I was recently discussing convertible soft-top colors with some friends, and we all came to the following conclusion: the convertible top color you choose can absolutely ruin your car. If you get a certain exterior color, and a certain top color, it can look truly awful — even if those colors look nice separately.
Allow to me explain what I mean. One of the people involved in this discussion noted that he believes all convertible soft-tops should be black — regardless of the car’s color. This is certainly the safe bet, as a black convertible top virtually always looks good; even on a dark blue car. So, if your answer to this question is "black," that’s definitely understandable, reasonable and acceptable.
But …
Deviating from a black convertible top is a risk — there’s no question about it. Black always looks good. But some cars look really, really, really good with convertible tops in colors other than black. For example: I will always love the "launch color" of the 2013 Porsche Boxster, pictured above, which was a gorgeous silver with a red top and a red interior — a color combination that truly looked perfect together. Others will suggest a gray top is best with a dark blue car, or a tan top looks good with white — and that may be true. It really just depends on the car. So, my personal opinion on this topic is: go with black, usually. But sometimes, it’s good to deviate.
But here’s something else I think: a tan top just doesn’t belong on a sports car. A tan top looks nice on a four-seater Jaguar convertible, a Toyota Solara or a Chrysler Sebring. But there should be no Porsche 911 Turbo or Mercedes SLS Roadster made with a tan top. A tan top belongs on a car someone would take to the golf course, not the race track — and, in my opinion, regardless of what your car’s exterior color is, you shouldn’t be going with a tan top if you have a high-performance sports car.
What say you, on this controversial issue of top color? Find a convertible for sale
Doug DeMuro is an automotive journalist who has written for many online and magazine publications. He once owned a Nissan Cube and a Ferrari 360 Modena. At the same time.
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tan on red, blue or dark green is great. black is for funeral vehicles
I have a VW Beetle, red with tan top and interior. Still looks like new, and it softens the red. Everybody stops me asking about the car and everybody says the same thing, looks great with the tan…yes, it does.
We can all probably agree to disagree. I think it comes down to who is plunking down the cash. S/he should get what they like.