Revved Up with Tumi
A friend of mine once said, “Everything looks better with its top off.” Now listen. I disagree. I have been to the beach. I have seen things. Beer boeps, sunburned shoulders, unprovoked confidence. Not everything needs fresh air and exposure. Some things need layers.
But when it comes to cars, I fear he was right. Because convertibles? Yoh. Convertibles are different. Convertibles are sexy. If they were human, they would not just be attractive; they would be supermodels. The kind that do not even try. The kind that wakes up flawless and slightly intimidating.
There is something unapologetic about a car that can peel its roof back like it is removing a silk scarf. It is dramatic. It is confident. It is soft life on four wheels. And honestly, who cares if it is not practical? A convertible does not whisper. It announces itself.
And I genuinely believe, in this very expensive, pothole-dodging, fuel price stressing country, we all deserve one. Not because we are reckless, flashy or just outright flexing, but because we are tired. South Africans carry a lot. We budget. We compromise. We calculate litres per kilometre like we are writing exams. We choose practicality over pleasure almost every single time.
But a convertible? A convertible is pure pleasure. It is the wind in your hair on a random Tuesday. It is a sunset drive in Hartbeespoort that feels like a music video. It is choosing joy loudly and without apology. It is looking at your life and saying, “Yes, I will romanticise this.” And really, why not?
And let’s be honest, driving with the top down does something to your posture. Your back straightens. Your sunglasses sit differently. You are not just going to the shops anymore. You are arriving. Even if it is just Pick n Pay.
Convertibles force you to feel the world. The heat, the breeze, the scent of summer rain. They turn ordinary drives into experiences. And in a country as beautiful as ours, from coastal roads to Highveld sunsets, why are we always choosing roofs over sky? We deserve sky and cars that make us feel something.
Yes, practicality matters. Yes, security matters. Yes, sometimes the sun in Mzansi is disrespectful, so I do encourage everyone to invest in really good sunscreen. But that is not the point. The point is that convertibles represent freedom. Not the reckless kind, the intentional kind. The kind that says life is not only about surviving traffic. It is about enjoying the road.
Maybe not all of us will own one. Maybe it is a weekend rental. Maybe it is a someday dream. But even dreaming about a convertible feels different. It feels lighter, brighter and more hopeful. And that dream does not even need to be far-fetched. Cars like the Mini Cooper and Fiat 500 offer convertible options, and even some hatchbacks such as the Audi A3 come in convertible form. They are more accessible than we think.
So no, not everything looks better with its top off. Let’s keep some things covered. Please. For the sake of humanity. But cars? Cars with their tops off? Breathtaking.
And honestly, we all deserve that level of main character energy at least once in our lives. So drop that top like Usher at seven o’clock on the dot, put on your sunglasses, a hat and plenty of sunscreen, and take that drive nice and slow.
