Ferrari’s long-serving head of marketing has announced his departure from the luxury automaker just weeks after the unveiling of the company’s first electric vehicle sparked widespread criticism.
BBC News reports that Enrico Galliera, who served as Ferrari’s chief marketing and commercial officer, will step down from his position in July after nearly two decades with the prestigious Italian car manufacturer. The company confirmed this week that Massimiliano Di Silvestre, previously the head of BMW Italy, will take over the role starting next month.
Ferrari expressed gratitude for Galliera’s contributions and stated that he had “decided to embark on a new chapter in his professional journey — a decision shared with the company some time ago.” The announcement notably made no reference to the recent launch of the Luce, Ferrari’s inaugural electric vehicle, which has generated massively negative attention when revealed in May.
CEO Benedetto Vigna praised Galliera’s tenure, saying that he “has played a significant role in the company’s growth and in strengthening the Ferrari brand worldwide.” Vigna added, “He has the gratitude of the entire Ferrari team and my personal best wishes for the future.”
Galliera, who assumed his position in 2010, held considerable influence over Ferrari’s exclusive customer allocation process, determining which clients could acquire the company’s highly coveted automobiles. Throughout his tenure, he participated in numerous landmark moments for the company.
Despite the company’s effusive praise, Galliera also oversaw the disastrous launch of the Luce. Breitbart News previously reported the EV has been widely panned by the stock market, Ferrari fans, and legendary former Ferrari Chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo:
Shares of Ferrari have fallen five percent in morning trading, with Ferrari fans rejecting the car for its looks and EV powertrain. One critic is Ferrari’s legendary former Chairman, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. When reporters asked Montezemolo what he thought about the Luce EV, he said in Italian, “If I said what I really think, I’d harm Ferrari.” Monezemolo added that Ferrari is “risking the destruction of a myth,” before adding, “I hope they at least remove the Prancing Horse from that car.”
The launch of the Luce represents a notable departure from Ferrari’s traditional design language and comes at a time when other luxury car manufacturers, including Porsche and Lamborghini, have pulled back on their electric vehicle plans due to weak consumer demand in the EV market. Social media users began comparing the Ferrari’s pedestrian looks to basic EVs already on the market.
Read more at BBC News here.
Lucas Nolan is a reporter for Breitbart News covering issues of AI, free speech, and online censorship.