LAST year's weather was a complete disaster with record amounts of rain falling week after week which meant that us Brits, who are for some reason are big buyers of open-top motors, hardly ever felt the wind in our hair.

But let's be optimistic, surely it can't be as bad this time around.

So, it you are thinking of taking the plunge and opting for a cabriolet, you could take a look at Volkswagen's latest Beetle soft top which goes on sale in April.

The latest version is longer, wider and lower than the outgoing model and comes with a selection of  petrol and diesel engines.

These changes in design also means that the cabriolet Beetle offers more boot space, up to 225 litres, and the rear seats can now be folded down for additional storage space.

The windscreen has been moved back which changes the contours of the roof and allows a little bit more headroom.

The hood itself, with its glass rear screen, folds at the push of a button in just 9.5 seconds and can be operated while driving at up to 31mph. It also has protective cover when the roof if folded. An optional wind deflector is also available.

As with previous Beetle models the interior has a simple layout with all buttons and switches falling easily to hand and seating is comfortable and supportive. The materials used are up to Volkswagen's usual high standard.

The Beetle's standard equipment list includes an electronic stabilisation system, including brake assist and hill hold and a comprehensive network of airbags as well as a standard rollover protection system which pops up in milliseconds for protection in a roll-over situation.

The choice of engines is good with three petrols: 1.2 TSI 105bhp, 1.4 160bhp and 2.0 200bhp. Diesels are a 1.6 TDI 105bhp BlueMotion and 2.0 140bhp.

Gearboxes are five and six-speed manuals or six or seven-speed DSG units.

On a less than demanding test route in and around Nice in the south of France I was pretty impressed with the 1.2 petrol version which will probably be the biggest seller in the UK.

It offered adequate acceleration, was extremely quiet even when pushing hard, and the ride soaked up any rough surfaces.

What it will be like on our pothole strewn roads may be a different tale but my first impression was that the new open-topper handled with agility and precision taking bends without much body roll and tucking into corners well.

VW claims that this version of the new Beetle Cabriolet will return around 46mpg on a combined run and produces 142g/km of CO2.

Three trim levels - Beetle, Design and Sport - will be available at launch and standard equipment is good, coming with air conditioning, remote central locking, an RCD 310 CD system with DAB radio, rear Isofix seats and a rear spoiler.

Design trim adds 17-inch alloys, Bluetooth, iPod connection, front fogs, alarm and leather trimmed steering wheel.

The range-tipping Sport has 18-inch alloys, cruise control, sports seats, parking sensors and electronic climate control.

As with all VW's there's a wide range of optional extras available which Beetle fans can choose to individualise their new motor.

I also had a very brief drive in the first-ever open-top Golf R model which goes on sale in May.

This is a stunning performer with its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine producing 265bhp, giving it a 0-62mph time of just 6.4 seconds.

But guess how much? £38,770! Nice but pricey.

The Beetle Cabriolet range starts at £18,150 for the 1.2 TSI six-speed manual I drove and on up to £26,485 for the 2.0 TSI 200bhp six-speed DSG.

So, if you're an optimist and can't wait to take to the open road with the sun shining and wind in the hair this summer the latest Beetle Cabriolet could be just the ticket.