“A Prancing Horse on Batteries”: Ex-Ferrari Boss Demands the Badge Be Scrapped From New Silent Model

That is precisely why the unveiling of Maranello’s first fully electric creation — the five-seat sky-blue city car Luce EV (“Light”) — has sent the automotive world into a state of deep shock. Fans are furious, shares have fallen, and a former company boss is even demanding that the iconic logo be removed from the new model altogether.

“A vacuum cleaner” and “the ugliest car in the world”

Fans do not object to the idea of electrification itself — but the design has triggered outrage.

“I don’t dispute that the future is electric. But the design is a total shock. It has shaken the very foundations of our legend,” says Fabio Barone, president of the prestigious Italian Ferrari owners’ club Passione Rossa.

On social media, the new model is being mercilessly ridiculed. Users compare the luxury EV to a shapeless robot vacuum cleaner, a Crocs slipper, and even the infamous Fiat Multipla — a 1990s minivan once officially labeled the ugliest car in automotive history.

Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini has already publicly wondered whether Enzo Ferrari would be “turning in his grave.” Former CEO Luca di Montezemolo went even further, saying the prancing horse emblem should be immediately removed from the Luce EV’s bonnet.

“I fully agree — the horse should come off. How can a Ferrari exist without the sound of ‘vroom’?” Barone added.

An electric guitar instead of an engine

Ferrari engineers were, of course, aware that a silent electric motor would shock traditional fans. So they attempted a workaround: equipping the axles with sensors that detect vibration during motion and transmit an amplified artificial roar through powerful speakers — inside and outside the car — in the style of an electric guitar.

But for purists, the synthetic soundtrack has so far failed to impress.

The market reacted instantly to the “quiet” unveiling: Ferrari shares fell 8.4% in Milan the following day and 5.3% in the US.

Betting on wealthy Gen Z buyers and Apple-style design

Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna, however, remains calm, insisting the car has a strong future. He argues that critics — the so-called “petrolheads” — fail to see a new audience emerging.

The Luce EV was developed with legendary former Apple design chief Jony Ive and designer Marc Newson. It was conceived as a gadget on wheels for a high-tech generation, rather than for track purists.

Analysts at UBS and Berenberg have reassured investors, noting that Ferrari plans to produce fewer than 1,000 units. The luxurious interior has already impressed wealthy clients at a private showcase in Rome, suggesting the company will have no trouble finding several hundred extremely rich early adopters.

As part of its PR campaign, the car has already been shown to Italian President Sergio Mattarella and even Pope Leo (who, it turns out, is also not opposed to a spirited ride). But for the old guard, the verdict is clear: if a Ferrari does not roar and resemble a Renaissance masterpiece, it should be rebranded entirely — far away from Enzo Ferrari’s sacred name.