Ferrari is demanding to know who designed this Chinese SUV that looks like its own… except that it turns out to be one of its former designers

The resemblance had already caught people’s attention (as with the Xiaomi YU7). When Luxeed began unveiling its new RX, a large electric SUV with a particularly sporty design, comparisons with the SUV Ferrari Purosangue quickly gained popularity. With its elongated hood, sloping roofline, muscular rear fenders, and low-slung silhouette, the Chinese model clearly draws inspiration from the visual design language of the Maranello SUV.

But the story took a new turn when Luxeed explained that its RX had been designed with the help of a former designer from Ferrari. This statement was specific enough to catch the attention of the Italian automaker’s Chinese subsidiary, which asked the brand to publicly reveal the identity of this mysterious former employee. Luxeed finally named him: Werner Gruber.

A Maranello veteran

It was Zhao Changjiang, CEO of Luxeed, who revealed the designer’s identity. Werner Gruber did indeed work at Ferrari, where he served as a senior exterior designer starting in 2010. His resume is anything but ordinary. He contributed to several major projects for the Italian automaker, including the LaFerrari, the FXX-K, and the Portofino. Before his time in Maranello, he had also worked at Pininfarina.

Accuracy is important, because Luxeed had initially referred to a former «chief designer» at Ferrari. However, Flavio Manzoni remains the head of design at the Italian brand. Werner Gruber did, however, hold an important position within the design teams, which allows Luxeed to make a credible case for its claim. By asking for proof, Ferrari has, above all, given the Chinese brand a great opportunity to highlight its designer’s prestigious credentials.

A Purosangue vibe that's hard to ignore

The controversy is obviously no coincidence. The Luxeed RX has proportions that are surprisingly similar to those of the Purosangue. The Chinese model is approximately 5.02 meters long and 2.01 meters wide, with a wheelbase of nearly three meters. The Ferrari has very similar dimensions. While this isn’t enough to legally classify the RX as a copy, the visual resemblance is clear enough to explain Ferrari’s interest.

Under the hood, however, the two vehicles take radically different paths. While the Purosangue features a spectacular naturally aspirated V12, the Luxeed RX is fully electric.

The entry-level version features a rear motor producing approximately 371 ch, while the all-wheel-drive variant uses two motors to deliver nearly 586 ch. The available battery capacities exceed 80 kWh and can reach approximately 100 kWh. Luxeed claims a range of up to 852 km based on the highly optimistic Chinese CLTC cycle. This figure would necessarily be lower under the European WLTP protocol.

Luxeed wants to compete with the big players

The RX doesn’t rely solely on its style, however. Luxeed, a brand developed with the support of Chery and Huawei, claims to have enlisted several European specialists to develop its SUV. Tobias Moers, former head of AMG and former CEO of Aston Martin, is said to have been involved in developing the vehicle’s dynamic performance. Former BMW engineers are also reported to have worked on the chassis.

In China, pre-orders have begun with a price of around 299,800 yuan, or just over 40,000 euros depending on the exchange rate. That’s more than 10 times less than the price of the Ferrari Purosangue… and 1,000 times less than The $40 Million Ferrari Luce !