You may have heard that Tesla has a new Roadster coming. It’s supposed to go on sale in 2028, and apparently, one version of it will fly. Whether any of that actually comes to fruition is highly debatable, given Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s track record for the last nine years. But one thing that cannot be denied: Tesla absolutely grabbed the entire world’s attention with its Roadster debut.
Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna noticed, too. And he approved.
‘We Have To Keep Dreaming’
Speaking at a recent automotive conference, Vigna offered considerable praise for the Tesla Roadster’s very unconventional debut to the world. According to a Reuters report, the Ferrari boss gave Tesla a 10 out of 10 for the overall event, and a 10 for the technology used to make it happen.
“It certainly shows that also in the automotive world there’s still a lot to be done,” Vigna said. “We have to keep dreaming. As a European, thank you for showing us how that, even in an old world, you can still innovate and dare.”
That’s not to say Vigna had kind words about Roadster specifically. In fact, perusing the report, he largely steered clear of anything beyond the spectacle of the event. He did highlight the need to take risks in the current automotive environment, suggesting that some of those risks require outside influence. Technically speaking, Tesla and SpaceX are separate companies that collaborated on the unconventional Roadster, even if both companies are helmed by the same Elon Musk.
Is Ferrari A Little Jealous Of Tesla Right Now?
Ferrari Luce Chassis 0RM Sotheby’s
We can’t help reading between the lines a little bit on this. Per Reuters, Vigna spoke about Ferrari’s own recent EV debut, the Luce, as also being a risk. That car was also developed with outside influence, enough that Vigna said Ferrari would not have followed the same course without such input.
It’s almost like Ferrari might be trying to catch some of Tesla’s coattails with praise… and some loose ties between it and Luce. We bet Ferrari wishes it had the same positive vibe for Luce’s launch that Tesla got with Roadster, but at least Luce is a real car that is already sold out for 2026. Its styling might be universally panned, but Musk and Tesla still have two years to see any real-world Roadster response. That’s a lot of time for plans to change.
CarBuzz Insight – Why This Matters:
New Tesla RoadsterTesla
Of course, Ferrari’s risk with Luce is just a tad different than Tesla’s approach with Roadster. Luce’s challenge is that, in the eyes of many people, it simply doesn’t look like a Ferrari. Being the company’s first (and thus far only) electric vehicle, it doesn’t sound like one, either. With over 1,000 combined horsepower from its quad-motor powertrain, it will certainly accelerate like one. But lots of companies have 1,000-plus hp cars these days. It doesn’t mean they go like Ferraris. Therein lies Ferrari’s risk.
Tesla, on the other hand, showed off a car that uses nitrogen gas thrusters from literal spacecraft to blast itself into the air for a few seconds. It’s most decidedly not a street-legal feature, and even the less extravagant Thrust model, which only uses rear thrusters for acceleration, may not be street-legal. It was a risk simply demoing such a system to an audience, but now the extended risk is actually meeting a 2028 timeline for buyers to get one. And some of those buyers have already been waiting nine years.
Still, Tesla managed something that few automakers have ever done. No, not flipping a car in midair – anyone can stick jets on a prototype and do that. Tesla got praise from Ferrari. Like it or not, that’s an unlocked achievement.
