After a day of media slaughter, the Ferrari Luce has received praise from one of the legendary faces of Top Gear.
Alongside Jeremy Clarkson and Richard Hammond, he formed an iconic trio on television screens in the famous motoring program Top Gear and later in The Grand Tour. James May has returned to the spotlight by taking on the role of defender for the much-maligned Ferrari Luce. “Captain Slow,” as Clarkson and Hammond nicknamed him, was interviewed by the BBC regarding the Prancing Horse’s first full-electric vehicle, and he did not hide his positive opinion: “I like it.”
Against the Grain
Between jokes about it not being copied by Chinese brands, a catastrophic stock market debut, and those who want to strip the Prancing Horse emblem from its hood, the Ferrari Luce has finally found an ally. British motoring journalist James May spoke of it this way: “I find it very interesting that Ferrari has done something modern, because I think that has always been part of its iconic style.”
May continued by explaining: “Ferrari has always been very much of its era, and that is what has turned its cars into great classics.” The Briton pushed his defense even further than the “Luce” itself, commenting positively on the historic brand’s choice regarding electric power: “People are becoming interested in electric cars, and some people will want an electric Ferrari; it’s a genuine market choice.“
The Uniqueness of the Ferrari Brand
The former TV star also shared an anecdote regarding the Prancing Horse’s relationship with electric power: “I remember four or five years ago I was at Ferrari headquarters and one of the big bosses told me, ‘We are not interested in making the electric car’ [with a playful imitation of an Italian struggling to speak English], and yet here we are.”
May went on to highlight a peculiarity of the Rossa: “What is interesting about Ferrari is that going back twenty years, we will always find someone with the idea that ‘when you buy a Ferrari, you pay for the engine and you get the rest for free.’ This is because Ferrari’s prestige comes from racing—consequently from engines that make noise and produce beautiful vibrations.” According to “Captain Slow,” the doubts are resolved by looking at the vehicle from the right perspective: “The ‘Luce’ is simply more of a car than a supercar.“
Photo: Ferrari
