What better way to thumb your nose at old man winter than by dropping the top on a shiny new convertible and motoring down the highway? Tousled hair and a sunburned nose notwithstanding, celebrating the passing of winter and the fresh beginnings of spring with some open-air touring can spark the spirit and renew the soul. A couple of fresh faces are populating the ragtop segment for 2006. Actually, ragtop is a misnomer for the redesigned Volvo C70 hardtop convertible, but is right on the money for the all-new Pontiac Solstice.

Although they are designed for different missions, they share the wind-in-your-face exhilaration only a convertible can provide.

The Pontiac Solstice

When General Motors lured legendary car guy Bob Lutz out of retirement to honcho its product lineup, one of his first acts was to commission a rear-drive twoseat roadster for Pontiac. The Solstice is the result of that monumental pen stroke. What’s right with Solstice are its dropdead good looks, balanced handling and low price. Most of what’s not so right, like its tedious top operation and wallto- wall plastic interior, are byproducts of keeping the price affordable.

With styling unlike anything in Pontiac’s lineup, Solstice is still readily identifiable as a Pontiac. Flowing over the frame, the rounded body panels accent the standard 18-inch wheels. Driving the rear wheels via a five-speed manual transmission is a 177-horsepower 2.4- liter inline four engine. Front-to-rear weight distribution is almost the ideal 50-50 ratio and this combined with a firm all-wheel independent suspension ensures even, predictable cornering. A jet fighter-like cockpit wraps around the driver, putting all the controls within easy reach. The seats are packed with gobs of side support. Operating the soft top isn’t overly complicated, but it’s annoying enough to make Rush Limbaugh switch political parties. With delivery charge, the base price is $19,995.

Volvo C70

In redesigning the C70 convertible, Volvo decided to roll two cars into one and replaced the cloth top on the last generation convertible with a threesection retractable hardtop on the 2006 model. It can be lowered or raised in about 30 seconds with the push of a button. Roughly the same size as the car it replaces, the new C70 seats four. A light pressure turbocharged fivecylinder engine generates 218 horsepower. Either a surprisingly fluid sixspeed manual or five-speed automatic transmission ushers power to the front wheels. Tuned more for comfort, the all-wheel independent suspension delivers a civilized ride, yet corners on its 17-inch wheels without drama.

Safety takes a front seat in the C70. This is a Volvo after all. Front seatmounted side-impact airbags and doormounted curtain airbags provide protection during side impacts and roll-overs. There is also the usual array of Volvo safety features. Reflecting the C70’s Scandinavian roots, the interior styling is clean, tidy and sprinkled with aluminum accents. For its $39,405 base price, the C70 is loaded with standard features from a six-disc in-dash CD changer and trip computer to an auto-dimming rearview mirror and power-adjustable front seats.