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Lifestyle

Analice Couto

“Bubble Gum Ferrari”: Social Media Mocks Ferrari’s Bold Electric Vehicle Design

Enzo Ferrari Benedetto Vigna Nissan

Ferrari’s standing in the automotive world has historically been defined by respect and acclaim, but that narrative shifted dramatically on Tuesday, May 26, a day after the brand revealed its electric model in Rome.

The Ferrari Luce (Italian for light) is the supercar manufacturer’s first-ever four-door, five-seater car.

It was developed with the help of former Apple design chief Jony Ive and his collective LoveFrom.

The Luce can reportedly hit 60 mph in around 2.5 seconds and has a maximum speed of roughly 192 mph.

Image credits: Ferrari

Ferrari said it had chosen to develop and manufacture all components in-house in Maranello, and that deliveries will begin in the fourth quarter of 2026.

While CEO Benedetto Vigna described the launch as “the result of five years of work” and “a new chapter” in Ferrari’s history, the internet’s reactions screamed disappointment.

Most of them took issue with the car’s look, labeling it a major departure from Ferrari’s traditional aesthetic.

While one user compared the blue-hued Luce to a Nissan Leaf, sharing side-by-side images, another likened the tangerine and yellow variants to vacuum cleaners in similar colors.

Image credits: Ferrari

A third user shared a screenshot of ChatGPT roasting the design.

When asked to comment on the newly launched car, the chatbot said: “If this is supposed to be a Ferrari concept, it looks like someone asked AI to mix a Ferrari, a 1980s vacuum cleaner, a Hyundai Ioniq 6, and a toaster.”

A separate user went on to list Luce among one of the top five ugliest car designs of all time, alongside the Chrysler PT Cruiser, Pontiac Aztek, Fiat Multipla, and Nissan Cube.

The disappointment went beyond internet memes, however, as Ferrari's shares fell about 8% on Milan’s Borsa Italiana, while shares listed on the New York Stock Exchange dropped roughly 4%.

Image credits: X/F1BigData

Analysts attributed the plunge to both “design hate” and the entry of the luxury automotive brand into the electric-vehicle market.

“Many fans are disappointed that Ferrari is embracing the EV concept, believing it dilutes the supercar brand, which has built itself around classic design and raw combustion-engine power,” Michael Field, chief equity strategist at global investment research company Morningstar, told CNBC.

Anthony Dick, an auto analyst at Franco-German finance group Oddo BHF, said the stock price response is “by far the sharpest reaction we’ve seen for a car design.

“The market has spoken,” he added.

Image credits: Ferrari

Italian Deputy Prime Minister and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini was also among the critics of Luce’s design.

“It looks nothing like a Ferrari. Is this supposed to be innovation? Who knows what company founder Enzo Ferrari would say,” he wrote on X.

Despite its unconventional design, Vigna said the Luce would deliver Ferrari drivers “the same sensation” as any other model, minus the roaring engine sound.

That will be replaced by a distinct sound coming from each of its four new electric motors, he said.

Ferrari Luce is priced at $640,000 (€550,000).

Ferrari has ventured into the EV market despite rival luxury carmakers, notably Porsche and Lamborghini, scaling back their electric vehicle strategies, citing weak consumer demand.