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Can Ferrari Persuade the Superrich to Buy an EV Sports Car That Won't Rev?

5 points by thm 1y ago

andsoitis 1y ago
I would love a Roma EV - https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma If the new Tesla Roadster comes out before something like a sexy Ferrari Roma EV, I would go with the Roadster. The next generation care less about the noise a “sports car” makes, in fact the opposite; it is obnoxious.
- taylodl 1y ago
  Using public roads as a racetrack is also obnoxious - so what you're really saying is that these cars aren't needed. And you're right: they're not needed. That’s why it’s important to understand why people buy them. ICE cars demonstrate a prowess of engineering that EVs do not, and people are willing to pay for that. People still buy Swiss watches instead of an Apple watch for the same reason.
  - andsoitis 1y ago
    > Using public roads as a racetrack is also obnoxious - so what you're really saying is that these cars aren't needed. High-end sports cars are generally bought because they are sexy, aesthetically superior to regular vehicles, have brand cachet, and signal status. They’re also the trophies of people who adore the motor vehicle. They generally lead in high technology. People who buy them and wanna race them typically do it on racetracks, not speeding in neighborhoods or cities. That racing is the domain of your average driver, cab driver, etc. who drives more mundane vehicles.
    - taylodl 1y ago
      My point is the EV is the mundane vehicle. Apple can pack features into their watch all day, but the Swiss mechanical watch - despite doing far less - is still seen as superior. That’s the same reason people buy high-end ICE cars. It’s not about utility or noise - it’s about engineering excellence. ICE vehicles showcase mechanical mastery in a way EVs simply don’t.
HardwareLust 1y ago
Yes, the stratospheric price and artificial scarcity will drive demand. They'll sell every single one.
bookofjoe 1y ago
unpaywalled link: https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/can-ferrari-persuade-the-superrich-to-buy-an-ev-sports-car-that-wont-rev-4fa8a3f1?st=YL5QDT&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/can-ferrari-persuade-the-...
4d4m 1y ago
Lot of salt in this thread. Supercars are gorgeous regardless of their propulsion method.
- taylodl 1y ago
  Alfa Romeo did an experiment for you. The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale comes with two different propulsion systems: pure ICE and pure EV. The buyer chooses which one they want. Before you check it out, what are your expectations for which propulsion system chose? What you expect both propulsion methods to sell roughly equally, one propulsion method to maybe sell a little more than the other, or one propulsion method to vastly outsell the other? Once you looked at that, check out the sales numbers of the Lotus Evija. Then we can talk salt.
  - rasz 1y ago
    Thats becuase EV moves the goal post. You are no longer buying an expensive thing, now you are buying expensive thing that is supposed to be FAST. Whats the point of >$2mil Evija when Plaid Track package at 1/20 the cost is equally quick? not to mention Sapphire, YangWang U9, or $70K Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Its downright embarrassing. With combustion version you can at least pretend to care about sound (annoying noise) and experience (smell of fumes), EV erases all that and puts you on equal footing with frickin family sedans going 9 second 1/4.
    - taylodl 1y ago
      It’s true the Plaid Track Edition is brutally quick off the line, Tesla nailed the 0–60 quarter-mile game. But saying it’s 'just as fast' as the Lotus Evija misses the point. The Evija hits 200 mph in about 13 seconds. That’s not just fast - it’s hypercar territory. The Plaid tops out at 200 mph and takes much longer to get there. Meanwhile, the Evija goes beyond 200 mph and can sustain that speed. That’s what hypercars are all about: pushing the boundaries of engineering, not mass-producing performance sedans. They’re built to showcase what’s possible, not just what’s practical.
      - 1y ago

5 points by thm 1y ago

I would love a Roma EV - https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma https://www.ferrari.com/en-EN/auto/ferrari-roma If the new Tesla Roadster comes out before something like a sexy Ferrari Roma EV, I would go with the Roadster. The next generation care less about the noise a “sports car” makes, in fact the opposite; it is obnoxious.

taylodl 1y ago
Using public roads as a racetrack is also obnoxious - so what you're really saying is that these cars aren't needed. And you're right: they're not needed. That’s why it’s important to understand why people buy them. ICE cars demonstrate a prowess of engineering that EVs do not, and people are willing to pay for that. People still buy Swiss watches instead of an Apple watch for the same reason.
- andsoitis 1y ago
  > Using public roads as a racetrack is also obnoxious - so what you're really saying is that these cars aren't needed. High-end sports cars are generally bought because they are sexy, aesthetically superior to regular vehicles, have brand cachet, and signal status. They’re also the trophies of people who adore the motor vehicle. They generally lead in high technology. People who buy them and wanna race them typically do it on racetracks, not speeding in neighborhoods or cities. That racing is the domain of your average driver, cab driver, etc. who drives more mundane vehicles.
  - taylodl 1y ago
    My point is the EV is the mundane vehicle. Apple can pack features into their watch all day, but the Swiss mechanical watch - despite doing far less - is still seen as superior. That’s the same reason people buy high-end ICE cars. It’s not about utility or noise - it’s about engineering excellence. ICE vehicles showcase mechanical mastery in a way EVs simply don’t.

HardwareLust 1y ago

Yes, the stratospheric price and artificial scarcity will drive demand. They'll sell every single one.

bookofjoe 1y ago

unpaywalled link: https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/can-ferrari-persuade-the-superrich-to-buy-an-ev-sports-car-that-wont-rev-4fa8a3f1?st=YL5QDT&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/can-ferrari-persuade-the-...

4d4m 1y ago

Lot of salt in this thread. Supercars are gorgeous regardless of their propulsion method.

taylodl 1y ago
Alfa Romeo did an experiment for you. The Alfa Romeo 33 Stradale comes with two different propulsion systems: pure ICE and pure EV. The buyer chooses which one they want. Before you check it out, what are your expectations for which propulsion system chose? What you expect both propulsion methods to sell roughly equally, one propulsion method to maybe sell a little more than the other, or one propulsion method to vastly outsell the other? Once you looked at that, check out the sales numbers of the Lotus Evija. Then we can talk salt.
- rasz 1y ago
  Thats becuase EV moves the goal post. You are no longer buying an expensive thing, now you are buying expensive thing that is supposed to be FAST. Whats the point of >$2mil Evija when Plaid Track package at 1/20 the cost is equally quick? not to mention Sapphire, YangWang U9, or $70K Xiaomi SU7 Ultra. Its downright embarrassing. With combustion version you can at least pretend to care about sound (annoying noise) and experience (smell of fumes), EV erases all that and puts you on equal footing with frickin family sedans going 9 second 1/4.
  - taylodl 1y ago
    It’s true the Plaid Track Edition is brutally quick off the line, Tesla nailed the 0–60 quarter-mile game. But saying it’s 'just as fast' as the Lotus Evija misses the point. The Evija hits 200 mph in about 13 seconds. That’s not just fast - it’s hypercar territory. The Plaid tops out at 200 mph and takes much longer to get there. Meanwhile, the Evija goes beyond 200 mph and can sustain that speed. That’s what hypercars are all about: pushing the boundaries of engineering, not mass-producing performance sedans. They’re built to showcase what’s possible, not just what’s practical.
    - 1y ago