Ferrari Luce sold out in China despite design controversies

30 June 2026

Courtesy of Ferrari, we are witnessing a sharp divide in how consumers view the latest luxury electric cars. When the Italian automaker revealed its first all-electric model, the Luce, the reaction from Western internet commentators was largely negative. But the commercial reality of the world's largest auto market tells a completely different story. Wealthy buyers in China are showing strong interest in the new battery-powered Ferrari, proving that the demand for exclusive electric cars does not care about online criticism.

The Ferrari Luce entered the Chinese market with a retail price of RMB 3,988,000 (£427,000). Reports from regional automotive media suggest that the initial allocation of 88 units sold out almost instantly. A more recent report from Beijing Business Today clarified that at least one local dealership in Beijing is still accepting customer orders, with the official showroom launch events scheduled in Beijing from July 3 to July 5, 2026.

Interestingly, the price tag for the new electric vehicle reveals an unexpected strategy by the Italian manufacturer. The Chinese price is seven percent lower when compared to the European retail price of £469,000. For comparison, a traditional gas-powered model like the entry-level Ferrari Amalfi grand tourer costs £194,300 in the UK, but heavy luxury and engine displacement taxes push its price up to RMB 2,598,500 (£278,100) in China.

The reason behind Luce's price of RMB 3,988,000 is entirely different, though - it has nothing to do with the economy. The price tag is a brilliant, highly deliberate masterclass in Chinese homophonic numerology - the sequence 3-9-8-8 functions like a beautifully packaged blessing for the ultra-wealthy buyers who snapped them up. Here is how the cultural math breaks down:

The number 3 sounds very similar to the word 生 (shēng) - it means "to live," "life," or "birth." In business or personal blessings, it signifies a strong foundation, lifelong vitality, and continuous growth. The number 9 is an exact homophone for 久 (jiǔ), which means "everlasting," "long-lasting," or "eternity." Historically associated with emperors, it means something that will endure across time.

The number 8 is the holy grail of lucky numbers in China because it sounds like 发 (fā), part of the phrase fā cái (发财), meaning "to get rich" or "prosper." Putting two eights together (88) doubles down on that fortune, creating a visual and phonetic echo of explosive wealth. Visually, "88" also resembles the traditional decorative character for double happiness (囍, shuāngxǐ).

When a Chinese consumer reads the number sequence 3-9-8-8, it phonetically reads like a poetic phrase: "Everlasting wealth and prosperity throughout your entire life." (生长久发发 - Yīshēng chángjiǔ fāfā). It is the ultimate status symbol combination. It converts a shocking price tag into a personalized charm of eternal fortune - which clearly worked, considering Ferrari's intentional allocation of exactly 88 units for the Chinese market sold out almost instantly.

The debut of the Ferrari Luce in Rome this past May triggered serious corporate turbulence. Designed by former Apple designer Jony Ive, the four-door sedan was criticized for its practical shape and plain styling. Critics argued the vehicle lacked the aggressive look of traditional Ferraris. The negative reception caused the company's stock price to drop by more than six percent in a single day. Following the rocky introduction, Ferrari replaced its long-time chief marketing officer, Enrico Galliera, with Massimiliano Di Silvestre, who previously managed the Italian division of BMW.

Before his departure, the outgoing marketing chief had to publicly defend the sales tactics of the brand. Rumors published by financial media outlets suggested that dealerships were forcing customers to purchase the electric cars as a loyalty test. According to these reports, buyers had to accept the sedan to maintain their spot on the waiting list for rare, limited-edition hypercars. Galliera strongly denied these claims during media interviews, stating that the new model was built to attract an entirely new demographic of buyers rather than existing supercar collectors.

Part of the confusion surrounding the vehicle comes from its classification. The Ferrari Luce is not a traditional low-slung supercar designed for race tracks. The company designed it as a practical five-seater grand tourer. This choice makes the model unique in the history of the brand, traditionally focused on high-performance two-door vehicles, with the exception of the Purosangue SUV.

The luxury positioning puts the Luce in a distinct category when compared to domestic Chinese electric cars. Local manufacturers now build highly advanced EVs for a fraction of the cost. BYD has the Yangwang U9, an electric supercar that costs half the price of the Italian model but offers faster battery charging, quicker acceleration to 62 mph, and over 200 more horsepower. Another rival is GAC's Hyptec SSR, which starts at RMB 1,286,000 (£137,700) - you could buy three Hyptec SSR models for the price of one Italian electric sedan, and the top trim of the SSR hits 62 mph in 1.9 seconds.

Despite these technical differences, industry experts doubt that buyers of the imported sedan are looking at local alternatives like the Denza Z9 GT or other high-spec domestic options. For the ultra-wealthy population, a vehicle like this is a status symbol.

Local media outlets describe the model as "4 million RMB on wheels," an item that immediately identifies the owner as part of the wealthiest one percent of the population. The domestic engineering has improved quickly, but imported legacy badges still hold a specific emotional appeal for elite consumers.

The sales performance of the controversial Luce reveals a broader economic trend. Traditional Western markets try to resist the transition to electric cars, but consumers in China view electric power as the natural step forward for modern luxury. The rapid adoption of new automotive technology shows that buyers are willing to overlook internet debates if a product offers the correct mix of brand prestige and exclusivity. Ferrari knew exactly what it was doing when designing Luce - the Italians found an audience that accepts the future of automotive propulsion, even if the vehicle looks different from the legacy models of the past.

Via