An Electric Ferrari is 'Almost an Obscene Concept,' Sergio Marchionne Says
It appears FCA CEO Sergio Marchionne has an odd obsession with getting shot.
After saying that you would have to shoot him before Ferrari would build an SUV, Marchionne has now once again said he would have to be shot before an electric Ferrari becomes a reality. The CEO’s dislike for EVs has been well documented; at one point, he told consumers that he hopes no one buys the Fiat 500e because he loses $14,000 for each one sold.
His reasoning, however, isn’t the same with the idea of a Ferrari EV. Speaking to journalists at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show, Marchionne said, “It’s almost an obscene concept,” the idea of having an all-electric Ferrari model. He went on to repeat the phrase, “You’d have to shoot me first.”
SEE ALSO: You Will Have to Shoot Sergio Marchionne Before Ferrari Builds an SUV
Some would argue that Marchionne is taking a gamble with the Ferrari brand, unwilling to jump into the growing luxury SUV market and now shunning the prospect of a Ferrari EV. The Italian automaker isn’t entirely void of electrified powertrains, considering the LaFerrari does use electric motors to boost its performance.
Still, others would say that Marchionne is simply preserving the Ferrari brand and what it has built its reputation on over the decades. Ferrari enthusiasts are pleased that Marchionne doesn’t want to follow in the footsteps of rival Lamborghini in developing an SUV, but is a high-performance Ferrari EV really that blasphemous?
Perhaps the bigger question is, can Ferrari really survive by not keeping up with the times?
[Source: Transport Evolved]
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Jason Siu began his career in automotive journalism in 2003 with Modified Magazine, a property previously held by VerticalScope. As the West Coast Editor, he played a pivotal role while also extending his expertise to Modified Luxury & Exotics and Modified Mustangs. Beyond his editorial work, Jason authored two notable Cartech books. His tenure at AutoGuide.com saw him immersed in the daily news cycle, yet his passion for hands-on evaluation led him to focus on testing and product reviews, offering well-rounded recommendations to AutoGuide readers. Currently, as the Content Director for VerticalScope, Jason spearheads the content strategy for an array of online publications, a role that has him at the helm of ensuring quality and consistency across the board.
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