The Best New Convertibles You Can Buy for Less Than $50,000

If you're looking for a true two-seater roadster experience, the Audi TT makes a compelling choice. It looks great, comes with Quattro all-wheel drive, and falls just under the $50,000 mark.

The base Mercedes SLC300 roadster falls in just below the $50,000 line, and for that, you get a 241-horsepower turbo inline-four connected to a nine-speed automatic transmission along with a power-folding color-matching hardtop.

If off-roading is more your style, then it's difficult not to recommend the Wrangler. Unlike pretty much every other new off-road vehicle out there, it can still be purchased with a manual transmission.

It's certainly not the sportiest car on this list, but if you want a near-luxury convertible for a fair price, the Audi A3 is a great choice. If you can spring for the 2.0-liter engine, you'll want to do that. The added power will go a long way towards making your driving experience more enjoyable.

Do you love the idea of driving the best 2 Series on the market but wish it came with a soft top? Well, you're in luck, because the 230i offers a convertible version. And at a base price of $40,750, you can add the Track Handling Package without breaking the bank.

The Camaro SS Convertible slides in under our $50,000 cutoff, and you definitely get a whole lot of car for your money. It's fast, sounds great, and might even make more power than a Corvette. That's pretty awesome. But if you need to save a little money, the four-cylinder Camaro drop top starts under $35,000, with the excellent V6 just a $1495 option.

The Fiat 124 Spyder has finally returned to the U.S. And even though this new version is based on the Mazda Miata, it has something the Miata doesn't - a turbocharger. The Abarth version's 164-horsepower gives the car a character all its own, as well as a raucous exhaust note.

Just because you live in a tightly-packed city doesn't mean you can't drive a fun little convertible. You'll just want to pick something like the Fiat 500C Abarth. The cloth top slides down to let in more of that spectacular exhaust note, and from stoplight to stoplight, you'll find it plenty quick.

While the Mustang isn't nearly as affordable as it used to be, it's still a serious performance bargain. For less than $50,000, you get a 460-horsepower convertible that will hit 60 mph in under 5.0 seconds. By pretty much any measure, that's quick, but with the top down, it'll feel even quicker. Still too much coin? The EcoBoost 'Stang comes in at just $31,180.

What list of convertibles would be complete without the Miata? It's not the fastest or the most powerful car on the list, but it's so fun to drive, you won't care. The Miata Sport is the least-expensive model at $25,295, but even if you want to load up on the features, the Miata Grand Touring is only $30,195.

If there's one thing the Mini Cooper has, it's charm. Even people who normally don't care about cars love them. And you can get a convertible version for as little a $26,900. If you want more power, you can always bump up to the Cooper S or the top-level John Cooper Works version. Even if you're generous with the option, you'll still end up safely under $50,000.

You might be surprised to find out the 370Z is still around, but here it is - almost unchanged since this generation's introduction in 2009. Yes, it's a little dated, but it's still one of the sportiest droptops you can buy for less than $50,000.