Another day, another "Top Five" question. Monday was top five sports sedans, Tuesday was top five hot hatches and today we want you to drop your tops and raise your eyes to tell us: what are your top five roadsters?
5. Lotus Elan Mk. 1
The original Lotus Elan was a big step forward for the brand, offering the steel backbone chassis, four-wheel independent suspension, a fiberglass body, and the race-worthy twin-cam fourbanger. Fast and gorgeous.
4. Duesenberg SJ Roadster
The classically American roadster. The supercharged duece was capable of speeds approaching 140 MPH and a sub-eight second 0-to-60 MPH time... in 1935. Also, it's gorgeous.
3. Porsche 356
The first Porsche ever, and the spiritual forefather of all Porsches to come, the convertible version is probably more famous than the hardtop. A reversal on the typical roadster configuration, it still works.
2. First Gen Miata
It took the Japanese to resurrect the classic roadster formula and to great success. The Miata is one of the best-selling sports cars of all time. Cheap. Fun. RWD. No room for kids. It's almost perfect.
1. Jaguar E-Type
The E-type Jag is arguable the most beautiful cars ever built. Powered by a potent inline-six and offered the sort of fun-yet-refined driving experience that would define Jaguar sports cars for generations. But it could have the same drivetrain as a Fiat 124 and we'd still love it. The impossibly long bonnet, knowing smirk, and seductively flared fenders are the standard by how we measure achievement in automotive design.
(QOTD is your chance to answer the day's most pressing automotive questions and experience the opinions of the insightful insiders, practicing pundits and gleeful gearheads that make up the Jalopnik commentariat. If you've got a suggestion for a good "Question Of The Day" send an email to tips at jalopnik dot com.)