KATHMANDU: Ferrari says it anticipated mixed reactions to the design of its first all-electric model, the Luce, but admits it did not expect the intensity of the criticism following the car’s debut in late May.
In an interview with Edmunds, Ferrari Global Marketing Director Emanuele Carando said the company knew Luce’s design would divide opinions. However, he said the scale of the backlash surprised the brand.
Despite the criticism, Carando said he was “very pleased” with the public response from a marketing perspective, adding that Ferrari is a brand people care deeply about and everyone has an opinion on it.
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna has also defended the company’s first battery-electric vehicle. Shortly after its unveiling, he said the Luce had generated strong customer interest, including from new buyers. Some customers have already placed deposits for the model.
Reports also claimed that Ferrari had sold out its initial allocation of the Luce in China, although the company continues to accept new orders.
The Luce has also drawn criticism from former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo, who led the company from 1991 to 2014. He warned that the model could risk damaging Ferrari’s legacy and said he hoped the company would “at least remove the prancing horse” from the vehicle.
Investor sentiment was also affected immediately after the unveiling. Ferrari’s shares fell 4.6 percent in the US the day after the Luce was revealed, although the stock has since recovered.
Ferrari is expected to provide a clearer picture of customer demand for the Luce when it announces its second-quarter financial results later this month.
