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"The Los Angeles Auto Show is the perfect setting for an automaker to kick back and entice the buying public to soak up some sunshine behind the wheel of a convertible. Luckily, you don&amp;#039;t need to live in the sun-soaked climes of Southern California to enjoy a droptop\u2014although it certainly doesn&amp;#039;t hurt.   Several new and exciting convertibles have arrived in L.A. this year. These include everything from an adorable Italian import to a limited-edition German sports car and a Japanese...crossover vehicle? Here are our top picks for the best droptops at this year&amp;#039;s L.A. Auto Show:   2011 Nissan Murano CrossCabriolet           We&amp;#039;re not certain exactly what to call it, much less what drove Nissan to the decision that it needed a convertible crossover in its lineup. The Nissan Murano Convertible is a soft-top version of the Japanese company&amp;#039;s strong-selling Murano, which, as crossovers go, is quite carlike.   Set to go on sale early next year, the 2011 Murano CrossCabriolet (its official title) will be the &amp;quot;world&amp;#039;s first all-wheel-drive crossover convertible.&amp;quot; An upmarket cabin with loads of leather and room for golf bags\u2014not to mention four passengers\u2014all comes as standard equipment, and the power cloth top boasts a glass rear window that will never haze over. The 3.5-liter V-6 engine and CVT automatic transmission are carryover items from the standard Murano.   2012 Volkswagen Eos           Volkswagen has given the Eos, the brand&amp;#039;s handsome little retractable hardtop, a modest makeover for 2012. Seen here in Los Angeles, the new nose and rear end provide a subtle transformation from the outgoing model. The design brings the Eos more into line with the rest of the VW lineup, especially the latest Jetta sedan and Golf.   The power top of the Eos has always been a mechanical marvel, so don&amp;#039;t expect many changes there. The 200-bhp turbocharged 2.0-liter 4-cylinder engine is the only engine option. A less-powerful base engine would help bring down the Eos&amp;#039; hefty base price, which hovers around $33,000. But the weight of the retractable hardtop requires every one of those 200 ponies to keep performance lively and in keeping with the VW image. The new Eos goes on sale in the U.S. in the spring.   2011 Chevrolet Camaro Convertible           At long last, the Chevrolet Camaro Convertible is finally ready for production. Due to arrive in the spring, the bowtie-wearing Camaro has been a bright spot for the Chevrolet brand during some gloomy days for General Motors and the auto industry as a whole. Back from bankruptcy and flush with ideas (and cash), Chevrolet is finally making good on its promise to bring a Camaro convertible to market.   The trunk lid, rear fenders and rear deck (along with the soft-top itself) are unique to the Camaro convertible. This is not some chop-top rush job. Pricing starts at approximately $30,000 for the Camaro Convertible equipped with the strong V-6 engine. We&amp;#039;re tempted, though, to pay extra for the snarling 6.2-liter V-8, which comes with a choice of 6-speed manual or automatic transmission.   Fiat 500 Convertible           Fiat is finally making its long-planned comeback into the U.S. market with the 500. The front-wheel-drive 3-door hatch will be powered by a 100-bhp 1.4-liter 4-cylinder mated to a 6-speed manual transmission or optional automatic. Cuter than a wide-eyed puppy in a field of daisies\u2014yeah, it&amp;#039;s really cute\u2014the Fiat 500 is also surprisingly fun and nimble in traffic.   The Fiat 500 Cabriolet ups the car&amp;#039;s huggable quotient to the extreme. A Mini Cooper suddenly looks mature and conservative next to the wee Fiat 500. While the Mini might be ultimately sportier and more entertaining on a winding road, the style and user-friendly nature of the 500 Cabrio could earn this tiny Italian droptop a new generation of American fans. At least that&amp;#039;s what Fiat will be hoping when the 500 Cabrio arrives next year. 2011 Porsche 911 Speedster           Fantastic from behind the wheel, the new Porsche 911 Speedster sure looks a bit awkward from some angles. First seen during the Paris Auto Show, the Speedster arrives in L.A. with the same double-bubble plastic covering for the fabric soft top. For fans of the 1980s, the style and color choices for the Speedster will bring back many happy memories. Only two retro-looking exterior colors are available: Pure Blue, or Carrera White. Happy Atari-themed memories or not, the Speedster&amp;#039;s impressive specifications make up for the slightly strange styling.   A rear-mounted 3.8-liter flat-6 engine delivers 402 horsepower and 310 lb.-ft. of torque. The sole transmission choice is Porsche&amp;#039;s excellent 7-speed PDK double-clutch gearbox with a locking rear differential. The windscreen has been lowered by 2.4 inches in the Speedster model, while the wide-body rear end is taken from the 911 Carrera 4S Cabriolet. Only 356 Speedsters will be built in total.   Lamborghini Gallardo LP 570-4 Spyder Performante           Lamborghini has shaved 143 lb. off the standard Gallardo LP560-4 Spyder via extensive use of carbon fiber and other lightweight materials, reducing the Performante&amp;#039;s dry weight to 3274 lb. As a result, this new Lambo hits 62 mph in only 3.9 seconds.   Some 40 percent of the lightweight materials is carbon fiber. It&amp;#039;s used for the large panel covering the soft top, the rear spoiler, the sills, the diffuser, parts of the underbody paneling and even the exterior door mirror casings. And inside the cockpit, carbon fiber is seemingly everywhere\u2014on the transmission tunnel cover, the door panels, the surround for the e.gear transmission lever and on the sport seats&amp;#039; shell.   By developing a new engine-management strategy, Lamborghini has coaxed 10 extra bhp from the 5.2-liter V-10, upping its power to 570 bhp at 8000 rpm and 398 lb.-ft. of torque at 6500 rpm. With aluminum suspension arms, lightweight 19-in. wheels, titanium wheel bearings and optional carbon-ceramic brake discs, the new Spyder Performante is wheeled proof that less (weight) is sometimes more (performance). "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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