Ferrari will begin a new stage next May, when it officially presents its first fully electric sports model, whose exterior appearance is still unknown. For now, the company has shared some details of the interior and interface design, which it has worked on with Jony Ive, who until 2019 was Design Director at Apple, and his firm LoveFrom.
The collaboration is the result of the agreement established between the designer and the automaker at the end of 2021, and for the last five years has focused on all dimensions of the new car’s design. As pointed out in a statement, Ferrari’s decision to conceive the vehicle together with Ive and his creative collective is a “deliberate expression of your vision for the future“, this is, “a car that honors Ferrari’s legendary heritage while challenging convention and reimagining every detail, from materials and ergonomics to interface and user experience”.
Luce means light or illumination in Italian and evokes the company’s vision
Ferrari has named the new vehicle “Luce” – light or illumination, in Italian – as a way of expressing the company’s vision. It ensures that more than a product or a technology, it expresses a philosophy, that of electrification as a path, not as an end, towards a new era in which design, engineering and imagination converge into something totally new. “Simple, pure and evocative, ‘Luce’ becomes a symbol of clarity and inspiration, expressing Ferrari’s approach to innovation: uncompromising vision, transparent design, silent energy felt in every fiber and form shaped by function.”, explains the firm in a statement.
This entire mentality is what has sought to be reflected in the design worked by Jony Ive, who has focused on the fusion of innovation with craftsmanship and the avant-garde. As the company explains, LoveFrom has collaborated with the Ferrari Styling Center to develop the concept while respecting its original intention and ensuring that each solution meets Ferrari’s functional objectives, design limitations and homologation requirements for a sports vehicle.
Luce’s design revolves around interaction. Thus, the interior has been conceived with simple and rational shapes, seeking to convey tranquility, concentration and spaciousness. In addition, Ferrari ensures that the vehicle’s hardware and software were developed together, so the physical architecture and interface work in harmony.
Contrary to what one would expect in an electric car, Ferrari has prioritized tactility, clarity and intuitive interaction. Thus, there are many physical controls that, according to the brand, invite touch and interaction, creating a material and direct connection between the driver and the car.
Much of the design is inspired by Formula 1 cars.
This is embodied, for example, in the steering wheel, which reinterprets the iconic three-spoke wooden Nardi steering wheel from the 1950s and 1960s, and is made from 100% recycled aluminium. It has a specific alloy for Luce that guarantees the mechanical resistance and finish of the material. It presents analog controls organized in two modules, evoking those of Formula 1 cars.
The Ferrari Luce experience is designed to be spectacular and memorable, and that has been designed from the start. The new model has a key made of “Corning Gorilla Glass”, an automotive glass designed for durability and resistance. When inserted into its base on the center console, a sequence of color and lighting changes begins that invites movement.
Regarding the screens and controls, an intuitive and easy-to-navigate user experience has been sought. The model features a new personalized and discreet typeface, inspired by historic Ferrari typography and Italian engineering lettering.
As described by the brand, the speed indicator panel fuses digital and analog elements, and is inspired by the clear and defined graphics found in aviation, particularly on helicopters and airplanes. Each panel is protected by a clear glass lens, and is surrounded by anodized aluminum rings.
In Luce, Ferrari has opted for a discreet and functional, but at the same time aesthetic design that reflects the emotion of driving a Ferrari. Furthermore, techniques have been applied in production that try to guarantee that each material is present in its noblest form, a reflection of the company’s commitment to quality, innovation and the lasting value of craftsmanship.
In addition to sharing the design details, the brand has launched a miniseries with which it will share over the next few months the entire work process of this new vehicle, with which the company seeks to lead sports electrification. According to the brand, Luce “offers a new option for Ferrari enthusiasts: one that honors the past and embraces the future, and exemplifies the brand’s ongoing commitment to quality, performance and cultural relevance.”
