Tesla doesnt make a convertible Model 3, but that doesnt mean you cant enjoy the wind in your hair in Elon Musks smallest car as long as you have the budget for it. The Model 3 has already come in for some interesting mods, not least a pickup version, but now one customs company has sliced the top off completely.

Its the handiwork of Newport Convertible Engineering, a company which has made a business out of turning normal cars into cabriolets. Back in 2014, in fact, the mod-shop revealed its Tesla Model S convertible, turning the automakers premium electric sedan into an open-topped model.

Now, its the smaller and more attainable Model 3 thats in line for the circular saw. Gone is the roof and the rear glass; in their place is a fabric soft-top, which folds down onto the rear deck. That way you get to listen to the sounds of nature as you whip through it, without a gas engine to get in the way.

There are some style considerations to bear in mind. Most noticeable is the fact that the B-pillar is still in place, right between the front and rear doors. Thats partly because it allows a brace over the top of the Model 3 convertible, which is presumably needed to maintain stiffness: sedans arent designed to just have the roof chopped off, and can end up twisting disconcertingly if they dont have sufficient reinforcement.

The other issue is that the B-pillars are where Tesla embeds some of its cameras for Autopilot. Get rid of them, and youd lose the all-important driver assistance technology, which is part of the charm of the Model 3.

Then theres the cost. Newport Convertible Engineering says that itll cost around $30,000 to make the conversion, and thats not including the Model 3 itself. Your money only gets you a manual top, too. If youd like a powered hood, thats almost $40,000 on top of the cost of the EV.

Is it worth it? Certainly, youre not likely to see many other Model 3 convertibles on the road. The company says itll take 2-3 months to do the swap, which includes body reinforcement and new trim to work around the cuts.

For most, itll all be more trouble than its worth. Still, theres undoubtedly a market for electric convertibles, though so far weve not really seen many attempts at the category. Teslas upcoming Roadster the release date of which remains somewhat nebulous at this point will have a removable roof panel, and the original Tesla Roadster was a convertible too. Neither could be described as affordable, however.

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Tesla Model 3 convertible makes the EV that Elon Musk wont build - SlashGear