wanted - open 2 seater car with space for a spaniel

[bordseye]

selling my current 2 seater and have had a life long love of the traditional sports car - 2 seats, open car that is fun to drive. But we now have a dog so ideally I need a car with space behind the two seats for wufta. 911 apart, is there such a thing?

Some classics would work - TR6 and Big Healey for example, but my spannering days are over and I want something that ideally would be every day useable and maybe even dealer serviced. I dont rule out a classic but I am not interested or even physically capable of "getting out and getting under". So any classic would have had to have been subject to a full body off restoration.

Price? Less than the £60k that my current toy is going for.

Ideas?.

[Herbs]

Merc SL would probably work depending on size of dog, not sure on the fun to drive angle though.

[leggerito]

My partner and I did everything from North Yorkshire to Bordeaux with our 11kg spaniel in an Abarth 124. No space in the back but plenty of room in the footwell.

That said, she spent plenty of time on my partner's lap once we got off the motorway and put the top down.

[Herbs]

Lexus LC500 would be worth a look I think, or a Ferrari California if you can stomach the running costs.

[MDL111]

Honestly I think a 911 is the best solution. I have a 1971 Targa for exactly that reason - dog and some luggage can be in the back, so in theory I could take a passenger.

If you don't want a 911, then I would get one of these [preferred option]
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/18796101

or one of these if you can find a cheaper one with some haggling (and probably increase the budget slightly) [backup option]
https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/16456397

[bordseye]

Herbs said:

Lexus LC500 would be worth a look I think, or a Ferrari California if you can stomach the running costs.

Thanks but its a Ferrari that I am selling to buy the new car. The running costs are better than people think and not much different to big Audi /Merc/BMW cars.

I just dont want an exotic any longer. Tried a new MX5 today and in most ways that would be ideal. Great gearbox, nice engine, very sporty at sensible speeds but an absolute NO dog wise. And the seats arent that good either.

Edited by bordseye on Wednesday 16th July 17:38

[GeniusOfLove]

bordseye said:

Herbs said:

Lexus LC500 would be worth a look I think, or a Ferrari California if you can stomach the running costs.

Thanks but its a Ferrari that I am selling to buy the new car. The running costs are better than people think and not much different to big Audi /Merc/BMW cars.

I just dont want an exotic any longer. Tried a new MX5 today and in most ways that would be ideal. Great gearbox, nice engine, very sporty at sensible speeds but an absolute NO dog wise. And the seats arent that good either.

Edited by bordseye on Wednesday 16th July 17:38

You want something that's a 2+2. 2006 onwards Jaguar XK/XKR convertible? Cheap enough to buy and run, plenty of specialists and knowledge, and parts are very modest. I use mine as a daily smoker and put 15k a year on it with minimal headache.

Rear seats would work well for a medium sized dog.

[okv3]

bordseye said:

selling my current 2 seater and have had a life long love of the traditional sports car - 2 seats, open car that is fun to drive. But we now have a dog so ideally I need a car with space behind the two seats for wufta. 911 apart, is there such a thing?

Some classics would work - TR6 and Big Healey for example, but my spannering days are over and I want something that ideally would be every day useable and maybe even dealer serviced. I dont rule out a classic but I am not interested or even physically capable of "getting out and getting under". So any classic would have had to have been subject to a full body off restoration.

Price? Less than the £60k that my current toy is going for.

Ideas?.

Late DB9 Volante, you may even get a DBS Volante within budget. Unsure if this would be classed as 'fun' to drive however.

LC500 as others have said is a good choice, maybe a Maserati Grancabrio or C63 or S63 Cab?

[drgoatboy]

Edit: just reread the topic and you distintcly said 2 seater with space. I've mentioned 4 seaters so it doesn't make much sense! Think the 911 remark confused me as it's a 4 seater. I still think a Mustang could qualify though....

Assuming you want to stay "sporty"?
What makes it sporty? Manual, small? Chuckable? Or good looks? Good noise?

Most 4 seat convertibles are maybe not sporty...

An M4 convertible ticks a lot of boxes for example but is it "sporty?"

An E53 has plenty of go and all the space you would ever need but not really a car to hustle down a b road.

Mustang convertible will give you space, and muscle?

Edited by drgoatboy on Thursday 17th July 13:29

Edited by drgoatboy on Thursday 17th July 13:31

[paul_c123]

drgoatboy said:

Edit: just reread the topic and you distintcly said 2 seater with space. I've mentioned 4 seaters so it doesn't make much sense! Think the 911 remark confused me as it's a 4 seater. I still think a Mustang could qualify though....

There's relatively few cars with sufficient space behind the front seats for a spaniel-sized dog, but the manufacturer doesn't put seats there (even if they're only suitable for children). The only one I can think of is a Merc SL with this arrangement. Of course, there are plenty of 4 seater convertibles where the dog could go in the rear seats.

[SydneyBridge]

Is a Mini convertible too small and boring?