Wiesmann Roadster Overview: Generations and Buying Guide
Overview of the Wiesmann Roadster (1996–2013): a rear-wheel-drive manual roadster with 193–325 hp across four modifications, with guidance on which version to pick.
The Wiesmann Roadster is a two-seat roadster built from 1996 to 2013, offered with engines spanning 193 to 325 hp, always with a manual gearbox and rear-wheel drive. It suits drivers who want a pure, analog open-top sports car: no automatic option, no all-wheel drive, just a light body and straight-six power.
Wiesmann Roadster generations
1 generation (1996–2013)
The single generation of the Wiesmann Roadster ran from 1996 to 2013 in one body style — the roadster — and covered four modifications. Power ranges from 193 hp in the base versions to 325 hp at the top, and every variant pairs a manual transmission with rear-wheel drive. The notable versions sit at the upper end of the range: the Wiesmann Roadster 3.2 MT with a 3201 cc engine and 321 hp, and the Wiesmann Roadster 3.3 MT with a 3246 cc engine and 325 hp. Both accelerate to 100 km/h in 4.9 seconds, so the two flagship engines are effectively equal in straight-line pace despite the 45 cc and 4 hp difference.
Which Wiesmann Roadster to buy
- 3.2 MT (1 generation): the most common choice, with 321 hp from its 3201 cc engine and 0–100 km/h in 4.9 seconds — the widest-produced of the four modifications.
- 3.3 MT (1 generation): the most powerful version at 325 hp from 3246 cc, matching the 3.2 MT's 4.9-second sprint while topping the model's power range.
On the used market, the long 1996–2013 production run of a single generation works in the buyer's favor: the specification barely changed, so a later car differs mainly by age rather than by design. The mechanically simple formula — one body, manual gearbox only, rear-wheel drive only — also makes it easy to compare cars directly, since the choice comes down to engine and condition rather than trim and drivetrain combinations.
There is no version worth ruling out on the numbers: the 3.2 MT and 3.3 MT post identical 4.9-second acceleration, and the lower-powered 193 hp modifications occupy a different point in the range rather than being dominated outright. Pick by how much of the 193–325 hp span you want, and let the car's condition decide between otherwise equal examples.