Ferrari's First EV, the Luce, Mocked Online as Mazda and Nissan Join the Meme Fest

Ferrari's first all-electric model, the Luce, sparked widespread controversy following its launch, with numerous netizens criticizing its exterior design and a flood of AI-generated parody images circulating online. The negative backlash briefly caused Ferrari's stock price to dip. Luca di Montezemolo, former Ferrari chairman, publicly expressed concern, warning that the Luce could damage the brand’s reputation. Shortly afterward, Mazda posted on social media a photo of the original Mazda Luce SS from the early 1960s. The name "Luce" originally belonged to Mazda but became available after the trademark lapsed and expired; Ferrari acquired global rights to the "Luce" trademark earlier this year. Although Mazda no longer holds rights to the name, many online users argued that the original Luce’s design was superior. One comment under Mazda’s post—“Mazda just owned Ferrari before GTA 6 even drops”—garnered over 4,500 likes. Not long after, Nissan Ireland shared on Instagram a side-by-side comparison of the Ferrari Luce and the new Nissan Leaf, captioning it: “Honestly, we’re honored.” Quoting the adage “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,” the post thanked Ferrari for the “compliment.” Both vehicles feature a black-and-blue two-tone color scheme and share similarities in details like the tailgate shape and black side skirts, though their overall designs remain distinct. The post was later deleted by Nissan Ireland, reportedly due to internal directives. Additionally, an AI-generated image merging the Luce with Apple’s Magic Mouse went viral online, poking fun at how both require being flipped upside down to charge.