In today's what-the-heck-is-that department, a fellow in Los Angeles lopped the top off of his Prius, creating what is essentially the world's first hybrid convertible. (If someone did this to an Insight, let me know.) Newport Convertible Engineering did the job in about six months, according to Autopia, for the paltry sum of $17,500. That's on top of the $28,500 the guy paid for the brand new Prius in the first place.

To make the drop-top version, the shop stripped the interior to bare metal before removing the roof, according to the article. They also ditched the side airbags and reshaped the interior moldings to get the convertible top frame to sit correctly. Surprisingly, the whole procedure seems to have had little effect on the car's operation.

"The back seats no longer fold down, but there's more leg room," the report said. "The canvas top is hydraulically operated. It takes up about half the trunk space when stowed and a tonneau keeps things tidy. The top fits into into a reconfigured windshield frame to provide a tight seal and minimal wind noise when closed. A center bar makes up for the torsional rigidity lost by cutting off the hardtop."