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Gearheads love BMW M cars, but many of the brand's convertibles are still overlooked.

BMW has been manufacturing cars for what feels like forever, and even to this day they're still producing some of the most exhilarating sports cars ever like the BMW M4, and soon we'll see what the next-generation M2 will be. In the public's eye, more often than not, the hardtop coupes and sedans like the M5 Competition receive much more praise than their topless counterparts, but if you have a look back in time, they really have birthed some of the coolest roadsters ever.

Today we'll be diving down the BMW rabbit hole and highlight some of the coolest topless rides BMW has ever built, whether that be ones from the '50s or newly unveiled ones.

The BMW 507 was produced between the years 1956 and 1960, and while it still remains one of the most valuable and gorgeous creations to ever leave Bavaria, it was one massive sales flop too. When new, a 507 cost almost $10,000 - which is almost $100,000 in today's economic state - and only the wealthiest people could afford it, like Elvis Presley.

Only 252 of these topless BMWs were ever sold, and every single came equipped with a 3.2-liter V8 mounted underneath its hood that produced around 150 hp. But the performance was never intended to be the 507's main selling point... just look at it. We'd argue the 507 will forever go down in history as one of the most breathtaking pieces of automotive craftsmanship ever, right alongside the Jaguar E-Type.

For some reason, the last generation of the 6-Series has almost been forgotten by the automotive community, and it's not clear why. It had a stellar, aggressive design, and a raspy twin-turbocharged 4.4-liter V8 mounted underneath its front end which generated 553 hp and 502 lb-ft of torque.

On the one hand, it's heartbreaking to see so many fans forget about the M6's existence, but on the other hand, this makes them rather affordable on the used market today, and perhaps they'll become a future investment too.

The V8-powered M3 from the late 2000s is one of the best-sounding cars to ever exist, and while most Bimmer fans argue that a convertible M3 loses much of its precise handling due to the collapsible roof, it definitely adds to the thrilling exhaust screech of that naturally aspirated 4.0-liter V8.

The E93 also follows the same tendency as the aforementioned F12 M6, therefore they are much more affordable than the hardtop E92 or E90 M3s.

The BMW M8 Competition is BMWs flagship luxury performance car at the time of writing this article. It's capable of doing everything you need it to, and it excels therein as well. Its twin-turbo 4.4-liter V8 puts out a whopping 617 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque, and thanks to BMW's exquisite xDrive system, the M8 Competition Convertible can reach 60 mph from a dig in as little as 2.5 seconds - that's a whole second quicker than a Lexus LFA.

Sure, this all comes at a pretty hefty price tag, but there's no denying that the M8 Competition is the coolest new BMW money can buy, whether that be in its hardtop or convertible configuration.

Related: Here’s What Makes The 2023 BMW M8 Convertible The Most Desirable Cabriolet

You either love or hate the BMW i8. It looks and costs as much as a supercar, but has the performance equivalent of a C7 Corvette, after all, it is powered by a hybrid powertrain. In the middle of its body is a 1.5-liter three-cylinder engine derived from a Mini Cooper, but it's also assisted by two electric motors to allow for a total power output of 369 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque.

But there's more to it than just performance figures. The i8 is a mid-engined sports car, and it handles exactly like you'd expect it to, and because its retractable roof is so well implemented it looks like a sporty spaceship.

Related: Here’s Why The 2024 BMW I8 M Is Really Worth The Wait

The BMW Z4 has always been BMW's staple somewhat affordable sports car, and the latest generation shares the same engine and overall personality with the Mark 5 Toyota Supra, the only major difference is that the Z4 is only offered with a soft top and an automatic gearbox.

Despite this, the Z4 M40i is still a blast to drive, and its turbocharged 382-hp 3.0-liter inline-six doesn't just sound good but also complements its driving dynamics perfectly.

We've only seen one true Z4 M, and this is it. It was powered by the same naturally-aspirated 3.2-liter straight-six found in the E46 M3, although it has been retuned to put out 343 hp and 269 lb-ft of torque.

All of this power was sent purely to the rear wheels, and it could only be controlled via a 6-speed standard transmission. The Z4 M has gone down in history as one of the most dangerous, yet fun topless BMWs to ever exist, and it's clear to see why.

The BMW Z8 was an oddball for BMW back in the day, it was completely unexpected. It broke the traditional BWM design language, and instead of adopting the iconic angel eyes, or circular headlights it had just two massive headlights, and extremely thin tail lights, almost like two pinstripes.

This exotic BMW obviously wasn't powered by the well-known inline-six engine all two-door performance Beemers are known for, instead, it featured a 4.9-liter V8 that emitted 395 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque. Apart from the styling difference and unique powertrain, the Z8 also received its fame for being featured in the James Bond film, "The World Is Not Enough". And before we forget, Alpina actually worked their magic with some of these Z8s, and that resulted in a truly bonkers creation.

There was one car that BMW built that was even more bizarre than the Z8, and it's called the Z1. This broke every standard rule BMW had. It had a teeny kidney grille (unlike all modern BMWs), vertically sliding doors which disappeared into the body, and a dorky design.

The Z1 was manufactured for just two years between 1989 and 1991, and it was also the first BMW to ever sport the Z badge. This BMW was more focussed on the driving experience and didn't care for a surplus of power since it contained the same 168-hp 2.5-liter straight-six found in the E30 325i. Speaking of the E30...

Related: Here's What Made The BMW Z1 So Special

The E30 M3 is considered by many to be not just the best M3 ever built, but also the best handling car of all time. It was powered by a unique 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine that pumped out just 200 hp and 177 lb-ft of torque, but because its weight was perfectly balanced, and it was solely fitted with a 5-speed manual gearbox, it drove exceptional.

The E30 M3 hardtop was already a scarce car since fewer than 18,000 units were ever produced, and they sell for absurd prices nowadays, but the convertible variant was even rarer. Just 786 examples of this topless E30 M3 were ever built, and it's one of the most sought-after BMWs ever built.

Marnus Moolman is a young aspiring automotive writer from South Africa who is making a name for himself, despite his young age. Currently, he is studying to obtain a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting to pursue his lifetime dream of running his own automotive detailing establishment.