Maserati Grecale Folgore

FIRST UK DRIVE Does electrified performance SUV deliver the sense of occasion that the Italian brand is famous for?

- John Mcllroy

EXON paper, Maserati could face big challenges when it comes to electrification - a marque known for characterful engines that suddenly has to deliver zero-emissions silence, while retaining emotional appeal. And yet the Italians are pushing ahead with an all-electric Grecale, the company's rival for the Porsche Macan. We were intrigued by the Grecale Folgore (as the EV is known) when we drove it on the continent in the spring, but now we've tried it in the UK, albeit in left-hand-drive guise.

The task is made harder because Porsche has fleshed out the Macan Electric range with new models. The base single-motor version costs £67,200, while the Grecale-matching 510bhp Macan 4S comes in at a fraction over £75k. Even the 630bhp Turbo will give you change from £100,000.

But here's the thing, the Grecale Folgore costs a whopping £109,950. Porsche is famed for having a crippling options lists, but you can add £15k's worth of kit to the Turbo and still match the Maserati. The firm is clearly hoping that a sniff of Italian brio will create the sort of emotional connection that justifies the Folgore's elevated pricing.