The Ferrari Luce is U.G.L.Y. That would usually be a matter of opinion, like the RAV4 or Subaru Outback. But with the Luce, it’s just a fact. And it’s a fact that this is important. Because with Ferrari, the looks matter. Even Italy’s Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini condemned the Luce. And he isn’t the only official who spoke up.
Due to its hideous appearance, the Luce had a pretty disastrous reveal. But Ferrari claimed the backlash doesn’t reflect the actual sales, stating that many Ferrari owners had placed orders. However, it later emerged that Ferrari had allegedly threatened collectors, saying they’d be removed from an exclusive list unless they bought the Luce.
Despite all the drama, a Ferrari Luce just sold for $40 million.
Why did the Ferrari Luce sell for $40 million?
@jared_carphotovideo Ferrari Luce sells for $40 Million dollars going to the Ferrari Foundation Charity. The first ever all electric Ferrari Luce produced and supposedly equipped with a bespoke Tailor Made specification. An unbelievable amount of money for a terribly underwhelming Ferrari. #ferrari #car #cars #carsoftiktok #supercar @ferrari ♬ original sound – jared_carphotovideo
At RM Sotheby’s auction during Monterey Car Week, a Ferrari Luce went up on stage. Not just any Luce: the first-ever Luce, the Chassis 0. WOW THE FIRST EVER LUCE!?!?!??!?!?! Ferrari really thought they did something with that.
And maybe they did. The Luce is priced at $ 640,000, and this auctioned model was expected to fetch $1.1 million. But it kept going. And going. And going. $40 million.
Does being the first Luce make it worth $40 million? No, not even when it comes with a Madreperla Semi-Gloss exterior, matching wheels, and a Le Mans metallic leather interior. It’s still ugly, and it still has just 1,050 horsepower. That may sound impressive if you’re five years old, but basically every electric SUV has that at this point. And they don’t look like a Nissan Leaf.
The cost was due to it being a charity auction, part of the Ferrari Foundation. This is basically for some wealthy Ferrari collector who wants a special Luce while helping people. I can’t really say that’s a bad thing. But I have seen some funny comments on TikTok calling it a money-laundering scheme.
What is the Ferrari Luce’s performance?
Ferrari equipped the Luce with four electric motors, one at each wheel, producing up to 972 horsepower in its most aggressive Performance mode. Ferrari claims a 0-to-62-mph time of just 2.5 seconds and a top speed of more than 192 mph.
It also offers more than 310 miles of claimed range, giving it considerably greater everyday usability than the average Ferrari. In Range mode, output is reduced to about 430 horsepower, while Tour mode raises that figure to 577 horsepower before Performance mode unleashes the full 972 horsepower.
The numbers are impressive, but the Luce is also heavy, weighing close to 5,000 pounds. That is a substantial departure from the relatively lightweight philosophy associated with Ferrari’s traditional sports cars. Ferrari has attempted to offset that mass with sophisticated torque vectoring and four-wheel drive, but there is no getting around the fact that this is a very large, very powerful EV.
Why does everyone hate the Ferrari Luce?
The biggest problem isn’t really performance, though it’s nothing special for EVs these days. It is identity.
Ferrari fans have spent decades associating the brand with low-slung sports cars, exotic styling, screaming engines, and a driving experience that feels a little impractical by design. The Luce throws much of that formula out the window. It has four doors, five seats, a minimalist exterior, and an electric powertrain that replaces the traditional engine soundtrack with an amplified synthetic sound.
The styling has been particularly controversial. Designed with input from former Apple design chief Jony Ive and his LoveFrom studio, the Luce has smooth surfaces and a restrained appearance that some critics say looks more like a piece of high-end technology than a Ferrari. Others have compared its shape to everything from a Nissan Leaf to various ordinary family sedans.
Then there is the price. The Luce starts at roughly $640,000 in the United States, making it difficult to dismiss the criticism as simply resistance to new technology. Buyers are being asked to spend supercar money on something that looks, at least to some observers, remarkably restrained.
