In your face: Cars with no windscreens

No screen time to worry about

For some people, the rush of the wind in your hair just isn’t enough. They crave the joys associated with flies in your teeth, grit in your eyes and bugs up your nose. Only a car without a windscreen will do.

Inspired by the launch of the radical fully electric Longbow Speedster, we have selected a host of special cars that are ‘sans screen’. Just think of the money you’ll save on replacement windscreen wipers.

2024 Morgan Midsummer

Developed in collaboration with famed Italian design house Pininfarina, the Morgan Midsummer will be limited to just 50 examples. It was inspired by traditional Italian barchettas, although the wooden door-tops are a deliberate nod to Morgan tradition. A BMW-sourced 3.0-litre straight-six engine provides 340hp: perfect for a summertime blast.

2024 Mercedes-AMG PureSpeed Concept

Launched at the 2024 Monaco Grand Prix, the PureSpeed concept is the first in a new series of bespoke creations from Mercedes-AMG. Based on the regular SL roadster, the most obvious change is the lack of a windscreen. Instead, Mercedes-AMG has fitted a Formula One-inspired Halo-style central rollbar. There is no mention of how much power the PureSpeed will have in production guise, but you can expect to need the (standard) aerodynamic race helmets.

2025 Mercedes-Benz PureSpeed AMG

Perhaps merely to prove that Mercedes-Benz was actually serious, here is the production version of the PureSpeed.

The company used the 2024 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix to reveal the completed car, confirming the use of a 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbo engine with 585hp. Using all that power makes for a – rather breezy – top speed of 195mph.

2021 Bussink GT R SpeedLegend

We can’t help but wonder if Mercedes took some inspiration from Dutch ferris wheel designer, Ronald Bussink. His 2021 SpeedLegend roadster removed the windscreen and roof from a Mercedes-AMG GT R, adding a Halo rollbar instead. The five examples of the SpeedLegend each offer a very healthy 838hp.

2020 Lamborghini SC20

This is not the only windscreen-less Lamborghini on our list, but the Aventador-based SC20 is the most recent car from the Italian marque to provide extra fresh air. Lamborghini called it the ‘most extreme open version of a road-legal V12 supercar’, with 770hp from its mid-mounted engine. Just one example was made by the company’s motorsport department for a special (and very wealthy) customer.

2006 Elfin MS8 Clubman

Australia’s Elfin Sports Cars company was founded in the late 1950s. Its focus was on building racing cars, which won multiple championships Down Under.

In the mid-2000s, the company entered a partnership with Holden, leading to the Elfin MS8 Clubman. Powered by a Holden-supplied 329hp 5.7-litre V8 engine, and with a kerb weight of just 925kg, the MS8 Clubman offered extreme open-top performance.

2020 Aston Martin V12 Speedster

If you’re spending £765,000 on a new car, you might expect it to feature a windscreen. Not if you’re one of the 88 people who will take delivery of an Aston Martin V12 Speedster in 2021. Aston Martin says the removal of the windscreen adds to the “visceral engagement, heightening the driving experience to new levels”. A helmet would be useful when you’re accelerating to 62mph in 3.5 seconds on the way to 186mph.

2020 McLaren Elva

McLaren went to extreme lengths to make the Elva the lightest weight of any road car it has produced, but there’s only so much that can be achieved using lightweight materials. Which is why McLaren has ditched the windscreen, roof and side windows to reach, what McLaren CEO Mike Flewitt, calls “new heights of driving pleasure on road or track”. McLaren says that the design of the upper cabin means that helmets aren’t required. If you’re not convinced, a fixed windscreen is available as an option.

2018 Ferrari Monza SP1

One of the benefits of not having a windscreen is the absence of windscreen pillars. This creates an unobstructed view of the road ahead, creating a driving experience akin to say a Formula 1 car. However, the air flowing over the bonnet would hit the driver’s face, which is less than ideal. To counter this, Ferrari developed a Virtual Wind Shield for the Monza SP1. It’s essentially an aerodynamic passage underneath the driver’s side aero screen, where the upper part is shaped as an aerofoil. The clever design deflects the flow of air over the driver’s head, creating a ‘low-speed bubble around the cockpit’.

2018 Ferrari Monza SP2

For those who wanted to admit a passenger to the Monza experience, Ferrari also created the two-seat SP2 version. The extra seat adds 20kg to the car’s kerb weight, but the same acceleration stats apply: 0-62mph in 2.9 seconds and 0-124mph in 7.9 seconds.

1996 Renault Sport Spider

Describing the Renault Sport Spider, journalist Richard Bremner said it provided “the weather protection of an umbrella in a tornado”. He was referring to the absence of a roof, an optional hood that was good for speeds of up to 40mph, and the missing windscreen. In fairness, a full-length windscreen was an option. Perhaps sensibly, all 96 UK Spiders were delivered with a windscreen as standard.

2002 Smart Crossblade

Depending on your point of view, the Crossblade is either the best or worst car Smart has ever built. We’re happy to proclaim our love for the Crossblade, which gives us something in common with Robbie Williams. The former Take That star and all-round entertainer took delivery of car number 008. The owner’s manual advised the driver to wear glasses and a helmet to “protect your head from airborne rocks and similar”. This isn’t something you’ll read in many car brochures.

2000 Ariel Atom

The image of Jeremy Clarkson’s deformed face while driving an Ariel Atom at speed has been the subject of countless gifs and memes. “It’s so quick, it can destroy your entire face.” Yeah, driving fast in a car with no windscreen will do that.

2008 KTM X-Bow

You can buy KTM cars with a windscreen, but that would be like ordering a mild korma at a restaurant famous for its hot curries. Besides, requesting such a ‘luxury’ item from the Austrian company most famous for building motorcycles just feels wrong. Grab a helmet to enjoy the KTM experience in maximum spice mode.

2007 Lotus 2-Eleven

Based on the second-generation Lotus Elise/Exige chassis, the 2-Eleven was developed to be the ultimate track day toy. That said, for an extra £1,100, Lotus would happily convert the 2-Eleven to be fully road-legal.

A Toyota-supplied 1.8-litre engine, equipped with a supercharger, gives an output of 255hp. That’s in a car which tips the scales at just 666kg.

2015 Lotus 3-Eleven

You’ll need the outdoor skills of Bear Grylls to live with a Lotus 3-Eleven on a daily basis. Like the 2-Eleven before it, the track-focused Lotus leaves you at the mercy of the elements, with your face exposed to the wind, rain, dirt and pollution you’ll find on our roads. But for those rare moments when the sun breaks free of the crowds and the traffic clears, a 3-Eleven would offer pure and undiluted driving bliss.

2012 Lamborghini Aventador J

At the launch of the Aventador J in 2012, Lamborghini said drivers ‘must have the right equipment for driving at top speeds higher than 300km/h (186mph)’. So that would be glasses, a helmet and nerves of steel. Amazingly, the one-off Aventador J was homologated for road use, with a wealthy buyer paying a cool £1.75 million plus taxes for the privilege of owning this very open supercar.

2011 BAC Mono

Many of the cars featured in this gallery expose a passenger to the full effects of driving without a windscreen. The BAC Mono does things differently – it’s just your face in the firing line. The 2020 Mono weighs just 570kg and is powered by a Ford 2.3-litre turbocharged engine, which helps it to hit 60mph in 2.7 seconds, before reaching a top speed of 170mph.

2016 Elemental RP1

Weighing just 590kg and powered by a choice of Ford turbocharged engines, the Elemental RP1 is like a BAC Mono with an extra seat. As standard, the RP1 comes with polycarbonate visor screens and air deflectors for the full open air experience. However, a heated windscreen is available as an option. Admit it, you’d probably tick that option box.

2015 Caterham Seven Superlight Twenty

The Caterham Seven Superlight Twenty was launched in 2015 as a homage to the original Caterham Seven Superlight. The 2015 car wasn’t quite as extreme as the original, but Caterham said it was one of the ‘most visceral cars’ it has produced. A factory-built Superlight Twenty cost £29,995. An optional weather pack cost £1,750 and added a windscreen, doors, hood and wipers.

2009 Mazda MX-5 Superlight

In 2009, Mazda celebrated 20 years of the MX-5 by unveiling the roof-less and screen-less Superlight. Although it was never intended for production, it previewed a potential lightweight version of the MX-5, with Mazda also removing the carpets and air conditioning. The result was a car that weighed just 950kg. A decade on, it’s the MX-5 many of us still dream of owning.

2009 Mercedes-Benz SLR Stirling Moss

There must have been something in the air in 2009, because Mercedes-Benz ditched the roof of the SLR to create the Stirling Moss. Everything except the essentials were stripped away in an effort to save 200kg, creating a more focused version of the SLR. Just 75 were built, each one costing £660,000.

2007 Callaway C16 Speedster

The little wind deflectors on the Callaway C16 Speedster were designed to create favourable wind vortexes at standard road speeds. As pointed out by Car and Driver, their effectiveness would be questionable when you’re doing 200mph. Thanks to a supercharged 6.2-litre Corvette engine, the C16 Speedster could hit 60mph in just 3.3 seconds.

2020 Radical Rapture

The Rapture is a track-focused and road-legal car from Radical, with power sourced from the 2.3-litre engine you’ll find in the Mustang and Focus RS. With 350hp on tap, the 765kg Rapture will hit 60mph in just three seconds. A helmet is essential, while living close to a racing circuit is advised.

2015 Mazda MX-5 Speedster

Mazda unveiled two MX-5 concepts at SEMA 2015 in Las Vegas. The Speedster was arguably the cooler of the two – and not simply because of the absence of a windscreen. We also like the Blue Ether paint and the 16-inch Rays alloy wheels. Forget the RF with its retractable roof – the Speedster is the MX-5 we demand.

2015 Zenos E10 R

The Zenos E10 R weighs just 700kg and can hit 62mph in just 3.0 seconds. It was the best and most thrilling Zenos you could buy. As you can see, there’s no windscreen, but customers could order an optional weather pack. It comprises a heated windscreen, wipers, a ‘get home’ storage hood and a storm cap. The price for this pack: £2,295.

2017 Dallara Stradale Barchetta

A race car for the road is an overused cliche, but in the case of the Dallara Stradale, it’s perfectly apt. Dallara’s core business is building race cars, so when it builds a street-legal car – hence the Stradale name – people take notice. By all accounts, it’s a very special car, which, thanks to the optional windscreen, is perfectly acceptable for use on the road. However, as this gallery proves, some cars work best without a windscreen. Or maybe we’re just suckers for punishment.

1994 De Tomaso Guara Barchetta

Dallara is not the first Italian sports car company to offer an open-top model without a windscreen. Only 10 examples of the Guarà Barchetta are believed to have been built, making use of either a BMW or Ford-supplied V8 engine.

1994 BMW Just 4-2 Concept Car

Could this BMW concept car be any more 1990s? With styling said to be inspired by the Caterham Seven, but with three-spoke alloy wheels and bold colours, the Just 4-2 was wild.

Providing the power was a 1.1-litre four-cylinder engine from the K1100 motorbike, with 100hp to propel a car that weighed only 550kg.

A tiny aeroscreen helped recreate the experience of riding a bike, but while safely on four wheels.

2014 Vuhl 05

Think of the Vuhl 05 as Mexico’s answer to the Zenos E10, following a similar format of a Ford 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine mounted in a lightweight chassis. Although earlier versions came with 240hp, later models offer up to 360hp.

Given the Vuhl weighs less than 700kg, the power-to-weight ratio is in the league of serious supercars. Don’t forget your helmet!

2012 Morgan 3-Wheeler

A full windscreen was a £320 option on the Morgan 3-Wheeler, but we reckon your money would have been better spent on oversized goggles, a tweed cap and a pair of driving gloves.

2025 Longbow Speedster

Something common to every car on this list is that they are powered by internal combustion engines. Not so the Longbow Speedster.

Developed by a British trio with plenty of prior EV experience, the Longbow claims to be the world’s first ‘Featherweight Electric Vehicle’. The windscreen-less Speedster weighs just 895kg and will be capable of accelerating from 0-62mph in 3.5 seconds.

When the customer cars arrive in 2026, owners will be able to experience the wind in their hair, combined with zero emissions.