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The Ferrari EV (!)

Two things on the new electric "Ferrari":

Something about it screams Pontiac Aztek, but I'm not sure what.
Would it have turned out better had they just asked ChatGPT top design that thing?

I had to double check the issue date of this week's 'Rants' to make sure it was not the April 1 edition. Yikes!

Kartiac
Goldendale, Washington



Seething Renzo.

Is it wrong that I hope for rolling abortions like the Luce to be introduced so we can all bask in the glow of Peter’s seething. The best part of waking up…

Stay stupid car companies, we need us some Seething Peter!!

Tony W.
Lancaster, Pennsylvania



Not Very Good.

The new Ferrari Luce is a preview to the faceless commoditized ride share appliances you described in last week’s rant. There is nothing that makes it a Ferrari other than the badge; it is not beautiful outside or inside, it is not the fastest, it is not best handing, it can’t proclaim itself to be the best at anything. I have no idea why anyone would buy it over a Lucid Air. All trims of the Lucid Air are better than the Luce (and yes, I have driven and have extensive time around a Lucid Air in Touring trim). The price makes me think anyone who buys or leases a new Luce needs to be involuntarily committed for a psychological evaluation and have their bank account access revoked.

KB
Sparta, New Jersey



Depressing.

I am in the design profession and can say without reservation that this Ferrari Luce design is a fail—inside and out. This sedan lacks the core Ferrari virtues of unified, sleek, and sensual sculpture. It lacks the essential emotion… and emotion is at the core of this brand and has always been so. How did Ferrari leaders become so lost? Is it new people who don't understand? Do they care? Company leadership is foolish to think this is a way forward. This is depressing.

Phil R.
Fullerton, California



The Ferrari Luce.

I see the term "re-define" every time a car company announces a new creation that I'm wondering what the definition was to begin with.

The Ferrari Luce will be a big seller in SoCal where Big Dickism extends to being the first on the block to express their concern over the environment while showing-off they have the bank roll and "pull" to afford the car no matter the cost.

Kyle Busch's death is a reminder not to "push through" health problems but to take care of one's self regardless of professional consequences. RIP Kyle Busch.

Philip Hackett
Los Angeles, California



Ferrari Luce.

The whole time I was reading your rant, I was thinking, "Oh come on, it can't be THAT bad!" Then I scrolled down to the photos. It's somehow even worse than you described.

Dan Manes
San Diego, California



Searching for Godzilla.

Back in the 1950's comedian Red Skelton had a monologue where he said, "Last year the front ends and grills of all the new model cars looked like faces in search of something. This year it would appear that they've found what they were looking for..."

The front end of the new Mercedes-AMG GT looks like the distorted angry face of one of Godzilla's opponents. Just what are they thinking back there near Stuttgart...?!

Eddy
Newcastle, Ontario, CANADA



Ferrari Luce.

If this is a harbinger of future design for Ferrari... words fail me. Passion is on life support. An insult to the great designers of the past who exemplified that passion, whether their designs were considered classic or avant garde at the time. If I were a Ferrari employee I'd seriously consider resigning and going to work for an appliance company, because that's what this is. (Am I being too generous with this assessment?)

Righter
Austin, Texas

Editor-in-Chief’s Note: The Ferrari Luce will go down as one of the biggest blunders in automotive history. -PMD



The Emperor Has No Clothes Edition.

At the time, I kept thinking A) It was a mistake for Honda not to buy Pininfarina, and B) it was probably a bigger mistake for Ferrari to end their relationship with same for their 'internal design department'

I was right in both cases, and then Maranello brings in Apple designers and we get The Luce. THAT's a Ferrari? You GOT to be kidding. For those lucky few, be sure and order it with the optional 'The Emperor Has No Clothes' interior.

J. Wilson
Nashville, Tennessee



What day is it again?

The Ferrari Luce illustrations actually prompted me to check the calendar. Is it really April 1?

Roger Henry
Thousand Oaks, California



Ugly times.

Goddamn; modern cars have gotten ugly. (sigh)

Jim Jones
Cole County, Missouri



Don't forget the "new" Jaguar.

I would agree with you that the Ferrari is the biggest disgrace ever to inflict on a storied racing brand...

But then again, the "new" Jaguar exists too.

Infosaur
Sinking Spring, Pennsylvania



The Luce.

Oh, the new Luce will find a niche. It will be the car you are required to buy a few of in order to get the allocation for the latest and greatest ICE Ferrari.

Casey Raskob, Esq.
Green Leafy Burbs, New York City



And another thing.

1. I call that Ferrari, The 'Lucy'. There's nothing 'light' about it.
2. Jony Ive & Marc Newson are Product Designers/Industrial Designers.
3. I've been a professional automotive designer for over two decades. It is incomprehensible to me giving full vehicle design responsibility to product designers who've NEVER designed a car, let alone a Ferrari!
4. Regardless of how its powered (EV, ICE, Fairy Dust), cars should elicit a visual drool factor, make hearts race faster and push our desire for it past the redline of common sense. This abomination does none of that.

At the end of the day, it's still an effing automobile! A FERRARI! PERIOD.

BYC
Detroit, Michigan

Editor-in-Chief's Note: Actually, Newson has designed a car before; it was called the 21C and he did it as a concept for Ford. Google it. -PMD



If only.

If the Luce was indeed a Kia K5 with the Kia EV powertrains, I'd lease it in an instant! Killer commuter car and now with space for 5! :)

KAR
Mukilteo, Washington



The Ferrari Afeela.

Thank you to Mercedes for showing a hideous carp-faced abomination to take our collective minds off the fact that Ferrari introduced their version of the Afeela, just as Honda is canning theirs.

Tom Pease
AE’s L.A.-based correspondent
Beverly Hills, California



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Dr. John
Phoenix, Arizona



Awful design.

The front end of that Mercedes is the most awful thing I have ever seen on a car. It looks like the mouth of a monster I had nightmares about when I was a kid.

Ted R
Raleigh, North Carolina



Bumblers.

I am as concerned about a bunch of losers that cannot figure out how to use a crescent wrench developing "self-driving" cars as I am not being on the moon by 2024... for only $8 BILLION DOLLARS. America is being bombarded with "the future" by a bunch of idiots with no valid achievements. I remember when we went to the moon in 8 years... with no fucking computers and here we are today, still nowhere near the moon after what, 18 YEARS? Could it be because Musk and Bezos are fucking incompetent? Yeah, this isn't 1940's Germany with a bunch of technological achievements, this is a bunch of delusional idiots spewing garbage. Just like the jackass at Ford with no accomplishments and America's "auto expert", a comedian who cannot cut a section.

Ptg0
Highland Park, Michigan



Problem solved.

You don't NEED to travel anywhere. Through the magic of AI and your trusty cell phone, any and all things that should interest you can easily be brought right up to your face. You can just sit right where you are and barely need to move a muscle. See... wasn't that easy?

DJV
Wilmington, North Carolina