Maserati doesn’t offer its cars for Euro NCAP testing, so it’s unclear just how safe the Gran Sport would prove in a serious crash. That’s not unusual: there are no such results for any of its key rivals either including the Porsche 911, Jaguar XKR and BMW 6-series. The good news is that there are front and side airbags fitted as standard to the Gran Sport and that the combination of a grippy chassis, Maserati’s electronic stability system and strong brakes should keep you out of trouble.

Those brakes are fitted with ABS, brake assist and electronic brake force distribution.

It’s unlikely that many Gran Sports find buyers primarily for their usefulness as family transport but no rival cars offer so much practicality. As well as being able to carry four in comfort, the Coupé Gran Sport offers an impressively large boot that, at 315 litres, is actually bigger than a Vauxhall Corsa’s. Even the Spyder version can muster 300 litres, 40 more than the new Granturismo coupé.

Inside there are full-length leather-sided pockets on each door while Spyders have a useful lockable cubby behind the seats but somewhere to leave keys and mobile phones wouldn’t go amiss.