Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo sharply criticized the company’s new electric supercar Luce, warning that the vehicle risks “destroying the legend” of the Ferrari brand.
Montezemolo said he could not fully express his real opinion because it would harm Ferrari, adding that the car was not worthy of carrying the company’s iconic prancing horse emblem.
The comments intensified growing backlash surrounding Ferrari’s first fully electric supercar, which has faced heavy criticism online over its design and styling direction.
Automotive Industry Joins the Mockery
The controversy expanded further after rival automakers reportedly mocked the vehicle publicly on social media.
Lamborghini reportedly joked about the launch in comments, while Porsche also appeared to mock the design by referencing its own Panamera model.
View this post on Instagram
Analysts note that Ferrari faces enormous pressure balancing electrification with preserving the emotional identity and heritage associated with the brand.
The backlash highlights how difficult the transition to electric vehicles remains for luxury performance automakers whose reputations were built around combustion engines and iconic design language.
Ferrari Faces Identity Challenge in EV Era
The Luce represents Ferrari’s most ambitious attempt yet to enter the high-performance EV market amid rapid industry-wide electrification.
The company positioned the vehicle as a fusion of advanced EV engineering, AI-driven interfaces, and luxury design, including collaboration with former Apple designer Jony Ive.
However, reactions to the car suggest that technology alone may not satisfy longtime Ferrari enthusiasts.
Analysts say the broader automotive industry increasingly faces a difficult challenge: maintaining brand identity while adapting to software-driven electric vehicle platforms.
At the same time, controversy and strong emotional reactions may also generate enormous publicity and consumer attention around the vehicle.
The broader takeaway is that the transition to electric vehicles is becoming not only a technological shift, but also a cultural battle over brand identity, heritage, and the future meaning of luxury performance cars.
