Opinion: Ferrari’s Luce backlash was self inflicted

Ferrari. Everywhere. Literally everywhere. From the media platforms; from mainstream newsfeeds to tabloid and broadsheet papers and even playful jibes from other global brands such as Toblerone and KitKat. And less playful ones from former CEOs. Maybe Ferrari took advice from Lewis Hamilton’s girlfriend when devising and launching the Luce, because its new EV truly broke the internet. Not to mention the hearts of millions...

Ferrari’s first pure EV model was bound to be controversial, of course. But nobody could have predicted the immediate fallout. Nor that it would have almost nothing to do with the EV powertrain.

Instead, the vast majority were appalled/sickened/infuriated by the exterior design. I’ve seen some really compelling defences of the way the Luce looks – phrases like ‘complex surfacing’ and ‘stunning structural accuracy’ – and more intellectual, high minded reasons why we should take time to ‘digest and understand’ the Luce.

Ferrari knows its traditional customers won’t buy the Luce, so it had to appeal to a new audience. People who will buy into the vision of Jony Ive and Marc Newson. Hmmm… maybe. But you can bet Ferrari will be tapping up its very best customers and promising them access to all the upcoming cool stuff if they stump up £450k, right?

Now, for me, neither the looks nor the concept of a five seat, 2,260kg sort of SUV thing with a Ferrari badge appeals. However, what felt really off about the Luce launch was more about the calculated management of the message. For example, each media outlet had just a 30 minute video slot to shoot their film within eyeline and earshot of Ferrari execs.

Furthermore, these videos would be filmed exclusively by Ferrari’s own teams and the footage retained until just a few hours before the agreed embargo. A legal document, by the way, which held media liable to the tune of €600,000 should the Luce be leaked. Did Ferrari believe its own b******t? Or want to create an intimidating atmosphere so the ‘privileged’ few didn’t feel free to speak their minds?

Whatever the plan, it failed. Most did sing from the predetermined hymn sheet and kowtowed to the undoubted genius (in other forums) of Ive and Newson. However, the public didn’t buy it. The internet was shown at its worst with frothing fury, death threats and personal attacks of those ‘privileged’ few who were unlucky enough to be invited to this high pressure, slightly sinister reveal. But its best, too: considered people with a valid viewpoint simply saying ‘we know what Ferrari is. And this isn’t it’.

The Luce drives superbly. We now know. Ferrari’s engineers really are brilliant. But its initial reveal to the world will go down as a very dark day for Maranello. Can it recover? Maybe. But once you deliberately move away from the myth, design heritage and passion of Ferrari’s story, it’s harder to ignore that’s what left is just a car.

Another tall, heavy EV with circa 1,000bhp and loads of really clever tech. But at three times the price of very similar machines. No wonder Ferrari wanted to exert as much control as possible.