IF THE fantasies of the past are yet to come to fruition – flying cars, swimming cars – at least we have the coupe-cabriolet. Here is a concept that can be a full-blown convertible one minute, and an enclosed, metal-roofed coupe the next. Car-makers cannot get into the act fast enough. Mercedes-Benz started the modern trend with its two-seat SLK during the 1990s and now just about everybody wants a piece of the action. And – when you consider some of the early and even still-current attempts at getting the styling right – they are starting to look good too. But, until VW’s Eos came along early this year, nobody had devised a coupe-convertible that virtually closed the gap to regular coupes by designing-in a sliding glass sunroof. In a market niche where ingenuity abounds, the four-seat Eos stands at the front of the pack.
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Volkswagen Golf III Cabriolet
Released: March 1995
Ended: March 2003
Family Tree: EosIT MAY look like a Mk4 Golf, but the Mk3 Cabriolet is a facelifted Mk3 version, and uses virtually all of the older car’s mechanicals wholesale. This means that the upper-spec GL is powered by a 85kW/166Nm 2.0-litre single-cam four-cylinder engine mated to a four-speed automatic or – less commonly – a five-speed manual gearbox. A gutsy and willing performer, with sharp handling and a comfy ride, the Cabrio makes a surprisingly capable four-seater small car, although the small boot aperture may put some people off. The tight-fitting electrically operated fabric roof also does a good job keeping out the elements.
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