Former Ferrari Chief Says Luce EV ‘Risks Destroying A Legend’

Say what you will about Luce, but Ferrari did get something right. It managed to keep the car’s exterior design a secret until the very end. That rarely happens nowadays, when people have little respect for embargoes and leak images in the hunt for clicks. But now the wraps are off, and boy, does the Internet have something to say about the company’s first EV.

One of the best-qualified people to talk about Ferrari is Luca di Montezemolo. He is more than just a former company employee. Having served as chairman from 1991 until 2014, he remains the longest-serving head honcho in the post-Enzo era. In fact, it was “il Commendatore” himself who asked di Montezemolo to join the fabled Italian brand in the early 1970s as his assistant.

Over the decades, Montezemolo held several high-ranking positions at Ferrari and its former parent company, Fiat. He resigned as Ferrari’s president and chairman in 2014, but given his long tenure in Maranello, it was inevitable that journalists would ask him about the newly unveiled electric car.

Photos by: Ferrari

Speaking with the press this week, the 78-year-old former Ferrari boss shared his brutal take on the Luce. Italian news agency askanews quoted di Montezemolo as saying:

‘If I were to say what I really think, I’d be doing Ferrari a disservice. We risk destroying a legend, and I’m truly sorry about that. I hope they at least remove the prancing horse from that car.’

The irony of his statement is that, aside from the usual front and rear badging, customers can order the Luce with a silver Prancing Horse on the front doors. Alternatively, the EV is available with Scuderia Ferrari shields on the front fenders. While the configurator doesn’t allow both at the same time, it’s evident that Ferrari wants to make it crystal clear which brand the car belongs to, even in profile.

That’s not all di Montezemolo said in his otherwise brief take on Ferrari’s first production car without a combustion engine. His candid assessment of the design also included an indirect jab: “[Luce] is certainly a car that at least the Chinese won’t copy.”

Motor1’s Take: It goes without saying that this statement won’t sit well with Ferrari’s higher-ups in Maranello. It’s rare for a former automotive executive to share such strong opinions about a new product released by a previous employer. Then again, this is a historic moment not only for Ferrari, but for the automotive industry as a whole.

Love it or loathe it, the Luce represents a radical design shift, looking completely different from any Ferrari model past or present. We’ll admit that, without the badges, it would be borderline impossible for us to identify it as a Ferrari. Even the V12-powered Purosangue carries a sense of familiarity, resembling an SUV-ified Roma, whereas the Luce feels unlike anything else in the lineup.

At the end of the day, all that matters is whether the car will sell. I can’t predict since I’m far from the target customer base, but wealthy buyers often have eclectic tastes, so you never know…