Few electric debuts arrive with this much aesthetic baggage. The debut of the Ferrari Luce turned out to be more controversial than expected, and surprisingly, the noise is louder about its styling than its all-electric powertrain. The car looks nothing like any Ferrari before it, which got us wondering how it would hold up wearing someone else’s emblem.

By now most of the world knows the Luce was shaped with help from LoveFrom, the studio led by former Apple designer Jony Ive. That explains the gulf between this car and anything Flavio Manzoni’s Ferrari Centro Stile team has produced before.

More: Ferrari Quietly Trademarked 10 New Model Names

Of course, this sudden break with tradition was completely intentional. After all, Ferrari doesn’t plan on becoming an EV-only brand anytime soon, meaning that the pioneer model had the privilege of carving its own path. With that out of the way, and since the internet is never short on critics, let’s get on with the face swapping.

At first glance, the Luce’s face brought to mind the 2008 Pininfarina Sintesi concept, a shape that would have suited a four-door Ferrari rather well. A second look made the resemblance to the Jeep Avenger headlights impossible to unsee.

More: Jeep’s Refreshed Avenger Gets A Classier Cabin And New Turbo Engine

The uncanny resemblance inspired our rendering of the Jeep Luce. In reality, all we had to do was to add the illuminated seven-slot grille and paint the bodywork in the vibrant Hawaii color from the new Compass. A lift kit would have sealed the illusion, but we will leave that to the imagination.

The next brand that inevitably comes to mind was Dodge, as the see-through grille of the Ferrari is similar in theory to the nose of the electric Charger Daytona.

The Luce’s short nose is hardly muscle-car territory, but it sits surprisingly well with the Charger’s full-width headlights and illuminated emblem. The deep Redeye paint from Dodge’s palette also plays nicely off the glossy black panels of the electric Ferrari.

Next up, a Japanese brand known for the clean lines of its concept work. Honda has recently axed a long list of high-profile EV projects, but it was hard to resist picturing the Luce with the ‘H’ emblem pinned to its nose.

More: Honda Won’t Touch The CRX, So Two Designers Did It Themselves

However, since this is a performance model, we decided to give it the Type R treatment, with a sharper carbon fiber aero kit and red bucket seats. Ironically, the Ferrari Luce doesn’t look as exotic as the cancelled Honda 0 Sedan.

The next and final stop in our face swapping journey is the Far East. Chances are that one of the countless automakers in China will copy the styling features of the electric Ferrari and bring something similar into production before the first examples come out of the Maranello factory.

More: The Nurburgring’s SUV Record Used To Be German. It Isn’t Anymore

Given the loose Apple connection and the way the Luce reads more like a tech product than a supercar, Xiaomi was the natural pick. The Lighting Yellow paint and silver stripes from the Porsche-inspired Xiaomi SU7 Ultra came first, followed by a set of Mi emblems.

In order to make a more convincing case for a Chinese EV, we added a roof-mounted Lidar sensor and several carbon fiber aero add-ons. Still, we didn’t need to touch Ferrari’s own aerodynamic wheels inspired by turbines that already come with yellow accents.

We will close out with a bonus, the rebadge a fair number of readers have already asked for. Turn the Luce into the Apple iCar that never made it to market. “Project Titan” was officially canceled in February 2024, having burned through billions in design and research chasing an autonomous, paradigm-shifting EV.

By outsourcing the Luce’s aesthetics to LoveFrom, Ferrari might have given former Apple design chief Jony Ive the platform to express at least a part of the spirit of the ambitious project by the tech giant. . For our imaginary take, the changes were minimal, an Apple logo on the nose and side gills, disc-style alloys, and a Cosmic Orange finish borrowed from the latest iPhone.

Illustrations: Thanos Pappas for CarScoops

We’ve officially entered a new automotive age that includes an electric Ferrari. We saw disguised test vehicles roaming around Europe. Executives talked around it. Spy photographers chased camouflaged prototypes. But there was always a sense that Maranello was buying itself more time before confronting what might be the biggest challenge in its modern history. Well, time’s up. Meet the Ferrari Luce.

Read: NASA Helped Ferrari Fix The Luce EV’s “Disturbing” Acceleration

Ferrari didn’t tiptoe into electrification either. Rather than building a low-volume experiment or a softened-up grand tourer, it has created something entirely new: a four-door, five-seat, four-motor EV making 1,035 hp (772 kW / 1,050 PS) and capable of hitting 62 mph (100 km/h) in just 2.5 seconds. That’s only marginally slower than a couple of American sedans that cost under $300,000.

The company says Luce (Italian for “light”) isn’t intended to be viewed as merely Ferrari’s EV. Instead, Maranello calls it a “Ferrari 360°,” a completely new product intended to broaden the brand without replacing combustion or hybrid models. To that end, it’s not a ‘supercar’ in the traditional sense, of course. Thanks to the EV architecture, this is the first Ferrari in history that can shuttle a driver and four passengers at the same time.

A Four-Door Ferrari Designed From Scratch

The Luce was shaped almost entirely by LoveFrom, the studio set up by Jony Ive and Marc Newson together after leaving Apple. Outside design houses are not new to Maranello. Pininfarina and Bertone, for example, have both left fingerprints on the brand over the decades. What is different this time, Ferrari says, is that LoveFrom was given the freedom to argue for something genuinely unconventional rather than refine an existing template.

The shape backs that up. Ferrari says the car is centered around an ultra-clean “glass house” design with floating front and rear aerodynamic wings. In reality, without the Ferrari badging, it would probably be tough for most everyday folks to tie this car back to the Prancing Horse brand.

Let’s start up front and work our way around. The Luce’s face features a huge frontal wing that mimics the good ol’ boys at Dodge with the Charger Daytona. There’s a secondary hood area behind it in gloss black and the two tones do tie the car to other modern cars within the Ferrari family. That said, the lighting and front fascia don’t really shout Ferrari in any way.

The Luce rides on gigantic 23-inch front and 24-inch rear wheels, the largest ever fitted to a production Ferrari road car. The overhangs are short, and behind the front wheels, you’ll find a large black panel that appears to be a vent for turbulent air in the wheel well. Beyond that, there’s not much to say of the side beyond the use of Tesla Cybertruck-style door poppers on the B-pillar and, as we suspected, suicide doors for the rear occupants.

The rear is where things get more interesting. The silhouette reads sedan at a glance, but the entire back panel lifts as a hatch, with the rear glass hinged into the tailgate rather than fixed to the roofline.

Ferrari points to the 360 Modena and 458 Italia as the inspiration, and this might be where the strongest ties to brand DNA actually show up. The lighting structure, on the other hand, could just as easily have someone thinking of a Nissan Skyline or a Chevrolet Impala. That probably is not the flattery Maranello was after, but it is worth remembering who drew the thing.

Ive was central to the design of the original iPhone, and Newson worked on the Apple Watch and various special editions. Today, the original iPhone is a flagship moment in design. The Luce probably won’t go down in the history books with as much gravity, but perhaps over the years it’ll age like fine wine.

The Cabin

The details are where things start getting nerdy. The steering wheel itself is machined from recycled aluminum and works with a moving binnacle that travels with the wheel to keep key information directly in the driver’s line of sight. Ferrari also mixed physical controls with digital interfaces rather than going all-in on touchscreens. That means actual switches, dials, and toggles still exist alongside OLED displays developed specifically for the Luce.

Then there are the oddball touches that sound peak Ferrari. The key itself uses Corning Gorilla Glass and E Ink technology, and docking it triggers a startup sequence where Ferrari yellow reportedly spreads across the cabin interface.

There’s also a physical overhead pull that activates Launch Mode because, apparently, pressing a button was considered too ordinary. Add in optional massage seats, rear passenger controls, and a 21-speaker, 3,000-watt audio system (more than you get in a seven-passenger Jeep Grand Wagoneer), and the Luce starts sounding less like a stripped-out supercar and more like Ferrari looked at luxury EV buyers and decided to build them something entirely new.

Performance And Power

Power is key, and clearly this thing has it, but let’s talk about weight for a moment first, as it defines how far performance can go in many aspects. The Luce tips the scales at 2,260 kg (4,982 lbs), which means Ferrari’s first EV arrives carrying nearly two-and-a-half tons of mass. That’s not exactly featherweight territory, even by modern EV standards.

Then again, Ferrari engineers seem acutely aware of that reality. The company says the low-mounted battery, four-motor setup, torque vectoring, and packaging give the car responses comparable to something roughly 400 kg lighter. That’s a bold claim, but at this point, Ferrari can’t really make small ones.

The Luce was never going to be judged like a normal EV. Nobody expects Ferrari to simply build a quicker alternative to a luxury electric sedan or crossover. The brand’s entire reputation rests on making machines that feel special, irrational, and emotional.

An Electric Guitar Approach to Ferrari Noise

Sound is one of the levers Ferrari pulls to get there, and crucially the Luce’s is not piped in or synthesized, which is the standard playbook for EVs trying to sound interesting. A precision accelerometer mounted in the rear axle housing captures the real vibrations of the rotating components, and a patented system then “filters, equalises and amplifies the signal in a similar way to an electric guitar, but only when functional to the driving experience.” Ferrari calls the result authentic and functional, and the driver can turn it up or down at will.

There’s also a unique torque shift engagement system designed to deliver a feeling of “engine braking worthy of a sports car.” Speaking of torque, the Luce leverages four electric motors that Ferrari derived from the F80 supercar. The vehicle uses an elastically-mounted subframe to dampen road harshness while the motors produce up to 1,035 hp (772 kW) together.

It has a 122 kWh battery pack, an 800V architecture, and can recover 70 kWh in 20 minutes when using a DC fast charger capable of delivering up to 350 kW. The entire battery pack does more than hold cells. It is a structural member, contributing a 25 percent gain in bending rigidity and 35 percent in torsional rigidity over previous four-door Ferrari applications. At this rate, given all the changes, I’m a little surprised it’s not carrying a Dino badge.

Europe First, U.S. Buyers Wait Until 2027

Ferrari opens European order books later this year with a price tag around €520,000, or over $600,000 at today’s rates. North America will have to wait longer. The Luce does not land at U.S. dealers until Q2 2027, and Maranello has not said what it will charge here.

QUICK FACTS

* With optional equipment, ** In Launch Control mode, *** Estimation (under homologation)

BMW of North America has dropped two crucial numbers for its new iX3 electric SUV, and they couldn’t have come at a more important time. Up to 434 miles (699 km) of EPA range isn’t just impressive, it might be exactly what the sagging US EV market needs right now. As is the price, which makes the electric X3 SUV cheaper than a less powerful combustion X3.

That headline range figure, which is even better then the 400 miles (644 km) originally estimated by BMW stateside, puts it ahead of most rivals, though it does come with an asterisk. It only applies to cars equipped with the no-cost-option 20-inch summer tires. Stick with the default all-seasons 20-inchers and it drops to 383 miles (616 km).

Related: BMW iX3 Beats Its Official Range By Over 120 Miles In Real-World Test

Here’s where it gets really weird, though. BMW reckons you’ll get 399 miles (642 km) if you upsize to the $600 21-inch wheels and all-season rubber, which actually give you 1 mile (1.6 km) more range than the 21-inch summer tires offer. It sounds all wrong but BMW says the strange numbers are the result of averaging range figures across various tire brands.

You can check out the full range-to-tire stats in the table below, but whichever combo you pick, you’re going to be going further between fills than any other electric SUV in the sector. Tesla quotes 294 miles (473 km) for the base AWD Model Y, 327 miles (526 km) for the Premium AWD, and 306 miles (492 km) for the Performance variant. While we’re still waiting on official figures for the Mercedes GLC 400 4Matic, based on the difference between it and the iX3 in the European WLTP numbers, we’d expect its EPA range to be around 380 miles (612 km) at best.

2027 iX3 Electric Range Vs Tires

It Undercuts The ICE X3 On Price

But range, and an ability to charge at 400 kW, adding 185 miles (298 km) in 10 minutes, isn’t the only thing the iX3 has on its side. It’s also competitively priced. The iX3 50 xDrive costs $62,850 including a $1,350 destination charge, which means it costs less than the brand’s own gas-powered $67,850 X3 M50 xDrive.

It also gives you 463 hp (469 PS) and 476 lb-ft (645 Nm) to the ICE SUV’s 393 hp (399 PS) and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm), and though the six-cylinder SUV gets to 60 mph (97 kmh) a touch quicker (4.4 plays 4.7 seconds) than the EV, we bet it’s the iX3 that feels the more urgent when you jump on the right pedal for a passing maneuver.

That kind of pricing is designed to hook in American drivers who’ve lost interest in EVs lately. BMW’s electric sales sank 16.7 percent last year and cratered by 45.5 percent in the fourth quarter after the Trump administration axed the $7,500 federal tax credit program. Mercedes will now be feeling the heat to price its GLC EV as close to $60k as possible.

M Sport Trim A $2,500 Option

Naturally there are plenty of opportunities to add to the iX3’s $62,850 base price. Standard kit includes BMW’s Panoramic Vision pillar-to-pillar digital display, Perforated Veganza Upholstery, smartphone charger, Digital Key Plus (which uses your phone as a key) and umpteen safety aids. But plenty of buyers will want to add the $1,500 Comfort Package (heated steering wheel, panoramic glass sunroof and multifunction seats), or $1,900 Technology Package (BMW Iconic Glow illuminted kidney grille, 3D head-up display, Harman/Kardon hifi). Or maybe even both.

And the M Sport package is sure to be a big draw. The base version of the package costs $2,500 and nets you BMW M interior and exterior trim, 20-inch M Aero V-Spoke wheels and a sports steering wheel, while the $4,000 Professional version adds the Iconic Glow light-up grille, a proper M sport wheel and M Sport brakes with red and blue calipers. That’s as near as you’ll get to an iX3 M this year, though we expect to see one of those before long.

More Affordable iX3 40 Arrives Later

And if even an options-free iX3 50 is too pricey for your pocket, there may be a solution arriving shortly. Though BMW hasn’t yet confirmed it’s coming to US roads, information that mistakenly appeared briefly on the brand’s website earlier this year before being taken down, suggested the 50 xDrive would be joined by a rear-wheel drive 40 sDrive and all-wheel drive 40 xDrive.

Related: BMW’s Entry-Level iX3 Saves You Over $7K, But There’s A Real Trade-Off

BMW has already debuted the single-motor 40 in Europe in March, revealing that it makes 316 hp (320 PS / 235 kW) and downgrades to a 82.6 kWh battery. The new base model needs 5.9 seconds to reach 62 mph (100 kmh) and going by the 395 miles (636 km) WLTP range, will probably get an EPA rating of around 340 miles (547 km).

You can configure your iX3 50 now and reserve it for $1,000. Get in early and you should get yours when deliveries kick off in September.

BMW

The classic muscle scene is seriously tribal, but the one thing guaranteed to get GM, Mopar, and Ford fans to unite is a race between a V8 and a modern EV. And that’s exactly what’s served up in this surprising video, where a Tesla Cybertruck ventures onto a drag strip.

In the left lane is a 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle Malibu, and while we don’t know the full details of the car in question, it’s obviously not rocking that year’s base inline-six. It rolled to the line wearing fat sticky rear rubber, aftermarket wheels, and the sort of stance that says this thing doesn’t spend much time below full throttle.

Related: In Florida, 148 MPH Gets You Arrested. In California, It Gets You A Ticket

The biggest factory motor available in 1970 Chevelles delivered 454 cubes (7.4 liters) of displacement, and modern builds on that big-block base can easily generate 500-600 hp (507-608 PS) in naturally aspirated form.

Cybersnooze

We’ve all seen enough EV videos to expect the Cybertruck to hook up instantly and erupt from the line, leaving the Chevelle struggling to get its tires hooked up. A few seconds later, the Tesla would be flashing across the finish with the Chevy trailing behind, its pride in tatters.

But that’s not how it worked out here. When the lights change, the Chevy gets the jump immediately and charges ahead, opening enough daylight to make it seem like the race might be over before the Tesla has fully woken up. For the first half of the quarter mile, the old-school muscle car looks comfortably in command.

Then the Cybertruck gets its act together. Once it’s moving and the motors are fully delivering, the giant stainless wedge storms downtrack and begins hauling in the Chevy at an alarming rate. What had looked like an easy Chevelle win suddenly becomes a blink-and-you-miss-it finish line showdown.

Times Come Second

You’ll need slowed playback to separate them by seeing whose numbers come up first, but the Chevelle appears to nose ahead at the line. In drag racing, that’s what counts. First across wins, even if the stopwatch tells a slightly different story.

And the stopwatch did tell a different story. The Cybertruck completed the quarter in 11.39 at 118.6 mph (191 km/h), that ET and trap speed suggesting it’s the top-spec Cyberbeast, which has a tri-motor setup and 845 hp (856 PS / 630 kW). The Chevelle registered 11.69 seconds at 114.9 mph (185 kmh).

So on this occasion, muscle fans got to celebrate taking an EV’s scalp, but you just know that if the Cybertruck sorted his reactions for a rematch, it would be a different story.

YouTube/@Wheels

China continues to cement its position as the home of the cut-price EV, and the latest proof is SAIC’s bargain-bin Porsche Taycan lookalike. The company has confirmed that its Z7 will start at just 219,800 yuan ($32,200), which puts it in the realm of a mid-range Toyota Camry in the US. That is even less than expected, and a very, very long way below the Taycan’s 918,000 yuan ($134,500) starting point.

In fact, you could easily spend more with just a few options in Porsche’s configurator. There is a reason why Jim Farley has been warning about the pressure coming from China.

Unveiled earlier this year as a rival to the hugely popular Xiaomi SU7, the Z7 is making its public debut at this week’s Beijing Auto Show, where SAIC has also confirmed several variants. The standard sedan keeps things simple with the Z7 name, while the wagon version goes by Z7T. Put something like this in a showroom, and it does rather leave the Taycan looking like an expensive way to buy a badge.

The entry-level Z7 uses a rear-mounted electric motor with 359 hp and an 81 kWh battery pack. SAIC will also offer it with a 100 kWh pack and a dual-motor setup rated at 590 hp. In that form, it can reach 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.44 seconds, which is not hanging about.

Read: Porsche Charges $133K For This Look, Now China Sells It For $36K

For comparison, the base Taycan at 918,000 yuan ($134,500) has 408 PS (402 hp) and covers 0 to 100 km/h in 4.8 seconds. The Taycan 4 costs 1,038,000 yuan ($152,100), has 517 PS (510 hp), and does the same run in 3.9 seconds. The Taycan GTS has 700 PS (690 hp), reaches 0 to 100 km/h in 3.3 seconds, and costs 1,298,000 yuan ($190,000). Meanwhile, the Taycan Turbo has 884 PS (872 hp), gets to 0 to 100 km/h in 2.7 seconds, and starts at 1,568,000 yuan ($230,000).

Cut-Price, But Promising Specs

The base model, known as the Z7 Max, is priced from 219,800 yuan ($32,200) and offers a solid 732 km (455 miles) range. Step up to the Z7 Max+, and you get the larger 100 kWh battery, stretching range to 905 km (562 miles) while nudging the price to 249,800 yuan ($36,600). Above that sits the dual-motor Z7 Ultra, also with the 100 kWh pack, delivering 791 km (491 miles) of range from 299,800 yuan ($43,900).

Three versions of the Z7T sports wagon are also offered, also badged the Z7T Max, Z7T Max+, and Z7T Ultra. The cheapest is priced at 229,800 yuan ($33,700) with the 81 kWh battery and 712 km (442 miles) of range, while the Z7T Max+ adds the 100 kWh pack, boosting the range to 873 km (542 miles). At 259,800 yuan ($38,000), it’s still very affordable. Then there’s the Z7T Ultra, rated at 776 km (482 miles) and priced from 309,800 yuan ($45,400).

All variants are built under SAIC’s Harmony Intelligent Mobility Alliance, led by Huawei, and come heavily loaded. Expect features like LiDAR and the brand’s latest intelligent driving system, which, on paper at least, puts it right up against far more expensive rivals.

Photos SAIC