Did Ferrari just make the Apple Car with the Luce?

Is it truly the era of controversial automobile design? First, we’ve seen the new Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door, and now, one of the biggest turn-arounds in Ferrari design history comes in the form of the all-electric Luce.

More notably, the automaker has contracted the help of industrial design superstars Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson from their creative collective LoveFrom. And if you know who they are, you can probably understand the Apple Car connection.

And you’ll be left scratching your head as you take a look at this car’s exterior, as while it does look good and modern, this looks nothing like any of Maranello’s modern offerings.

Smooth lines all over, a clever “glass canopy” made out of a similar glass material found on most modern smartphones (Corning glass) that can be seen underneath the “shell” that holds the front and rear “wings” that make it look like the bodywork is floating above the black glass car, symmetrical suicide doors for the five-door grand tourer. 

This also has the distinction of having the largest wheels ever fitted to a production Ferrari, a staggered setup with 23-inch front wheels and 24-inch rear wheels, available either in a forged open five-spoke design or an aerodynamic disc design.

Of course, there are some really clever callbacks to Ferrari offerings, such as the black “visor” found in its other current models, the several Ferrari badges found all over, the hidden halo taillights that call back to the 360 Modena and the 458 Italia, the laser-engraved Ferrari logo at the back, and the historic yellow touches found on the wheel hubs and steering wheel.

Ferrari has already given a preview of the vehicle’s beautifully tactile interior design in the past, so we won’t go over it that much. Other than having many physical controls, multiple glass surfaces with OLED displays, and lots of heritage, it now features a specific 21-speaker premium sound system that blasts the Ferrari Audio Signature, multiple upholstery choices for the five seats, and a cleverly designed chassis that further reduces NVH for a more luxurious ride.

READ: The Ferrari Luce’s interior was penned by ex-Apple designers

It uses Ferrari’s first-ever quad electric motor powertrain engineered thanks to its experience from WEC and Formula 1. It has a maximum total power output of 1,036 horsepower and 990Nm of torque, a curb weight of 2,260kg, a top speed of 310kph with a 0-100kph time of around 2.5 seconds.

The 800V system is powered by a 122kWh battery, which can get up to 530km (WLTP) on a single charge. DC fast charging is supported up to 350kW, and it can add 70kWh in 20 minutes, alongside up to 22kW from AC charging.

With a ground-up vehicle control unit that makes its debut on this car, the majority of the vehicle’s drive systems can be configured by the e-Matinetto dial, and a Torque Shift Engagement system that allows you to control both power levels and “engine braking” levels via the paddle shifters.

Of course, this electric all-wheel drive Ferrari comes with an all-new Side Slip Control System, Active Suspension control for the active dampers and suspension modes, improved efficiency for the regenerative braking, and a complete suite of advanced driver assistance systems.

It can be said that this is a very bold step forward for the company, and it’s quite fitting to have the designers of some of the most celebrated products in the world lend a hand in the design and development of this car.

However, there’s an argument to be made: can you really consider this a true Ferrari? Enthusiasts and purists are up in arms, with some even going to say that Enzo Ferrari is spinning in his grave, even enough to charge up this vehicle. What do you think?

^{Photos from Ferrari}