What Is It?

Volkswagen Concept C

What's Special About It?

This striking new hardtop cabriolet blends unique styling with a four-place design not typically seen on smaller convertibles. With styling cues borrowed from the Concept R that debuted in Frankfurt last year, the sleek lines of the Concept C evoke a sense of performance despite its modest 2.0-liter power plant. The folding hardtop is unique not only in the way it fully collapses into the trunk, but also for its integrated glass sunroof that offers the feeling of open-air driving even when the top is in place. A somewhat exotic piece of engineering for sure, but one that Volkswagen considers fully feasible for production. Although it may not get all the attractive lines of this concept, a production version looks destined for showrooms in the not-too-distant future based on VW's enthusiasm for the concept.

What's Edmunds' Take?

If Volkswagen can figure out how to bring the Concept C to market with minimal changes, there's no doubt that it will have another open-top hit on its hands. — Ed Hellwig