# Sport (ish) convertables: Manly and Girly **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [May 11, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436 "2005-05-11T18:47:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/1 "2005-05-11T18:47:16Z")
I stole the idea from the Porsche Boxter thread. Sorry folks! But I just want to focus on the convertables. Manly: Porsche 911 and Boxter S Ferrari Shelby Cobra MB CLK MB 500SL Jaguar XLK Girly: VW bug VW golf Audi TT Audi A4 Porsche Boxter Mini Cooper Mustang Vette PT cruiser Miata Honda 2000 MB SLK Bottom line. It’s damn near impossible to make a manly convertible. IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/2 "2005-05-11T18:54:49Z")
It sounds like its impossible to make a “manly” convertible that costs less than $45,000, from that list. I think you’re confusing the terms “expensive” with “manly” and “affordable” with “girly.” Corvettes, Mustangs, and Boxsters in no way strike me as girly cars. Neither do BMW 3-series. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/3 "2005-05-11T18:55:29Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Bottom line. It’s damn near impossible to make a manly convertible. IMHO. I don’t think the Porsche Box **s** ter is girly. Just not as good as a 911-99x. Corvette girly? When I see a 'Vette, I think ‘Sorry about your penis!’ Corvettes seem to be a penis-machine. I think the Mustang also falls into this category. Mini Cooper. Yeah, the convertible seems a bit unmanly. Miata. I give props to the Miata for following the true roadster tradition. But most of the people I’ve seen driving them have been women. ---
**Author:** ![Phatlewt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a698b9/32.png) [@Phatlewt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phatlewt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/4 "2005-05-11T19:16:18Z")
Is horsepower the only criterion? Is it all about acceleration? Top speed? The sound of a big engine? How would you classify the [Lotus Elise](http://www.lotuscars.com). ([specsheet](http://66.139.73.25/elisespecs/index.html)) phatlewt – male Miata driver. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 8:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/5 "2005-05-11T20:37:55Z")
Mustangs are girly? The things practically come with jockstrap. Also disagree about Vettes and Boxster. You forgot convertible SUVs: Wranglers are bisexual. Trackers and the like ooze feminity. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 11, 2005, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/6 "2005-05-11T22:23:08Z")
I drove a '64 Corvette convertible for a while, and I never considered myself a girly-man. That car was a chick magnet. ---
**Author:** ![Nightsong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nightsong/32/3083_2.png) [@Nightsong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightsong)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/7 "2005-05-12T00:29:58Z")
> [@Johnny L.A.](#): > > Miata. I give props to the Miata for following the true roadster tradition. But most of the people I’ve seen driving them have been women. A complete WAG here, but it may be that you see more women driving a Miata than men is because of size issues. The Miata is a relataively small car (inside and out), so those of the population who are larger have problems comfortably fitting inside it. Men, in general, tend to be physically bigger than women. Therefore, you’re more likely to see women in the car than men since the men simply don’t fit. 😃 (Sample size of… well, three here. I, at about 5’ 2" fit nicely in my Miata and have no problems driving it. My Dad, at about 5’ 7" simply can’t get his legs arranged right in order to be comfortable. My SO, at about 6’ 3" hits the roof when we go over a bump and looks like he had to be shoehorned in.) As for the convertible Mustang being girly/manly: I’d have to say it depends on what type of Mustang are we talking about here. The original 60s’ model? The neutered version? The re-vamped version? Same thing for the 'Vettes. I’ve noticed that the gender of the person who’s driving it seems to be strongly corrolated to the year of the car. The older the vintage of the 'Vette, the more likely it is to be a guy in the drivers seat. * * * \<\< Anything not nailed down is a cat toy. \>\> ---
**Author:** ![Misnomer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/misnomer/32/14897_2.png) [@Misnomer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Misnomer)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/8 "2005-05-12T02:11:55Z")
What about the [BMW Z4](http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/Z4)? I don’t want to keep saving my pennies if it’s gonna make me look all butch and shit… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![SuperNelson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@SuperNelson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuperNelson)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/9 "2005-05-12T04:11:30Z")
> [@Nightsong](#): > > A complete WAG here, but it may be that you see more women driving a Miata than men is because of size issues. The Miata is a relataively small car (inside and out), so those of the population who are larger have problems comfortably fitting inside it. Men, in general, tend to be physically bigger than women. Therefore, you’re more likely to see women in the car than men since the men simply don’t fit. 😃 (Sample size of… well, three here. I, at about 5’ 2" fit nicely in my Miata and have no problems driving it. My Dad, at about 5’ 7" simply can’t get his legs arranged right in order to be comfortable. My SO, at about 6’ 3" hits the roof when we go over a bump and looks like he had to be shoehorned in.) For what it’s worth, I’m 6’0", and have driven a Miata for almost 8 years. Tried on an Elise this winter - now _that_ was too small. ---
**Author:** ![Low\_Key\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ed655f/32.png) [@Low\_Key\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Low_Key_1)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 5:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/10 "2005-05-12T05:28:37Z")
> [@Misnomer](#): > > What about the [BMW Z4](http://www.bmwusa.com/vehicles/Z4)? I don’t want to keep saving my pennies if it’s gonna make me look all butch and shit… > > 😉 The Z4 is not girly. If I had the money, this is the car I’d buy. It took me a long time to come around to thinking that the Z4 is cooler than the Z3 though. But, the car is not going to make you look all butch and shit - it will simply show that you have great taste in cars. And, the Audi TT is not girly either. Although, I suppose these statemenst aren’t based on anything really - I just don’t want the cars I like being classed as girly. And, the Miata (or MX5) is a fun car to drive. Rented one with my mom for a few days when she was in NZ visiting me. I’d never driven a small sporty car before. Great fun cruising around in it… getting her luggage in it to get to the airport was another issue altogether. I suppose realistically if I ever get enough money for a car and decide that a sports car is what I should get, this is what I’d end up with. ---
**Author:** ![iamthewalrus\_3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/258eb7/32.png) [@iamthewalrus\_3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iamthewalrus_3)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/11 "2005-05-12T06:47:34Z")
I (male) have had my Miata for about a year, and I love it. I’m 5’11", though, and if I were any taller, I don’t know that I’d be comfortable in it. Some of my taller friends hate riding in it unless the top’s down. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/12 "2005-05-12T12:33:38Z")
Any TVR convertible would surely qualify for “Manly” 🆒 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/13 "2005-05-12T12:51:16Z")
A convertible certainly does not need to be $45K + or a horsepower monster. I give you manly but tame convertibles: Triumph TR6 and TR7 Karmann Ghia Older MGB’s Older Astin Heally The Morgan (with the wood chassy) More chick convertibles: New T-Bird Chrysler Sebring As for Miata… I rented one for a while when I lived in S.F. It was fun but underpowered and I felt tremendously unsafe when a lumbering Ford Executioner SUV pulled up next to me at a light. On the highway, semi trucks tried to suck me into their wake. My verdict… fun around town and weekends in Napa (though transporting a case or two of wine is near impossible) but exudes no testosterone. And again… IMHO. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/14 "2005-05-12T12:54:17Z")
> [@Phatlewt](#): > > Is horsepower the only criterion? Is it all about acceleration? Top speed? The sound of a big engine? > > How would you classify the [Lotus Elise](http://www.lotuscars.com). ([specsheet](http://66.139.73.25/elisespecs/index.html)) > phatlewt – male Miata driver. This is a track car. Period. I would love a chance to drive it on a closed course. My neighbour has a brand new one and a Mini Cooper S which he modified a bit to track. We’re getting friendly. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/15 "2005-05-12T15:48:18Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > This is a track car. Period. No, it’s quite the little hauler. If I get the plastic bags, I can fit a week’s worth of groceries in it. [Example](http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11669&stc=1) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/16 "2005-05-12T15:53:50Z")
> [@Pork Rind](#): > > No, it’s quite the little hauler. If I get the plastic bags, I can fit a week’s worth of groceries in it. > > [Example](http://www.elisetalk.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=11669&stc=1) Fastest grocery run in history! Does your milk separates into whey and solids before you get it home? ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/17 "2005-05-12T15:58:06Z")
Lexus SC has the reputation of being a girly car. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/18 "2005-05-12T16:10:39Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Lexus SC has the reputation of being a girly car. HHhhmm…That’s another car that sorta fits into this [Thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=316135) I posted asking about a Mercedes that looked similar to an Audi TT. I’d say the Lexus looks even more like the TT (or vice versa). ---
**Author:** ![Pork\_Rind](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pork_rind/32/111_2.png) [@Pork\_Rind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pork_Rind)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/19 "2005-05-12T16:21:47Z")
> [@QuickSilver](#): > > Fastest grocery run in history! Does your milk separates into whey and solids before you get it home? Nope! But that may be due to the fact that being lactose-intolerant I’m not carting milk around anyway. But since the exhaust headers run about four inches from the front of the boot, on the drive home, I can cook whatever I plan to eat that evening. [Oven compartment](http://www.puresportscar.com/gallery/data/509/2Lotus-Elise-111R-trunk.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![QuickSilver](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quicksilver/32/7832_2.png) [@QuickSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/QuickSilver)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2005, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436/20 "2005-05-12T16:23:10Z")
> [@adam yax](#): > > Lexus SC has the reputation of being a girly car. I agree, and yet, I find the [Volvo C70](http://www.volvocars.us/Showroom/C70/Gallery/Exterior/) more of a guy’s car. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sport-ish-convertables-manly-and-girly/303436.md?page=2)