Ferrari's $640k Electric Luce Faces Backlash: Is the Legend Over?

Ferrari is finding out the hard way that moving away from its petrol-powered roots isn't going to be easy. The iconic Italian brand recently unveiled the "Luce," its first-ever fully electric vehicle, and the reaction has been anything but positive. Despite a high-profile launch attended by the Italian President and even the Pope, the car has faced a wave of criticism that sent the company's stock price tumbling by 8% in just one day.

Designed by former Apple mastermind Sir Jony Ive, the Luce—which means "light" in Italian—looks vastly different from the sleek, low-slung supercars that made Ferrari famous. It’s a five-seater with a price tag of $640,000, and it lacks the signature "vroom" of a roaring engine. While it can hit 60mph in just 2.5 seconds with a top speed of over 190mph, critics say it has lost the soul of the brand. Former Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo even suggested the car shouldn't carry the iconic prancing horse badge, claiming it risks destroying a legend.

The backlash isn't just coming from former executives. Car collectors and enthusiasts are calling it a "Loser" instead of Luce, mocking its bulky design and departure from tradition. Ferrari intended for this car to compete with the rising tide of Chinese EVs, but many feel they’ve hurt their image in the process. For a brand built on aspiration and high-performance petrol engines, the transition to silent, electric power is proving to be a rocky road.

Whether the Luce can win over new buyers or if it will go down as a massive misstep remains to be seen. For now, the internet is flooded with memes, and the traditional Ferrari fanbase is making their voices heard: they want their engine noise back.

['#FerrariLuce', '#ElectricVehicles', '#FerrariBacklash']