Mazda VS. Ferrari

In case you missed the news, Mazda and Ferrari are locked in a trademark battle right now. It’s over the use of the name Luce, which Mazda had used first. However, Ferrari claims to own the rights to that nameplate worldwide, but the folks from Hiroshima aren’t giving up without a fight. Mazda still has a claim over Luce in Japan, meaning Ferrari will have to change the name of its EV if Mazda chooses not to budge. So far, it’s looking that way.

Following the reveal of the Italian Luce, the builders of the Japanese Luce have been doubling down on the trolling efforts. Recently, Mazda showed a photo of its first executive sedan on its socials with the caption “Did anyone say Luce?” On top of that, the company published a short comic highlighting its connection to Italian design. So far, Ferrari hasn’t made any rebuttals as it’s still busy defending itself.

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The Car That Started It

The Luce was Mazda’s first foray into the executive car market. It then served as the company’s flagship model from 1966 to 1991. Five generations of the car were made over 25 years. Today, the model holds a special place in Mazda’s history, as it laid the foundation and set the direction of the company, never wavering in its focus on being seen as an innovative and daring automaker.

America did get the Luce, but it came under a different name. It was simply called the 1800, sold in extremely limited numbers, and rarer than hen’s teeth these days. It’s a shame that only a few made it stateside, but then again, it was the ’60s, and the war was still relatively fresh on everyone’s minds. Later export versions of the Luce were called 929.

The Mazda-Italy Connection

Mazda’s claim of being inspired by Italian design wasn’t just marketing fluff. It all started in 1960 when Hieyuki Miyakawa and Marisa Bassano crossed paths at the Turin Motor Show. Miyakawa and Bassano, who would later marry, effectively held the key to collaboration between Bertone and Mazda on new designs. The two people they brought together? Tsuneji Matsuda, the president of Mazda at the time, and Giorgetto Giugiaro, a young designer working for Bertone at the time.

The result? Two cars that fused Japanese and Italian design philosophies. The first was the Familia of 1963, and three years later, the Luce in 1966. Giugiaro wasn’t done yet, though, as he followed it up with the Luce Rotary Coupe in 1969. While not penned by the Italian designer, we can see European influences on models such as the Carol kei car and the Cosmo sports coupe.

Design Analysis

At first glance, you’d be forgiven for thinking the Luce sedan came from Fiat, Alfa Romeo, or Lancia. The lights and grille are housed in a single shroud, while the long hood lends it a more serious presence. Its tall glasshouse is reminiscent of Italian sedans from the ’60s, while the kink in the rear window is a page out of a certain German automaker based in Munich. At the rear, a simple set of taillights adorns its fascia, and that wraparound windshield is something bean counters would immediately reject today. There was even a wagon version that looked just as good as the sedan.

But it was the Rotary Coupe that looked fantastic. In stark contrast to the sedan, it was lower and sleeker, sharing very little with its more practical sibling. The pillarless doors gave an uninterrupted view out the sides, and all in all, whispered elegance. We’ll admit that we see some shades of the Lancia 2000 Coupe and the Beta Coupe in the two-door Luce, but here’s the thing: The Mazda came first. It’s clean, simple, and unadorned with trinkets that take attention away from its overall design. In other words, it’s the exact opposite of the Ferrari Luce.

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From a new Testarossa that’s attracting an army of haters to a first-ever EV that could attract even more, Ferrari has been making some controversial decisions lately. But if you don’t like what Maranello is doing, you can always order off-menu.

Ferrari’s One-Off programs gives customers with enough cash the ability to commission their own unique Ferrari. And one customer chose to give the mid-engine, non-hybrid V8 an encore. The HC25 is based on the F8 Spider, reclothing that car’s chassis and powertrain in new bodywork created by the same Ferrari Design Studio team responsible for the automaker’s current range. The design draws inspiration from that lineup—specifically, the F80 and 12Cilindri.

You can still get a twin-turbo V8 in the Ferrari Amalfi, but that option went away for the automaker’s entry-level mid-engine model when the F8 was replaced by the 296 GTB. The HC25 has the same 3.9-liter engine as the F8 Spider, producing the same 710 horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque. The manufacturer-estimated zero to 62 mph time is also unchanged, at 2.9 seconds.

What has changed is every inch of bodywork. The press release calls the HC25 an “ideal bridge” between the F8 underpinnings and the styling direction Ferrari has chosen for its latest pride-and-joys. The proportions of the F8 are still there, but the relentless focus on aerodynamics that dominated Ferrari design at the time has been softened. As with the F80 and 12Cilindri, the aerodynamic elements are less obvious, and some features even seem to be there simply because they look nice.

Engine air intakes and vents are hidden in a black ribbon that wraps around the middle of the car, complemented by a large black graphic on the hood and the typical Ferrari mesh surfaces around the rear fascia. The two-tone bodywork is further highlighted by the use of matte Moonlight Grey paint and a gloss finish for the blacked-out surfaces. The headlights were made specifically for this car and sport extra-slim lenses. Vertical daytime running lights—a first for Ferrari—blend with the leading edges of the front fenders.

The interior, however, is mostly unchanged from the F8 Spider donor car—right down to the round air vents that protrude from the dashboard like jet exhaust nozzles. A gray-and-black color scheme (with splashes of yellow) gives it some specialness while mirroring the exterior. Anyway, if this was my car, I’d be paying less attention to the dashboard fixtures than to the sound of the V8 just a few inches from my ears.

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Ferrari’s first-ever electric production model, the Luce, will have a “tactile-first” interior that is the work of former Apple designer Jony Ive and the LoveFrom design collective he co-founded with Mark Newson, another Apple alumni.

After releasing the first interior teasers in February, Ferrari has now dropped a new interior walkthrough video for the Luce, offering the best look yet at the cabin and a taste of the experience the driver will have interacting with the vehicle controls.

Right off the bat, the difference between the Luce’s dashboard and existing EV interiors is crystal clear. The new cabin features many tactile controls instead of the massive displays that have become ubiquitous on electric vehicles in recent years.

A Ferrari Unlike Any Other That Came Before It

While the Luce does have a central display, it’s square-shaped with a thick metallic edge and curved corners like an older iPhone. It’s also restrained in size and features typography that reminds of older iOS-era Apple design language, according to some auto outlets. The video shows that the main screen also tilts toward the driver or the passenger, according to preferences.

The screen integrates physical switches at the bottom for the climate control system, a volume knob and three shortcut buttons. Additionally, on the top right corner there are two buttons that appear to toggle between a clock, a compass, and a stopwatch displayed in the integrated round display. The video doesn’t show a single function that is enabled by touching the screen; everything is done via buttons and switches.

There’s a second display behind the steering wheel that houses the instrument cluster grouped into three main round areas that imitate a classic instrument panel but are highly configurable. The largest one in the middle displays the speedometer, battery charge level and range, the one of the left shows how much energy the vehicle uses or receives at any given time from the regenerative braking system, while the one on the right is a G force meter.

The cool thing about the digital cluster is it’s connected to the steering column so it moves along as you adjust the wheel to provide the driver with a clear view of the instruments.

Speaking of the steering wheel, it features an old-school look with three aluminum spokes but it’s also modern, using physical control pods along with Ferrari’s hallmark Manettino rotary dial, which has been repurposed for an electric powertrain, acting as a power-flow selector. The steering wheel also includes buttons for the turn signals, wipers, and a dial for the drive mode selector—the Luce features three modes: Range, Tour and Perfo.

We also get to see the startup sequence that is triggered by inserting the glass-and-leather key into a dedicated slot in the center console. The key’s e-ink display changes appearance once docked into its place, with the instrument panel lighting up after that.

Performance Worthy of the Prancing Horse Badge

The exterior design of the Ferrari Luce remains a mystery for now, although we do know that it’s a four-door, four-seat electric super-GT. As you would expect from a car sporting the Prancing Horse badge, the performance will be spectacular. Ferrari has so far said that the Luce features a 122-kWh battery pack running on 880 volts and offering a range of around 330 miles under European testing.

The fact that it gets a big battery is reflected in the Luce’s curb weight of just under 5,100 pounds. That makes it the heaviest production Ferrari ever made, putting it on par with the Porsche Taycan Turbo GT. Still, the weight won’t be a problem as far as performance is concerned.

The battery feeds a four-motor powertrain expected to deliver over 1,100 horsepower for breathtaking performance; the video shows how a launch is seen from the interior, with the 0 to 62 mph sprint taking 2.5 seconds. Interestingly, simulated gear shifts will also be on the menu for added driver feedback. The top speed is 193 mph, which is impressive for an EV.

The front e-axle delivers a total output of 282 horsepower (141 hp for each motor), while the rear e-axle produces 832 hp (416 hp for each motor), bringing the total peak power to 1,114 hp, according to Ferrari. A disconnect system shifts into rear-wheel drive to maximize efficiency—and allow the driver to slide the rear end should they feel brave enough.

The world premiere of the Ferrari Luce is scheduled for May 25 in Maranello, Italy, with production expected to start in late 2026, followed by deliveries in early 2027.

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Ferrari’s Not-SUV Gets the Tuner Treatment

Ferrariavoids calling the Purosangue an SUV, instead using the term ‘FUV’ or Ferrari Utility Vehicle. Regardless of the label, it’s a four-door Ferrari with extra ground clearance, and it was only a matter of time before tuners started exploring what could be done with it.

The Purosangue’s proportions land somewhere between a crossover and a large hatchback. The long hood, short rear, and compact cabin help it avoid the bulk of most luxury SUVs, which gives tuners a solid foundation for subtle styling changes (sometimes not-so-subtle).

DarwinPro Aero is among those that offer a kit for the Purosangue. Its IMP Design Carbon Fiber Soft Kit aims for a restrained look, especially compared to some of the more aggressive body kits on the market. The changes are noticeable, but they don’t overwhelm the original design.

Carbon Fiber, But Make It Subtle

The DarwinPro kit is mostly about aerodynamic tweaks in carbon fiber. It brings a new front splitter, longer side skirts, a rear diffuser, and a claimed functional roof wing.

Visually, these parts sharpen the lines and give the Purosangue a bit more presence, but the overall character stays intact. The example shown by DarwinPro wears a gray paint job with black accents and exposed carbon fiber in key areas.

The car sits on simple five-spoke wheels, with yellow brake calipers providing contrast. Some buyers will likely appreciate the understated carbon fiber details, while others may prefer the original, unmodified look.

As far as available information goes, the powertrain is unchanged. DarwinPro hasn’t listed any engine modifications, so the naturally aspirated V12 should be the same as stock.

A Faster Purosangue Might Be Coming Anyway

Even without tuner upgrades, the Purosangue already delivers serious performance. Its 6.5-liter naturally aspirated V12 produces 715 horsepower and 528 lb-ft of torque, sending the four-door Ferrari to 62 mph in about 3.3 seconds and on to a top speed of roughly 217 mph.

However, Ferrari may be preparing a more performance-focused version of the Purosangue. The production of a sharper variant will reportedly begin as early as the second half of the year.

The updated version is expected to keep the V12, but the changes may focus more on handling than on extra power. If it follows Ferrari’s usual approach, expect chassis tweaks, some weight savings, and other upgrades aimed at sharper driving.

If Ferrari does release a hotter Purosangue, it would add another option for buyers looking for something beyond the standard model. For now, aftermarket kits like DarwinPro’s offer a way to personalize the car while waiting for what comes next.

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A Trend That Backfired

While steering-wheel capacitive touch buttons with haptic feedback offer a minimalist aesthetic and allow more functions, it didn’t take long for the technology to draw criticism. Some argue that it creates usability issues, with Volkswagen even facing a lawsuit alleging that the ID.4’s steering wheel controls led to unintended acceleration.

Ferrari also jumped on the trend with some of its more recent releases, including the Purosangue, before returning to physical controls with the Amalfi last year. One of the biggest complaints was the absence of the red, round engine start-stop button seen in older models like the 812 Superfast and 488 GTB. However, a recent post tied to a Ferrari dealer suggests the Italian marque is not ignoring owner feedback, as it introduced a new steering-wheel center retrofit featuring physical buttons.

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Ferrari’s Button Solution

Those hoping to see the iconic red engine start-stop button return may be out of luck, as the new steering-wheel center doesn’t include it like the one found in the Amalfi — the brand’s latest entry-level model that replaced the Roma. As previously reported, the product is only a wheel center, not an entirely new steering wheel. But at least it features physical buttons for functions such as the phone, cruise control, and directional arrows for navigating menus.

According to Ferrari of Atlanta, the new steering-wheel center is available only for the Purosangue and 12Cilindri. Both models are powered by the 6.5-liter F140 V12, with the Purosangue serving as the brand’s first-ever SUV. Replacing the entire steering wheel could require additional calibration and integration to ensure it doesn’t affect vehicle performance, making the physical button system the closest factory-backed solution for now.

Back to Basics

The dealership also claimed in the comment section that Ferrari is still finalizing a physical-button system for the 296, SF90, and Roma Spider. Pricing hasn’t been disclosed, but for most owners, cost is unlikely to be a major concern – especially considering this is only a center module and not a full steering wheel swap.

With owner feedback and the Amalfi bringing back physical buttons, Ferrari may limit the use of capacitive touch controls in its future models. One upcoming model, the all-electric Luce, is inspired by classic three-spoke steering wheels and features several retro-style physical buttons designed by former Apple head of design, Sir Jony Ive.

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