Ferrari's first electric car, the Luce, has sparked intense online criticism, with many fans calling its design uninspired.
But instead of worrying, the company's marketing chief says the backlash was a pleasant surprise.
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Emanuele Carando, Ferrari's global marketing director, told Edmunds that while the brand expected strong reactions, the magnitude of the response caught them off guard.
He described the fury as an unprecedented wave of free advertising.
“Being a marketing director, I was very pleased,” Carando said.
“Ferrari is such a loved marque that belongs to everybody, and everybody has a right to say something about it.
Still, whenever you develop something new, the novelty scares everybody.”
History Repeats Itself
Carando drew parallels to the launch of the Purosangue, Ferrari's first crossover, which also faced harsh criticism initially.
He recalled comments about Enzo Ferrari rolling in his grave, yet noted that the Purosangue is now one of the most loved cars worldwide.
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The Luce's design, penned by LoveFrom, has been criticized for its proportions and anonymous look.
Carando defended the styling, explaining that a purpose-built EV architecture allowed for a short hood and a driver position close to the front axle, enhancing cornering precision.
He argued that simply swapping a V12 for electric motors in the Purosangue would not have been the right decision.
Ferrari also denied rumors that the Luce is bundled with limited-edition models to force sales.
Enrico Galliera, former Chief Marketing and Commercial Officer, stated before leaving the company that the Luce “is not going to be forced in selling” and should only go to customers who want it.
Alessandro Vaccari, Sports Cars Media & PR Manager, explained that Ferrari uses a complex algorithm to rank clients for rare models like the 12Cilindri Manuale, but there is no bundling strategy.
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Carando confirmed the algorithm is applied objectively.
