Maserati GranTurismo Folgore

FIRST DRIVE Does an electric grand tourer work in the real world? We drive the new Maserati GranTurismo EV to find out

- Richard Ingram

MAKING an electric sports car isn't easy. Fitting a bulky battery into a low-slung, two-door body is only the start, while dealing with the inevitable weight penalty and dynamic compromises is another issue entirely.

Yet Maserati is one of the few manufacturers to have deemed it possible - albeit for an eyewatering starting price of almost £200,000. The GranTurismo Folgore is a five-metre-long, triple-motor 2+2 with 751bhp and up to 1,350Nm of torque. On paper it has all the right ingredients.

Slipping into the leather-covered cabin, the first thing you notice is how low you're able to sit - even with that chunky 92.5kWh battery hiding beneath your backside. There's extensive adjustment for the seat and steering wheel, so you can tweak things to provide a decent view out - even if the reflections in the rear screen can limit rearward visibility.

There's something to be said for being able to move off without a crescendo of revs, and another pleasing trait is the initial softness to the electric GranTurismo's ride. This is a car that won't crash into potholes or bounce over speed humps, and there's a suppleness to the chassis and suspension that makes it comfortable when cruising from A to B.