TOPLESS is best, say some women drivers -- referring, of course, to

their cars.

And who hasn't lusted after the glamorous fun appeal of the open tops,

as they streak along in the sunshine?

The story of Margaret Calder's Daihatsu Sportrak 16 valve EFi jeep

(current price from #10,636 on the road) isn't one which men will rush

to tell their wives. Her husband Neil, an engineering manager, bought it

last year as a surprise present for his wife who was considering buying

a new car.

Margaret, a bank supervisor with the Clydesdale, recalls: ''When I saw

it, I must admit I thought it looked as bit yuppyish for this old lady

-- you tend to think of 17-year-olds rushing around in it.''

Now completely converted to her gift, she considers the jeep, which

has four-wheel drive, an ideally versatile vehicle, switching roles

readily from load carrier to car to an all-terrain vehicle as required.

Their move to live in the countryside outside Helensburgh last summer,

brought the jeep into its own, along with another surprise present, a

trailer.

Margaret has found four-wheel drive excellent. ''You don't need to

worry about weather. Things feel a little tighter, you need more

acceleration, you're aware of the extra grip. Our neighbouring farmer

has a jeep the same as ours, and at lambing time his was full of sheep

and lambs. It's just so versatile.''

Going topless, however, is a bit trickier, taking two people and 20

minutes, so the forecast needs to be set fair. There's a section which

comes off like a sunroof, and this is easy for one person to do.

Altogether, thinks Margaret, her jeep is ''a great fun car yet very

practical, lots of things rolled into one.''

Flora Martin needs little introduction to Scotland's business

community, heading the successful PR agency which bears her name.

Flora's choice of car -- a BMW 320i Cabriolet, current price from

#21,550 on the road -- reflects the all-important upbeat image of her

industry. She has been very pleased with the car, bought two years ago,

her first soft-top after previously owning BMW 316s.

''It's lovely when the roof is down,'' she reports, ''but there can be

quite a lot of wind noise. I can take it down myself although I'm small,

but it's a bit of a footer, not worth it for short journeys -- it would

be good if it were electric. The car can be demobilised and it has a

good alarm system, so it can be left open, but then anything inside is

unprotected.''

The car -- which has been fitted with a telephone, essential for her

job -- has good performance, she considers: ''I'm not a boy racer type;

it builds up to a nice steady pace and cruises happily on the motorway.

It's got the acceleration if you need an extra surge, which is a good

safety factor, but if you're in fifth gear you'd have to go down to

third.''

Consumption, she says, is ''definitely heavier than my 316s, it costs

#25 to fill the tank -- some people would think that small fry. But

generally I'm very happy with it, I love it.'' Would she buy another?

''As long as they're not changing the shape, I would. I don't like the

new shape of the 3 series, and I don't know if the Cabriolet is to be

changed. If not I'd happily buy another.''