Comment by qsi

13 hours ago

The Tesla Model S Plaid has similar horsepower (1020 vs 1035), more torque (1050 lb ft vs 730), faster 0-60 (2.1 vs 2.4s), higher top speed (200 vs 193 mph), more range (358 vs 280 mi).

For roughly 17% of the price.

And it looks the same.

What an abomination!

(You can probably find similar Chinese EVs that also outperform similarly.)

The Model S is also a plasticky shitbox from the inside. This Ferrari will be colossally better in terms of build quality, ergonomics and handling compared to the S.

  • > This Ferrari will be colossally better in terms of build quality

    Will it? I've owned a few Ferraris and I've driven quite a few others. They're lots of fun, but I would never describe Ferrari as a company with high build quality standards.

    • Quality is different than something that feels “special” which every Ferrari I’ve sat in or drove has in spades.

      Whether or not it’s well put together is another topic entirely.

  • Sure, but his point stands.

    There is really no way to justify the price tag. With combustion engines at least you knew that you had an extremely rare feat of engineering.

    • I'll buy this car, mostly because I like the interior.

      The fact that I like the interior and I can't get it for less money is what justifies the price tag.

      3 replies →

    • The price is the reason. Veblen explains that.

      Buying an ultra-premium EV Ferrari over a faster, cheaper is a evolutionary broadcast (Costly Signaling Theory), proving the buyer possesses such immense excess wealth that they have no practical need to optimize their dollar-to-spec ratio. Everybody drives Teslas, the highly exclusive Ferrari satisfies a deep human drive for elite group differentiation (Social Identity Theory) while perfectly mirroring the buyer's aspirational ego and public identity (Self-Congruity Theory). Ultimately, this choice optimizes for intense internal sensory and emotional pleasure rather than objective efficiency (Hedonic Consumption Theory) by making (at least at the beginning) the owner feel that he is a super special dude.

      2 replies →

And the Model S is no longer in production due to poor sales. How many of these $650k family sedans could Ferrari possibly move?

  • Ferrari is intentionally low volume on everything. So the question is more about just how many they want and planned to move than absolute numbers.

    Ferrari also presells the vast majority of its "special" cars. Which this one is. The run is probably already entirely sold out.

  • Ah I see...

    Apparently they're aiming to produce about 2500-3000 Luces (Luci?) a year, and they're building about 14,000 cars total annually. So not too many in keeping with their scarcity strategy. That has worked great for them so far, but I doubt they can replicate it with the Luce.

  • Bizarre comparison.

    Who is the customer for a Model S? What fancy full-size sedan would they otherwise buy?

    Certainly not the person who'd buy a BMW 7er or a Mercedes S-class. Model S does not offer the basic comforts required to compete in this segment.

    Perhaps the person who'd buy a BMW 5er or a Mercedes e-class? Possibly, but the Model S is still an uncomfortable, noisy and cheap feeling clunker compared to those two.

    It's not like the full-size luxury sedan market is doing too bad. We've got at least:

      Audi: A8
      BMW: 7er, i7
      Mercedes: S-class, EQS
      Porsche: Panamera, Taycan (sort of)
      Rolls Royce: Phantom, Ghost
      Bentley: Flying spur
    

    Plenty of room for Ferrari to exist, but the Model S has been offering a low-end product at relatively high prices.

    • Thank you for noticing that Tesla's are priced at premium levels, but they still don't know how to make actual quality that is present the models you listed above. I've owned several of these and driven all but the EQS and there's a huuuge gap between a 7er S-class and a Tesla. Huge.

>And it looks the same

Yeah! My first though about the design was "This looks like a Tesla SUV-type thing" and about as sporty as a minivan. It is 1544mm high. The Lotus Esprit (which is my standard for a cool sportscar) is over 400 mm lower. The batteries do need to go somewhere... but isn't there room around the cockpit instead of under? Or a way to have a thin layer of batteries below the entire car?