Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati Review

Imagine you've just won enough money to plan a new holiday. And you find out about it while dancing. This is how spirited city driving in the Abarth 695 Edizione Maserati feels like.

You've always got something that keeps you connected. The steering wants to talk to you all the time, the paddles almost grab you by the fingers and that 1.4-liter engine lives to let you play with its lively power delivery.

We're in pretty heavy traffic right now, but all the aforementioned goodies are packed in something the size of a shoe. Unlike the MINI, which has become addicted to growing pills, the Abarth has stayed small. It's easy for us to squeeze through the traffic in a way that would seem dangerous or inappropriate in a "normal" car. The good front and side visibility also helps and even the rear one is decent for an open-top vehicle

Despite all the drama going on in our heads, the Abarth's size and agility makes everything feel normal and safe. Oh yes, this is dirty dancing.

Speaking of safe, not even the most ignorant of drivers will be able to move this Abarth around without the seatbelt on - like a true Italian temptress, this thing's got a really loud voice when you annoy it.

And when you're flogging it, the cabin always has a slight aroma of burned clutch. This feels manly.

Otherwise, it's a doll. The roof system is so good that sometimes you even forget that you had folded the canvas. You can clear the sky above, with the rear area still in place, on the fly, up to any speed. Somehow you're a bit isolated by the city noise, but you get plenty of the fresh air feeling.

The weather outside is a bit mean, but the aforementioned three-quarter roof fold and the efficiency climate control allows us to enjoy the sky Of course, you can also fold the rear section of the top. We've just done that, but this is something to only use rarely - now we can feel the wind inside the cabin and the rear visibility's reduced, but we do get a feeling of full freedom.

The Abarth's canvas top is like the best sandwich you've ever eaten. You'd chose it over all sorts of dishes on many occasions and you're sorry you can't find it in any restaurant. Again, brilliant packaging is everything.

You can even have the sky above you at highway speeds, this Abarth knows what wind protection is.

We've closed the roof now and we can see a bit of its mechanism above our heads. This usually isn't a good sign, but there's no problem here. For example, the thermal and audio insulation are way ahead of that offered by the Nissan 370Z Roadster.

Time to floor it then. Up to about 2,500 rpm there's not much going on, but once the fun starts, you'll have a blast. Literally. The little thing starts pulling like crazy. At 3,000 rpm the sound changes and once you're past 5,000 you'll be in a trance.

Forget the auto mode of the gearbox, this doesn't work. Just keep it in manual and lift your foot off the throttle as you hit the paddles. This way, you're involved in a shifting process that's noticeably fast. You're alive. The box isn't necessarily faster than a pair of trained feet though.

There are one or two problems though. First of all, while the 135 HP Abarth comes with an optional six-speed robotized manual, that can't handle the torque in this version. Abarth's got a Competition gearbox in here, but you only get five gears. While we're fine with this inside the city, you do feel the need for more out in the open. And then there's the fact that you may not always be in the mood to play. Sometimes you just want to move on, but you'll have to include the shifting on your agenda whether you like it or not.