Tesla gets roofless

Finding it a little stuffy in your Tesla Model 3? How about taking your top off? A California-based company has started production of a roofless version of Tesla’s big selling electric saloon – but it comes at a big price.

Chopped Model 3 retains the centre pillar to avoid messing with the cameras and sensors

The car is converted by Newport Convertible Engineering, which has been converting a variety of cars for 37 years to pander to the needs of well-heeled residents of Los Angeles and beyond. It chops the roof off any standard Model 3 and replaces the metal with a fabric top which can even be motorised. 

The fabric roof can be motorised to make ray-catching easier

The decapitated Tesla retains the four-door layout and even the ‘B-pillar’ between the front and rear doors, which helps keep some of the car’s strength and means the Tesla’s cameras and sensors are unaffected.

The main drawback is the price – the conversion costs around $40,000 (£33,000), almost doubling the price of a Model 3. It also adds weight and wind drag, meaning the range is shorter. It’s also not quite as slick-looking as factory-made cabrios from other car brands, but it will certainly be exclusive.

The conversion doesn't look as slick as factory-built rivals