Pope Leo XIV became the first person outside Ferrari to check out the Luce, the brand's debut all-electric model. Ferrari Chairman John Elkann and CEO Benedetto Vigna personally presented the car to the Pontiff at his Castel Gandolfo residence. The Luce is also Ferrari's first-ever five-seater. The visit has drawn global attention — not just because of the high-profile handover, but because the car itself has divided opinion sharply, with some critics and investors calling it a departure from everything Ferrari has stood for.
What the Ferrari Luce Actually Is — And What Makes It Different
The Luce EV is a significant break from Ferrari's traditional lineup in more ways than one:
- It is Ferrari's first fully electric production car, marking the end of the brand's all-combustion era.
- Unlike every previous Ferrari, the Luce is a five-seater, a segment the Maranello brand has never entered before.
- Power comes from four in-house developed electric motors — one per wheel — capable of spinning up to 30,000 rpm.
- Combined output is rated at 1,050 hp, with front motors producing 141 hp each and rear motors contributing 476 hp each.
- The claimed 0–100 km/h sprint time is 2.5 seconds, with 0–200 km/h achievable in 6.8 seconds.
- Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna has stated the car is the result of over 60 new patents and was developed in partnership with external technology collaborators.
- The interior was shaped with input from Jony Ive's design firm LoveFrom, with a reported focus on tactile controls over large touchscreens.
Mixed Reactions — From the Vatican to Wall Street
The Luce's reception has been far from uniform. Here's where things stand:
- During the Castel Gandolfo visit, Pope Leo XIV asked Ferrari officials whether the Luce was the brand's first four-door car — to which they clarified it was actually a five-seater.
- The Pope was briefed on the car's drive modes and its Formula 1-derived technology.
- Investor Ross Gerber, co-founder of Gerber Kawasaki, publicly criticised the car on social media, calling the Luce "ugly" with "pathetic" interiors.
- Former Ferrari boss Luca di Montezemolo also reportedly expressed concern about the car carrying the Ferrari name.
What This Means for Ferrari Buyers and Enthusiasts in India
For Indian consumers watching Ferrari's direction, the
Luce raises several practical questions:
- The Luce represents a new buyer profile for Ferrari — someone who wants a family-capable, high-performance EV under the prancing horse badge, rather than a traditional sports car.
- At over 1,000 hp with four-wheel drive and a five-seat layout, it competes in the same space as the Rimac Nevera and Porsche Taycan Turbo GT, though at a different price point and exclusivity level.
- Ferrari India pricing and availability have not been announced, but given the brand's positioning, the Luce is expected to be well beyond the Rs 5 crore mark when it eventually arrives.
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