John Cooper Works Cabrio

There is a Sardinia that big cars can only admire from the outside: the climbing alleyways of Castelsardo, the lanes of Santa Teresa Gallura spilling out onto the little harbour, the tiny patch of gravel in front of exactly the right beach kiosk. The JCW Convertible gets in, turns around and parks — roof open the whole time. Less than four metres of length means freedom: no itinerary ever crossed off because of "where would we even leave it".

Its perfect playground is the island's northern tip: a base between Santa Teresa and Palau, runs out to the beaches of Rena Bianca and La Marmorata, and the ferry to La Maddalena with a car that boards without a moment of manoeuvring anxiety. For those arriving in the area, our car rental in Santa Teresa Gallura includes delivery straight to the port or your hotel.

The famous go-kart feeling is no slogan: it is the short wheelbase, steering that responds to a thought before your wrists move, a car that changes direction all of a piece, with no inertia. The 2.0 turbo's 231 hp pulls hard from low revs, and the seven-speed dual-clutch fires through the gears with crisp little jabs, punctuated by exhaust pops on the overrun. On the tight hairpins behind the coast, a JCW embarrasses cars with twice the horsepower.

The 6.4-second 0–100 km/h time says little about what really matters: with the roof open, 50 km/h on a lane through the Gallura granite feels like a rally stage, with the scent of myrtle and helichrysum thrown in. Proof that in Sardinia, fun is not measured in horsepower but in corners per minute.

The fabric roof has a split personality: it folds away completely in a few seconds, even on the move, or slides back over the front section alone like an oversized sunroof. In practice: full open-air on the coast road, half-open to cross the village at lunchtime without roasting. The latest generation adds the unmistakable circular OLED screen at the centre of the dash, and in Chili Red its charm is guaranteed at every traffic light.

Within our catalogue of convertibles for rent in Sardinia it is the youngest, most accessible proposition — and a great second car alongside something larger. Before you set off, our guide to the requirements for renting a luxury car in Italy is worth a read; every specific detail is in any case confirmed at the quotation stage.