”, however I am not sure how exactly this is done. Like is the model name “CSR147” and the trim name “insert username here”?
It all goes together in the car model and engine family name; this helps the host easily see who’s car is who’s from the menu. What you put in the trim/variant category doesn’t matter, but most people just put their car’s/engine’s name there.
Ah thanks.
Reviews Section 2.1
To better inform their decision, Caitlin and Mary have amassed the latest bevy of convertible comparison tests.
VehicleMonth Magazine, March 1987 issue:
In this Issue: Convertible City Cars Compared!
If a bite-sized convertible is what you’re after, you’ve got three options for 1987: the Lance Compy Ericeira 1.6 GTi, the Matsuma Neo-R aerotop, and the Mara Zora 1.3t Kabriolet.
These two have a lot in common: they’re both sporty cars priced right around $18,000, they both have about 100 hp, they both weigh about 900 kg and they both have 5 speed transmissions. They also both make their fair share of compromises to deliver their fun in the sun at such a cheap price. The Lance’s roof must be completely removed and stowed to get the open top experience, and the engine, while a fun and peppy 16 valve unit, can be easily over-revved. It is reasonably well equipped though, with power steering and a sporty interior. While the Matsuma’s interior isn’t as sporty, fit and finish feel excellent, and it’s manual top folds away nicely. Overall we’d say the Matsuma’s interior is a nicer place to be… Until you’re moving, that is; combine a short wheelbase with wider tires and a stiff suspension we found driving the car for long stints simply unbearable. Out on the roads, the wide, sporty, Matsuma is the more dedicated sports machine of the two, but the Lance is a more measured approach, simply a punchy city car, complete with cheap running costs and great fuel economy, with a dash of sport added.
The Mara Zora isn’t quite in the same league as the other convertible city cars, but that’s not all bad news: starting with the price. At a mere $13,400, the Mara Zora Kabriolet brings affordable open-top experiences to the masses. Like the others, it’s based on the sportiest model in the Zora range, but sporty is relative when speaking of the ultra-cheap Zora, handling is adequate at best, and the 1.3 liter turbo motor is still 25 horsepower short of the others here. It’s hardly comfortable, not sporty, and with the carbureted turbo setup, not even all that economical. But then, what do you expect at this price? The Mara Zora unapologetically offers you a means of transportation with a folding roof that looks as cheap as it is. If that’s good enough for you, enjoy it, but for us, we’d rather spend more on something the gives you a bit more.
Rank:
- Lance Compy Ericeira 1.6 GTi @inf2
- Matusma Neo-R aerotop @mart1n2005
- Mara Zora 1.3t Kabriolet @AndiD
The Lance Compy is the winner of the city car comparison. It is the quickest, most comfortable, and the cheapest to run and fuel. However, in the grand scheme of Mary and Caitlin’s car search, all three options are too compromised for serious consideration.
13 Likes
Reviews Section 2.2
Vehicle Trends, August 1987 issue:
Country Club attitude on a Turkey Club Budget
Do these near-luxury ‘verts cut the mustard, or are they all bread and no filling?
Chevillic Marina 3.2L SE vs Marx Blackbird V6 vs Deer and Hunt Hawg vs Questtre - Quartre Roaster vs Lacam Furka TC V6 3.0 vs LaVoie Engarde 2.4 Cabriolet
The explosion in popularity of convertibles in the last few years is probably most notable in the near-luxury segment, and likely no car is more exemplary of this movement than the Chevillic Marina. An incredibly handsome, well-equipped, well-built, and reliable vehicle at a very attainable price of just $26,000, the Chevillac’s incredibly comfortable ride gives you the feeling of caviar at canned-tuna pricing; its affordable roots only showing through in its manual top and lazy driving dynamics. It’s been a sales success, but the larger and more modern Marx Blackbird seems poised to try to steal the Marina’s crown. These V6 powered front-drivers are quite similar on a spec sheet, and the Marx’s ride is just as pillowy sweet as the Chevillic, while it’s a bit more composed around town thanks to ABS, more modern suspension design, and a lighter curb weight. It doesn’t come with as much standard safety equipment and it too lacks a power top, but at just $27,200 it’s still quite a bargain.
For a bit more money, you can take a look at the more compact imported competition. The conservatively styled Lacam Furka, aside from being smaller and RWD, is very similar to the domestics in power and equipment levels. It gets an automatic top, a welcome sight without doubt, but it is a smaller car, is considerably less comfortable, and reliability ratings aren’t on the same level, despite it’s considerably larger price of $29,800.
At $29,100, the least expensive of the European options is the high-tech Questtre - Quartre Roaster. No, it’s not trendy new toaster oven, it’s a smart and sporty looking compact that stands out in this group with a more sporty flair; a manual transmission, 4 valves per cylinder, a turbocharger for its 2.2 liter 5 cylinder. While it’s more fun to drive than the domestics, it isn’t any faster, and isn’t in the same league for comfort. The interior is well-equipped, with the best stereo in test, although its fit and finish do leave something to be desired in this company. At least unlike its cheaper foes, its top is fully automatic, and hides beneath a smart tonneau cover when retracted.
The LaVoie Engarde is a handsome machine, although it looks more a product of the 70s than the 80s. Similarly equipped again to the Chevillic, Marx, and Lacam, it has one extra trick up its sleeve: hydropnuematic suspension. On paper, this should give the car an edge compared to the conventionally sprung competition in terms of ride comfort, but on the road, it still can’t quite compete with the larger domestics. While none of the cars in this segment are rocketships, thie LaVoie feels exceptionally slow; it’s 133 hp 2.4 liter straight six taking 11 seconds to reach 60, almost a second and half slower than the next slowest entrants. It’s also the most expensive in the group, at $30,000.
Okay Okay, the Deer And Hunt Hawg is more Gun Club than Country Club, but it is a novel idea, a premium jeep. And premium it is: its equipment levels keep up with the other competitors here, but of course, in jeep fashion, its roof must be completely removed and stowed separately. Given that it is, after all, a truck, it doesn’t come as much of a surprise that it isn’t really in the same league as the rest of the group.
Our verdict: the Chevillic still leads the pack, with handsome (if slightly dated) style, the cheapest price, highest quality interior, impeccable comfort, great reliability, and impressive safety. Its new rival, the Marx Blackbird, is an excellent alternative if you want a bit more athleticism or more modern style. We do hope these cars will be offered with a power top in the future, though.
Rank:
- Chevillic Marina 3.2L SE @MisterRocketMan
- Marx Blackbird V6 @Urke101
- LaVoie Engarde 2.4 Cabriolet @GROOV3ST3R
- Questtre - Quartre Roaster @z2bbgr @conan
- Lacam Furka TC V6 3.0 @Arn38fr
- Deer and Hunt Hawg @Mikonp7
The Chevillic Marina and the Marx Blackbird both fulfill this niche impressively well, and both are deemed worth looking at further. The Questtre Quartre is a very cool looking car, but it statistically underperforms in this group for the price, as does the Lacam. The LaVoie is the best of the Europeans, but it still isn’t on the same level as the cheaper Chevillic and Marx. The Deer And Hunt may seem out of place in this group, and that would be because it was supposed to go out in section 1 but I forgor
17 Likes
Reviews Section 2.3
Motor Carriage, May 1987 issue
HOT HOT HOT! Sporty convertibles even YOU can afford for summer fun! The sporty convertible market is heating up with these five hot 5 speed drop tops!
Vaughn Silverbird vs Avantii Velon vs FMC Colibri L250 Sport vs Cabrera Lizara V6 vs Zephorus Bretta SL
The FMC Colibri L250 Sport and Zephorus Bretta SL bring modern technology to the class, utilizing 4 valve per cylinders and aluminum for some body panels to reduce weight. The Zephorus pushes the technological envelope just a bit further than the FMC, with state of the art adaptive dampers and FWD drivetrain, and striking, beautiful design to match. These two both use 2.5 liter six cylinders, are almost identical in weight, and turn in nearly identical performance numbers, they even both have automatic tops. The Zephorus’s advanced technologies, including its soulful 174 hp quad cam V6, may be among its top selling points, but they come at a cost: very high running costs. And to keep this car in this affordable sub $30k bracket, cost must be cut elsewhere, and for the Zephorus, it’s in the interior, the least impressive of the group.
The FMC Colibri feels bred for the track, with eager responses and an agile handling balance that few other convertibles can match, at any price. But this doesn’t come without compromise. Eager responses come from a taut suspension that makes the car uncomfortable around town and for long drives. Agile balance can be attributed to the lightweight all aluminum 161 hp I6, which gives it the worst reliability ratings of the group. We wish as well that its appearance could match the excitement of its drive.
Compared to those high-tech machines, the Cabrera Lizara V6 feels like slipping into your favorite pair of sneakers. It’s appearance is attractive and straightforward, it doesn’t have 4 valves per cylinder, it doesn’t have multi-piston calipers, and it doesn’t have ABS, but what it does have is a simple and joyous driving experience that’s more comfortable than this whole group, yet more fun than all bar the FMC. Part of the incredible balance this car strikes can be attributed to its stellar interior; a premium affair of unparalleled fit and finish that puts more expensive cars to shame, truly a feat at this car’s price. And, all that with Cabrera’s reputation for absolutely bulletproof reliability. Sounds like a winning combination to us.
The Vaughn is quite a bit larger than the other cars in this group, and it’s the cheapest too, at just $23,200. Its roof folds away not just automatically, already not a given in this price range, but even tucks itself nicely under a tonneau cover. Unfortunately though, the big bird is starting to feel like a bit of a dinosaur; in this group it’s the heaviest, the only car with a solid axle, rear drum brakes, and still using throttle body fuel injection for its 155 hp 3.8 liter I6. While its 0-60 of 8.8 seconds is respectable, the fresh blood in the class have a lot more pace. These details certainly don’t knock the budget bird completely out of its flight path on their own, but the other budget option here might send it the way of the dodo.
The Avantii Velon is a weapon aimed straight at this segment. At $24,100 it’s not far off from taking that Vaughn’s budget crown, yet at the same time, it’s the brawniest, fastest car of the group. 3.5 liters of SOHC 12 valve V6 push a class-topping 192 horsepower, which motivate this good looking machine to best-in-test acceleration tests. It’s carrying more weight than the Zephorus and Cabrera, it rides on quieter, less sporting tires, and has older, nonvariable power steering, yet somehow still nips at their heels in terms of driving fun and cornering grip. This impressive machine has just a few downsides; it can be a handful to drive at times, its interior isn’t on the level of the Cabrera, and it could stand look more exciting.
At the end of the day, we found ourselves split between choosing the Cabrera or the Avantii as the winner, but eventually gave the nod to the Avantii for its lower price and performance. That said, if you value quality and reliability over outright performance, we highly recommend the Cabrera as well.
Rank:
- Avantii Velon Convertible @EnCR
- Cabrera Lizara V6 @Petakabras
- Zephorus Bretta SL @Riley
- FMC Colibri L250 Sport @Lanson
- Vaughn Silverbird @Knugcab
The magazine reviewers chose the Avantii as their winner in a tight fight with the Cabrera, but Caitlin was impressed enough that both cars will be considered further. This was a strong group, and none of these cars are bad. Good job to all of you.
21 Likes
Love the style of these reviews!
Good luck to those who made it through to the next round!
TBH the description of the Vaughn sounds like an accurate representation of an 80s pony car, so even if I was far from winning I probably hit the nail in another way. 
That leaves… 12 entries still to review, right?
Reviews Section 2.4
Avenue & Raceway, March 1987 issue
Three luxury GT convertibles vie for the title of the best convertible money can buy
Aether 9-2 Belle étoile vs Lunascura Agheel GT 3.0 Cabriolet vs Collis Celer mk4 Cabrio
These three convertibles all find themselves at the very top of the luxury GT convertible market. They are quite similar in price, but that’s where the similarities end.
The Lunascura Agheel GT 3.0 Cabriolet is a purebred sports machine with world class performance. Let’s start with the numbers: a 3 liter, quadcam, 260 hp flatplane V8 move the aluminum bodied maching to 60 in an incredible 5.6 seconds, and through the quarter mile in under 14 seconds. Looks are sharp, and handling is unparalleled in anything this side of a 2 seat supercar. This focus on performance comes at a price; equipment, comfort, and safety are all subpar for something costing $43,400.
If that bowl of porridge was too hot for you, maybe the Collis Celer mk4 Cabrio is what you’re looking for. This car takes a completely opposite approach at the idea of the ultimate GT convertible: a leather recliner strapped to a JATO rocket. Powered by a 4.2 liter DOHC 24 valve all aluminum straight six with individual throttle bodies, it makes an incredible 302 horsepower and moves the rather heavy machine to 60 in under 7 seconds and through the quarter mile just a touch over 15 seconds flat. Our testers kept making allusions to a speedboat when speaking to this car; the extreme thrust combined with the heavy weight and hydropneumatic suspension almost give the sensation of sailing rather than driving. We do have some fairly serious misgivings about this car though; we expect to some extent poor reliability and high running costs for a car of this type, but they are even worse than one would expect, especially when one considers the difficulty in finding tires for a 17” wheel. We also felt that this car looks unacceptably cheap for this market segment.
Maybe, then, the Aether 9-2 Belle étoile is just right? It’s equipped with a similar hydropnuematic suspension and automatic as the Collis, but in a light, lithe, aluminum body like the Lunascura. Unlike the other two here, the Aether doesn’t skimp on safety equipment, and it’s top hides beneath a handsome tonneau cover, a welcome feature. It’s 4.5 liter V8 is the largest but least powerful engine, 244 hp, and its acceleration numbers are slower too, 7.3s and 15.3s in our standing start tests. While the car is marginally more sporty than the Collis, it has sacrificed a lot of comfort to get there. The front end styling is polarizing, but overall it’s a handsome vehicle. Unfortuantely we feel as though overall it’s a nicer car to be seen in than to be in.
Rank:
- Lunascura Agheel GT 3.0 Cabriolet @Xepy
- Collis Celer mk4 Cabrio @cake_ape
- Aether 9-2 Belle étoile @Portalkat42
The Lunascura takes an easy win in this category, and is the only car to move forward from this test. The Collis’ approach of a full luxury machine with tremendous power isn’t a bad one, but it’s held back by poor reliability, crazy running costs, but above all else, a design that’s way out of place for something that costs this much. The Aether is a more balanced approach, but really underperforms for its price; the Hinode and Francesco can do much of what it can do at a fairly significant discount.
16 Likes
Reviews Section 2.5
Motor and Motorist, December 1986 issue
The latest crop of convertible GTs ask: Can one car do it all?
Suisei Tengai GT-SC VRI vs Vogel SX8 vs Autodelta Estoril Turbo vs Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet vs Régal 262c Sport
The Suisei is a rocketship with muscular looks to match. With 261 hp from its turbocharged 2.8 liter DOHC 4v I6, you won’t find another convertible with this much power on this side of $43,000, and yet, at $33,300, it’s actually the cheapest car in test. Performance figures, as you might expect, are the fastest too; 6.2 to 60 and the quarter gone in 14.6. It’s no dragster either, a brilliant handling car that will bring the demon out of anyone on a twisty road. So where’s the catch? As you might expect given this car’s capabilities and price, some sacrifices had to be made, but you won’t find those in the full range of safety equipment this car is equipped with either. So where can you find them? First you’ll find is when folding away the top; no electronic assistance, you’ll be putting down the top yourself. The interior matches the car’s sporting intentions, with grippy, well bolstered seats and all the instrumentation you hope for in a high performance machine, but interior fit and finish is merely so-so. And not to go unmentioned, this turbocharged beast of an engine has a mighty thirst. Given the bang-for-the-buck this car offers, these are sacrifices we can handle, especially when it looks this good.
The Vogel SX8 may be down 59 horsepower from the Suisei, but its 4.2 liter V8 has a gut-punching 277 lb-ft of torque that motivate the car to 60 just under 7 seconds and the ¼ in 15.3, more than respectable numbers and easily 2nd quickest here. Equipped with a similarly well-bolstered seats and instrumentation, the Vogel prepares you for a similar driving experience that, unfortunately, it can’t deliver. While the car is a total sweetheart around town, it’s another story once pushed; the torque-laden V8 leads to a torquesteer-laden experience, and the 4 speed automatic and flexy chassis do it no favors in this regard either. Speaking on it’s construction, the Vogel uses a rather unique body on frame construction that, combined with some use of aluminum in the highly unique and distinctive body shape, make quite a lightweight vehicle, significantly lighter than the competition. We’re not sure it was the right approach though; the aforementioned chassis flex and cowl shake detract from the driving experience, and, despite a full gamut of safety equipment, this car scored extremely poorly in safety tests. Worse even than tiny drop top city cars like the Lance Compy, despite that car’s tiny dimensions and outdated safety equipment.
From one unique approach to another; the Autodelta Estoril Turbo. More than a foot shorter than the midsized Suisei and Vogel, the Autodelta is squarely a subcompact car, quite unusual at this price range. However, it’s packed to the gills with luxury; a well built luxurious interior, adaptive dampers, the full suite of modern safety equipment, and even a turbocharged engine. There aren’t cars really like this on the market, but it seems Autodelta is confident a market exists for such a machine. While 3 liters of turbocharged V6 in a subcompact car may sound like a hot rod, the engine really underdelivers; a mere 166 hp. At least, thanks to the lack of bulk, it still has a respectable 0-60 just under 8 seconds, be we still hoped for more given this car’s astronomical service costs. Despite its looks, it’s not an especially sporty machine to drive, also suffering from torquesteer, and an overly-stiff suspension that seems to aid neither cornering nor ride quality. Maybe this subcompact luxury machine has a market, but we’re not it.
The Bravo Legato Turbo Spyder is a unique and interesting entry to this class. While the car is quick to tout its motorsports heritage and call itself a GT, the driving experience is actually quite a snooze. That comes as a real surprise to us, because the specs want to tell another story; AWD, a quadcam, 24 valve, 218 hp turbocharged flat six, sporty, wide, low-profile tires on lightweight, magnesium wheels. However, it falls apart as a driver’s car; the automatic trans, underdamped for sporty handling, and tuned for understeer. So, if it’s given up being sporty, is it at least a good luxury car? Yes and no. That soft suspension, combined with a full luxury interior, provides the most comfortable ride here, but at a class-topping $37,700, we shouldn’t be folding the roof down ourselves or settling for only typical safety features.
The Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet makes a great first impression, muscular yet restrained, like a linebacker in a 2 piece suit. As we’ve come to expect from Hinode, this is a well rounded and competent machine with no major weaknesses. It’s well equipped, comfortable, fun to drive, but with 206 hp from its NA 3L 24 valve liter straight six, it can’t touch the Suisei or Vogel’s straight line punch. But it’s such a solid machine, we can definitely forgive that.
The Régal 262c Sport is also a well rounded machine with few faults. However, the Hinode is a thorn in its side: the 262c is just a compact, more than a foot and a half shorter, and it looks cheaper than its asking price. Its 2.8 liter straight six is 24 horsepower down, and it’s 8.35 0-60 time is the slowest of the whole group. So what are you getting for your money? More build quality, better reliability, and impressive fuel economy. Horses for courses, but for an all-rounder, we prefer the Hinode.
At the end of the day we found choosing the winner here difficult; a real head vs heart debate. When your head pulls for a car as fun and well sorted as the Hinode, all the more difficult. But the heart, oh, the heart pines for the Suisei. Seemingly a love letter to enthusiasts, a world class performance machine with the practicality of a midsize car, and a retracting roof to boot. In our eyes, it’s a future classic.
Rank:
- Suisei Tengai ST-SC VRI @Falling_Comet
- Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet @S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T
- Vogel SX8 @Kyorg
- Régal 262c Sport @karhgath
- Bravo Legato Turbo Spyder @ChemaTheMexican @ldub0775
- Autodelta Estoril Turbo @Marv666
The magazine chose the Suisei as their winner, but Mary and Caitlin aren’t as died-in-the-wool enthusiasts as the reviewers, and feel the Hinode might be a better fit for their needs. Both cars will receive further consideration. The Vogel is a unique approach; the only car (aside from the two trucks) to take advantage of the extreme weight savings that automation gives to ladder-frame convertibles, it weighs less than every entrant besides the city cars. However, it suffers from confused tuning, with sportiness far shy of sporty entrants despite a sport interior, yet comfort not on par with luxury entrants. And unfortunately as well, being so lightweight and ladder frame, safety is worst of all the entrants at just 26.1. The Régal is a well made car, competent and well rounded, but suffers hard in terms of value for money, and, in the company of the Suisei, Hinode, Vogel, and Bravo, looks a bit boring. The Autodelta suffers from both a poor value for money proposition and confused tuning , a very expensive car for a subcompact, really poor power for a 3 liter V6, and despite a full Lux/Lux +2 interior, comfort is poor if it’s a luxury car while sportiness is poor if it’s a sporty car. Confused tuning and poor value for money could be used to describe the Bravo as well; it’s by far the most comfortable car in this comparison, but it only offers about as much comfort as the $10k cheaper Marx, while being only very marginally more sporty, less sporty than a handful of full luxury approaches, and is slower than this whole group aside from the Régal. It only barely ekes ahead of the Autodelta thanks to it’s good looks.
18 Likes
Reviews Section 2.6
New Car Review, May 1987 issue
A Faceoff of Luxury Convertible Offerings
Brockland Edgemere vs Yamada Rhythm 2.1 i-RX Milan Yamadamatic vs Somervell Sinclair Convertible vs Durendal Havana vs Francesco Vegas Boulevard vs Denver Boulevard
The Brockland Edgemere is the budget option in this company at $32,600, and brings to the table a well equipped interior and a comfortable ride. It’s powered by a 2.2 liter, twin cam, 16 valve turbocharged I4, pushing out 152 hp, low for the class, and acceleration is poor, just over 10 seconds in the sprint to 60, slowest even among this fairly sedate class of vehicles. It’s quite a nice looking car and quite nice to drive, but safety equipment is nothing special and the top is not automatic. When behind the wheel, it felt more apt to compare it to cars like the Marx Blackbird than to those in this test. Given that car costs $5,400 less, we can’t help but think the Edgemere has priced itself out of its intended segment.
The Denver Boulevard wasn’t able to leave much of an impression on us. Styling is modern but bland. Equipment levels are about as expected for the price. Power is a little low in this group, 185 hp from a 4.1 OHV V8, acceleration is perfectly adequate but not much more. Safety equipment is less than most competitors and safety ratings are bested by the rest of this group save the Brockland. Considering this is also the most expensive car here at $38,800 and has the highest running costs too, this doesn’t bode well.
A car that should have the Denver Boulevard quite worried is the Somervell Sinclair Convertible. A similarly sized car with a similarly equipped interior and better safety equipment, the Somervell sacrifices any semblance of sportiness to pursue ride comfort. It’s not quite as comfortable as the best in this test, but at $34,900, it makes a fairly strong case for itself. The big 3.9 liter V6 makes 169 hp and moves the car to 60 in 9.2 seconds. There’s an elephant in the room about this car though; it’s appearance is really not to our liking. We see an attempt was made to apply classic American luxury notes to a more modern and aerodynamic shape, but we’d be kidding ourselves if we said it made for a cohesive and attractive car.
A fresh Japanese take on this segment is the Yamada Rhythm 2.1i-RX Milan, equipped with the Yamadamatic transmission. Coming on the cheap end of the segment, $33,700, its raft of standard features isn’t especially impressive, with a less luxurious interior and manual top, the Yamada nonetheless impresses with a full suite of modern safety equipment, a comfortable ride, and surprising agility. It’s 2.1 liter DOHC 16 valve all aluminum I4 is an impressive bit of kit; 158 hp may not sound like much, it beats the larger, turbocharged Brockland unit, and with healthy midrange torque, pushes the Yamada to the 2nd fastest acceleration figures in test, a 0-60 of 8.35 and the quarter mile in 16.4 seconds. The compact Rythm is a real sweetheart around town too, and yet still a willing partner in the twisties, all while costing little to keep on the road. Combined with an incredibly sharp and smart appearance, the Yamada makes a strong case for itself, despite some big concerns about the reliability of that high tech 16 valve engine.
The Durendal Havana feels like a slice of the past. The last full-size convertible left on the market, you know what you’re getting with this car; literal boatloads of comfort. The 4.4 liter OHV V8 makes a healthy 214 horsepower, and moves the heavy, heavy Durendal to identical acceleration figures to the Somervell. The design is handsome and attractive, old fashioned yet still contemporary. One thing we can’t call old fashioned is this car’s bevy of safety equipment, with the best safety ratings of any convertible available on the market. While service costs aren’t cheap, and the car is predictably cumbersome due to its size, it fills a niche we’re happy to see hasn’t quite died yet, and isn’t going out with a whimper.
If the Durendal is a slice of the past, the Francesco Vegas Boulevard is an entire pie, a caricature of the past in miniature. Riding the continuing wave of Neoclassical coachbuilds, the Francesco starts with a compact RWD platform and decks it out with a luxury interior to match the coachbuilt looks, bespoke touches like magnesium wheels and adaptive dampers, and a tuned-up 5.1 liter OHV V8 making a firebreathing 244 hp. All that power makes this the fastest car here, albeit slower than it’s hp figure might suggest, 8.1 to 60 and 15.6 in the quarter. A car of contradictions, this car may look large but is actually the smallest car here. Despite the more cramped interior, it’s still very comfortable, better than anything here save the Havana, but with the help of those adaptive dampers, handling wasn’t sacrificed for that ride; we found ourselves jockeying over the keys to this car for the country road tests through the twisties. Frankly, that about sums up our experience with this machine; we came in expecting a novelty, but instead found a car worth taking seriously, even if it doesn’t seem to take itself seriously.
Rank:
- Francesco Vegas Boulevard @LS_Swapped_Rx-7
- Yamada Rhythm 2.1 i-RX Milan Yamadamatic @variationofvariables
- Durendal Havana @GassTiresandOil
- Somervell Sinclair Convertible @Texaslav
- Denver Boulevard @HybridTronny
- Brockland Edgemere @debonair0806
In a shock decision, the magazine chose the neoclassical Francesco Vegas Boulevard as their winner, thanks to its impressive blend of strengths. Caitlin is really impressed with the car and thinks it’s worth a closer look, and Mary begrudgingly agrees, but she has some serious reservations about it’s neoclassical look. The 2nd place Yamada has a similar blend of strengths, and unlike the Francesco, both Mary and Caitlin absolutely love its looks. The Durendal Havana is more of a one trick pony than the 1st and 2nd place cars, but the girls find it an attractive proposition as well, and it too makes their consideration list. The Somervell is a good car with a strong value for money argument, but it’s outdown for pure comfort by the Durendal, and looks are a real weakpoint. The Brockland and Edgemere unfortunately underperform for their price.
This concludes section two of the reviews. Moving to section 3 are:
Avantii Velon Convertible
Chevillic Marina 3.2L SE
Marx Blackbird V6
Cabrera Lizara V6
Suisei Tengai GT-SC VRI
Yamada Rhythm 2.1 i-RX Milan Yamadamatic
Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet
Durendal Havana
Francesco Vegas Boulevard
Lunascura Agheel GT 3.0 Cabriolet
22 Likes
Aww, I got design-binned? Shame. Good luck to the rest of y’all
Now, it would be unexpected if the Francesco Vegas would take home the whole win… I actually kind of hope that it does. 
5 Likes
Reviews Section 3
A FEW WEEKS LATER:
Mary and Caitlin have test driven all the cars on their list. All the cars do what they are meant to do well, but the question they now have to answer: what car do they really want?
They decided, as they had done for major decisions before, to write down just a few notes for each option to put their thoughts as succintly as possible, then compare.
Suisei Tengai GT-SC VRI
Mary’s notes: “It looks cool, it’s fun to drive, it’s fast as hell, and it’s in our budget. What more is there to say? I love it.”
Caitlin’s notes: “Given the performance and price, I expected it to be more compromised than it is, it really can function as a regular car when it puts away it’s wild side. But reliability is a serious concern, and it drinks a lot of fuel.
Lunascura Agheel GT 3.0 Cabriolet
Mary’s notes: “I like the car, but for it’s price, I need to LOVE the car to feel like it’s the right choice.”
Caitlin’s notes: “It’s lusty and exotic, but the Suisei gives a really similar experience for $10,000 more. I’d take that over this.”
Avantii Velon Convertible
Mary’s notes: “This car has a lot of performance per dollar, but it doesn’t speak to me like some of the more expensive cars. I think it’s worth spending more.”
Caitlin’s notes: “Performance is strong for the price, and it’s reliable too. But of all the cars we tested, it’s the least comfortable, even compared to sportier options; this is a grunty muscle car and that’s really it’s whole deal. Given the price, a lot can be forgiven, but I agree, I think we should spend more for a car we really love”
Cabrera Lizara V6
Mary’s notes: “Theres a lot to like about this car, but it just doesn’t have the ‘want it’ factor of some of the other cars we tested.”
Caitlin’s notes: “I love the Cabrera. It’s a fun, no-nonsense car with rock solid build quality you can feel throughout. This is a strong pick in my opinion, but Mary’s less keen.”
Hinode Garuda 3.0GT Cabriolet
Mary’s notes: “Wow wow wow! This car is beautiful and it ticks off all the boxes! It’s a winner in my book.”
Caitlin’s notes: “I’m not as wowed by this car as Mary, it’s pretty good at everything, but that’s to be expected at this price.”
Chevillic Marina 3.2L SE
Mary’s notes: “It’s not exactly a corner carver, it drives like a much bigger car than it is. But it is ADORABLE, a plucky underdog of a car that is well liked for a good reason.”
Caitlin’s notes: “This is nearly as comfortable if not more than cars costing much more. Once I accepted that it’s a very sedate driving experience I could really sit back and appreciate how comfortable and well built it is, despite its budget price.”
Marx Blackbird V6
Mary’s notes: “I don’t like it as much as the Chevillic. It looks more modern, but I don’t think it’s worth the extra money when it isn’t as polished, reliable, or safe.”
Caitlin’s notes: “I might like it more than the Chevillic, but only just. I see the strengths of the Chevillic but I think this feels more modern, more up to date. It doesn’t handle like it’s from the 70s and that to me might be worth the small price hike from the Chevillic”
Durendal Havana
Mary’s notes: “I love the idea of us cruising around on a summer evening in this big beautiful machine, but I worry the novelty may wear off when we’re stuck paying big monthly payments and big maintenance costs.”
Caitlin’s notes: “A nice big, comfortable car. But it’s a lot more money than the luxury-oriented Marx and Chevillic, both to buy and to run”
Francesco Vegas Boulevard
Mary’s notes: “I obliged in test driving that car but frankly, I’m sorry, I really can’t get past being seen in that car all over the city. It’s just not what I want.”
Caitlin’s notes: “I see where Mary is coming from, and it’s not cheap. But it is supremely comfortable and powerful without completely sacrificing sportiness. I am surprised by just how much I like it.”
Yamada Rhythm 2.1 i-RX Milan Yamadamatic
Mary’s notes: “Amazing! It looks so good, I could totally see us in it. It’s a little expensive for its size and feature list though.”
Caitlin’s notes: “I think this feels like a step up from the Marx: a lightweight and modern car with comfort and reasonable pace, more of a fun side. But the price jump is a bit steep, and reliability ratings on these nearly scare me off.”
Final Thoughts
The Hinode and the Francesco were incredibly impressive machines that combined comfort, sportiness, performance, and features excellently. Their blend of strengths made all other cars in their price range and above struggle to move forward in the competition. While the Hinode was one of the best looking cars in the test, the Francesco is a tale of what could have been; it’s not an unimpressive design, but the choice to stray so far from the already widely varied inspiration cars knocked it out of what may have been an overall victory, albeit still in a tough fight with its big sticker price. The Cabrera is like Hinode light: cheaper and offereing less than the Hinode, but still a good blend of strengths leaning towards sport and really high reliability. Only relatively boring styling drop it down the standings. The Suisei offers incredible performance and sportiness. Considering it is cheaper than the Hinode too, and not too significantly less comfortable, it’s done very well here, but it’s maybe just a bit too hardcore for the girls with it’s poor fuel economy and weak reliability. Speaking of weak reliability, the Yamada could have been a serious contender for the top spot with better reliability, but while it still struggles in value for money compared to the similar Marx, it benefits from being one of the best looking cars here. The Avantii is very cheap and it’s fast. But unlike the Chevillic, nearly rivaling the best in comfort at a low price, the Avantii’s performance and sportiness don’t quite rival the big boys. The Marx is nearly the same car as the Chevillic on paper, but in the end, didn’t feel the better drivability and sportiness were worth the bigger price, lesser safety, lower quality interior, and lower reliability, and it’s styling, while strong, didn’t quite have an edge on things like the Chevillic, Hinode, Suisei, and Yamada. Overall, I want to say to the contestants here, every car in the top 6 at some point I felt like would end up being the winner, and you can feel very proud of your work.
Standings:
- Chevillic @MisterRocketMan
- Suisei @Falling_Comet
- Hinode @S_U_C_C_U_L_E_N_T
- Yamada @variationofvariables
- Marx @Urke101
- Cabrera @Petakabras
- Francesco @LS_Swapped_Rx-7
- Durendal @GassTiresandOil
- Lunascura @Xepy
- Avantii @EnCR
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What a surprise - MisterRocketMan is finally a first-time CSR winner, and deservedly so - for delivering a champagne offering on a relative beer budget! The initial review of the Marina says it all:
If that wasn’t enough to seal the win, then the clients’ verdicts did:
Only now do I realize that for the clients in this round, sportiness generally took a back seat to comfort and drivability - and if they could get those attributes at a more affordable price without making too many compromises, so much the better.
Anyway, this was a fitting conclusion to this latest CSR - I wonder what MisterRocketMan comes up with for the next one? If he decides to host it, that is.
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Congrats to @MisterRocketMan, Can’t believe my Suisei came in 2nd despite me not even aiming for the top and going full send for performance 
P.S
Also massive thanks for @donutsnail for hosting a brilliant CSR with fantastic writing, honesty quite detailed and engaging
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A little P.S. on this CSR.
I enjoyed hosting this one quite a bit. I decided to leave the prompt really wide open to encourage variety and combat minmax, and I felt really happy with this choice as I watched a whole ecosystem form: different entries to different market segments forming a believable and complete 1987 convertible market.
I started to somewhat regret that in the late stages of judging. Once the standouts in the various segments were determined, how do you compare cars that don’t compete with one another, with wildly different prices and priorities? As I deliberated with myself over the course of the last couple weeks, at some point or another, the Chevillic, the Marx, the Cabrera, the Suisei, the Yamada, and the Hinode all looked like they would end up the winner. Picking just one of these top choices was very tough and eventually I had to just stop arguing with myself and pick one already.
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