The short gearing may very well be a major aspect of the "involvement" described for the car, by keeping the revs and exhaust note up in "normal" driving if so desired. This can be entertaining and fatiguing, so I assume one can also loaf along in 4th or 5th as well.  I can envision several impressions this car may leave me with once I drive it, positive and negative. There's only one way to find out. 


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"Don't worry about avoiding temptation, as you grow older it will avoid you"  Churchill