What Color Should Convertible Tops Be?

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.