1978 Aston Martin V8 Volante

Aston held out until June 1978 to slice the roof off its V8, a surprising length of time (as the saloon could trace its origins back to 1967) for a car with so much sales potential. But the firm’s more optimistic outlook of the late-1970s finally gave rise to the marriage of open-top enjoyment with V8 performance. A fully-lined, power hood, together with a new burr walnut dash and door cappings, cosseted the occupants. Up until 1981, every Volante was exported to North America; the rest of the world had to wait until March of that year to see what all the fuss was about.

Information from Octane Magazine.