Ferrari CEO Vigna gives Tesla's Roadster "10 out of 10" and praises risk-taking
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna praised the presentation of Tesla's new Roadster, saying it shows that even an old industry can still innovate. Ferrari also relied on outside help for its Luce EV.
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Praise for Elon Musk came from Maranello: Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna lauded the presentation of Tesla's new Roadster. According to Reuters, he spoke by video link on Oct. 20 from India, where Ferrari was holding a customer event, to a conference organized by Italian magazine Quattroruote. He gave the launch 10 out of 10 for technology and 10 out of 10 for presentation.
"It certainly shows that also in the automotive world there's still a lot to be done. We have to keep dreaming," Vigna said, according to Reuters. "As a European, thank you for showing us how that, even in an old world, you can still innovate and dare." Tesla showed the Roadster the previous week with SpaceX-derived thrusters, and Musk said production would start in 2028. Analysts see deliveries as still some way off after years of delays, Reuters reported.
Vigna linked his praise to Ferrari's own electric car, the Luce, developed with former Apple design chief Jony Ive and his LoveFrom studio. "If we had worked on our own, we wouldn't have done what we did," he said. Ferrari shares fell in Milan when the Luce was unveiled in May. Ferrari will report third-quarter results on Nov. 3.