This is written after a short blast in a friend's new acquisition: a brand-new special-edition Barchetta in midnight blue. He bought it through a specialist Barchetta company that imports them from Europe, saving him a pretty three grand or so into the bargain! He has been somewhat overcome with emotion about his new toy - so much so that he handed me the keys and said, 'Go on, mate, have a go!' I acted cool and nonchalant as I snatched the keys and ran to the car before he changed his mind.

It does not take long to get used to, despite the fact that it's a left-hooker. Apart from getting stuck behind buses and overtaking on sweeping A-roads, it really is not a problem. The car feels tight and responsive and has a good spread of power. Being front-wheel drive, it does lack some of the classic sports-car feel of, say, a Mazda MX-5, but it more than makes up for this with road presence. Because of the rarity factor, and its beautiful lines, the Barchetta attracts a lot of attention and people do comment on it. With the hood down, wind noise is not overly intrusive, but this car does have the optional windstop.

I was so impressed I am looking at buying a second-hand one as they are such bargains. My only real criticism is of the build quality: the paint finish is good but the interior trim looks cheap, and when you shut the doors you know you're not in a German car.

Overall, it's a beautiful car and a real bargain.