This collector, who owns 200 million $, claims that Ferrari knew its customers wouldn't like the Luce

At its presentation last May, the Ferrari Luce had sent shockwaves through the industry. Its unconventional design, 100 % electric powertrain, and very high price: rarely has a new Ferrari will have been just as divisive. At the time, the famous American collector David Lee had refused to write off the car before test-driving it. As a reminder, David Lee is one of the greatest Ferrari collectors, with a collection estimated at $200 million, also known as Ketchup, Mustard, Vegetables. Four months later, he revisits the topic and, above all, offers new insights into the reasons that may have led Ferrari to take such a risk with the Luce.

«They knew that this product wasn't really intended for existing customers.»

Podcast Guest Road to Success, David Lee says he spoke with Ferrari executives about the Ferrari Luce. According to him, you have to go back several years to understand this car. «They were under pressure from the European Union,» he explains, noting that decisions about a car model are made long before it goes on the market. Ferrari therefore reportedly launched this electric vehicle program in a context very different from that of 2026.

But above all, David Lee confirms what he had already suspected back in May: the Luce was not primarily designed for traditional Ferrari customers. «They knew this product wasn’t really intended for existing customers. They wanted to create something for a different kind of customer—perhaps tech-savvy customers or other types of customers.» This strategy would partly explain its style, which is so far removed from Maranello’s usual design language.

Ferrari knew that its long-time customers might not like it

According to David Lee, Ferrari fully anticipated that some of its customers would reject the model. «They knew that the traditional Ferrari customer wouldn’t like it,» he says. The strategy was different: to attract new buyers and gain market share rather than sell yet another Ferrari to collectors who already own the other models.

Lee even points out that Ferrari reportedly did not pressure its best customers to order the Luce: «They told us we weren’t obligated to buy it. We had a choice. They were really looking for a new customer. » This helps explain why this Ferrari is so divisive. Putting the Cavallino on a car automatically creates certain expectations, David Lee acknowledges. When a model strays significantly from those expectations, the reaction can be particularly intense.

Has his opinion changed since the presentation?

Not really, but his stance is now more nuanced. In May, David Lee explained that he would buy the Luce before passing final judgment on it. In September, he continues to defend Ferrari’s right to experiment, while acknowledging that the manufacturer might have done better.

In particular, he wonders whether Ferrari might have benefited from consulting its customers more during the development process, given that the brand traditionally maintains secrecy surrounding its future models. He also raises the issue of price and admits that an electric Ferrari based on a concept closer to the Purosangue might have seemed more logical. But he also points out that not all Ferraris that are sought after today were necessarily well-received when they first came out.

The Ferrari Luce thus appears to be an unusual gamble: a Ferrari that Maranello knew might displease precisely those who love Ferrari the most.