The Ferrari Luce reveal has caused a lot of chaos for the luxury supercar brand. While the performance is fine and expected — 1,000-plus horsepower and a 2.5 second 0-60 time are not bad, but basically standard for high-end EVs at this point — the $650,000 model has caused Ferrari stock to plummet as negative articles keep getting cranked out.
Why? The Ferrari Luce is butt ugly.
On Tuesday morning, Ferrari’s shares trading in New York rapidly dropped by over 5%. Articles compared the strangely round and non-aggressive design to the Nissan Leaf. It was a disaster of a morning for Ferrari.
On the bright side, former Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo pointed out that this is one car that China won’t copy. And that was him holding back.
Was it worth it, Ferrari? Was it worth being this ugly?
Why is everyone reacting with horror? Well, the Luce doesn’t really carry any noticeable Ferrari DNA. The Purosangue, 12Cilindri, and other recent vehicles carry on the brand’s legacy with sharp edges and aggressive front ends. But the Luce looks like a smooth, helpless beetle with a lifeless, blank stare. To me, it looks worse than even the tackiest Hot Wheels design.
It seems odd that Ferrari, a brand so well-known for its beautiful, intense designs, would even make something so drab and dopey. But the design was apparently born out of Ferrari’s desire to create something extremely aerodynamic.
According to Ferrari itself, this vehicle has the lowest drag coefficient in the brand’s history. This has resulted in a smooth, continuous body design with no sharp edges or angles. It eliminates all of the dynamic, luxurious, and exciting design qualities seen in other models. These underwhelming surfaces maximize airflow while the active aerdynamic grilles regulate airflow, “always ensuring the correct balance between cooling requirements and aerodynamic drag.”
Smooth, curved lines are generally considered more aerodynamic than edgy lines. One study even states sharp edges and protusions add drag. So you’re telling me, the Apollo Project Evo isn’t the epitome of aerodynamic? Darn.
But is the Luce really creating that much better aerodynamics that sacrificing its looks is worth it? I would say no. Ferrari’s other vehicles have found ways to increase aerodynamic efficiency without looking butt ugly in the process. For exmaple, the 12Cilindri’s integrated twin-flap system on the rear fender creates incredible downforce. Even the Purosangue, an SUV, has a redesigned, flat underbody that directs air efficiency back into the rear diffuser for stability and downforce.
While being aerodynamic is sorta cool, most automakers have sacrificed a little bit of their vehicle’s aerodynamics to make the vehicles look aggressive, edgy, powerful, and fast. A vehicle’s design is extremely important, especially the face. This is what people connect to. Even if automakers don’t want it to be so. The Luce’s face is just a black void.
It’s too early to say if the Luce is that much more aerodynamic than the other Ferrari models. But I’d say it doesn’t even matter. Saving a few milliseconds while speeding off at a green light is not worth driving around in the ugliest Ferrari ever made. You’re paying $650,000. There is no excuse why Ferrari still can’t make it look good. This is a brand where that definitely matters.
But I guess Ferrari wanted to try something completely different. You know, drop that old, tired “this car looks good, feels good, and drives fast” thing. I mean, boringgggg. Bring out the smooth, pill-shaped vehicle instead.
“We want to bring something that we consider as a game changer, really talk in a different language,” Ferrari’s Chief Commercial Officer fficer, Enrico Galliera, said to Yahoo Finance. “We can maintain our current [design language], which is the current offer, satisfying our clients, and we want to test something completely different with different approaches.”
