It’s not secret that cars are stupendously expensive in Singapore.

Which makes it a problem if you want a ‘selfish’ car, that is to say, a convertible. Who cares if it’s selfish, though (aside from all the freebooters who will no doubt be clamouring for a ride in your new whip)? After all, the worst thing that could happen after blowing a significant chunk of your savings on a car is to potentially have it be mistaken for one of thousands of private hire cars that ply our roads.

But you might also be saying, aren’t selfish cars more expensive? Well, sure; if you wanted to get a Rolls-Royce Dawn. But for the rest of us that don’t have eight figures or more sitting idle in an offshore bank account, you’d be pleased to know that you can buy a selfish car for under 200 grand.

Still a lot of money, to be sure, but one that’s still conceivably within reach of mere mortals. Well, mere mortals with a semi-decent job, at any rate…

Audi A3 Cabriolet (from $178,719)

The best thing about the third-generation Audi A3 Cabriolet isn’t so much the increased boot space, which goes up to 320 litres from a pathetic 260 litres. Nor is it the tech-laden, techy interior with Audi’s trademark attention to detail, such as how different buttons have different tactile and aural clicks.

The above points are all well and good, but why we love the Audi A3 Cabriolet for its styling, looking like a miniaturised A5 Cabriolet. A far cry from its predecessor with its soft-top hatchback styling.

Its styling so smart, even Drake approves.

BMW 218i Convertible (from $176,888)

Who doesn’t like a open-top car with good looks, great fuel economy and a reasonable price tag? Of course you like all those things, because who doesn’t. Priced from just $176,888, it’s the most affordable premium-brand convertible you can buy.

And with quoted fuel consumption rating of 6.5L/100km, it has a theoretical range of some 800km, which is frankly ridiculous for a car this stylish. Add to that comparative pittance you’ll be paying in annual road tax ($684), thanks to its tiny but perky 1.5-litre turbocharged engine, and it’s hard not to see why this little BMW is a winner.

Mini Cooper Convertible (from $143,088)

Before you sign on the dotted line and fork over the money for the Mini Cooper Convertible’s downpayment, you need to ask yourself a few questions. Namely, can you live with virtually non-existent 125-litre boot and rear seats that can only be seen as a troll on Mini’s part?

If you’ve answered yes to the above questions, and also answered yes to driving a car that’s so hip, it hurts, then the Mini Cooper Convertible is surely the right choice for you. It does, after all, have a whole host of funky features (those cheery infotainment system graphics, the funky interior/extrerior colours) that’ll make even the most boring of groceries runs a special experience.

Volkswagen Beetle Cabriolet (from $120,400)

Far and away the cheapest way to open-top car ownership is the VW Beetle Cabriolet. You might not be a fan of its styling, but that’s alright, because if you weren’t immediately smitten by its retro charm, you’re probably not in the Beetle’s target demographic anyway.

Adding even more to the Beetle’s charm is it will soon be an endangered species. Volkswagen recently announced it will be ceasing production of its longest-running nameplate from next year onwards. While this is certainly sad news, it could be happy news for you if you’re picking one up, because deep discounts and run-out specials might soon be on the horizon.

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