No man can look macho in a 500C, and irrespective of how aggressive Abarth has made the bodywork, it’s still far too cute. So despite being a brand that specialises in performance and race cars, Abarth admits to chasing the ladies with this one. Sixty per cent of convertible buyers are women, and as with the Street Ka, you can bet that figure will be even higher here.

That’s not to say the Abarth 500C abandons the company’s principles completely. In fitting this car with an automated five-speed manual with paddles, it links back to the very first product built by Karl Abarth in 1949. He developed a race gearbox with steering wheel controls and its spiritual successor can be found here. It’s just a shame Abarth hasn’t gone for a double-clutch system (we’re told it’s 18 months away), as this ’box isn’t the best. The change is smooth but slow in Normal mode, while in Sport it becomes jerky if you don’t ease your foot off the throttle as it shifts.

Abarth says it has tuned the springs and dampers for comfort, so it’s softer than the closed car, and structurally it feels stiff, but as it retains the B- and C-pillars it’s arguably not a true convertible. The 138bhp gets the job done, but there will be more. An Esseesse version will be along in November, upping power to 157bhp, which isn’t girlie at all.