A storm of reactions has erupted in recent days over Ferrari’s new car, the Luce, the Italian automaker’s first fully electric vehicle. Ferrari presented the model to 1,600 clients on Monday and Tuesday during an event in Rome, while orders began being accepted on Wednesday.
The Luce, meaning “light” in Italian, costs €550,000 and features one electric motor per wheel, with the ability to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds. However, its design—developed under former Apple executive Jony Ive in collaboration with Marc Newson—has sparked controversy, as it does not resemble anything Ferrari has produced in the past.
“From an aesthetic point of view, it speaks for itself,” wrote Italian Transport Minister and League leader Matteo Salvini on X. Referring to the company’s founder, he added: “I wonder what Enzo Ferrari would say.”
Former Ferrari CEO Luca di Montezemolo, who led the company for 23 years until 2014, stated: “If I said what I really think, I would harm Ferrari. We risk destroying a myth, and I am very sorry about that. I hope at least they remove the ‘Cavallino Rampante’ (Ferrari logo) from this car. This car wouldn’t even be copied by the Chinese,” he added.
The model was also viewed up close by Pope Leo XIV during an event at Castel Gandolfo near Rome, where Ferrari chairman John Elkann and company executives presented the vehicle. The Pope reportedly sat behind the wheel while Elkann explained its features.
Despite the strong criticism online, Ferrari’s current CEO Benedetto Vigna defended the new model on Thursday (May 28), saying there is “strong interest” in the company’s new electric vehicle from both new and existing customers. He added that Ferrari will release precise order figures in July when it publishes its second-quarter results.
🚨 | Luca Cordero di Montezemolo on the new Ferrari Luce:
— La Gazzetta Ferrari (@GazzettaFerrari) May 26, 2026
"If I said what I really think, I'd harm Ferrari. We're risking the destruction of a myth, I'm very sorry about that. I hope they at least remove the Prancing Horse from that car" pic.twitter.com/CdqD5mGFuN
What Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc said
Ferrari’s Formula 1 drivers Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc also tested the Luce. Leclerc said the design is “very, very different from what we’ve seen from Ferrari in the past,” calling it “very futuristic” and “very typical of Ferrari to look to the future and innovate.”
Hamilton praised the attention to detail and described the car as “very Ferrari.” Beyond the design, the seven-time world champion emphasized that “the power delivery is incredible. You feel completely stable all the time, even when going through corners.”
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