What's The Same, But Better?

Or should the question be, what’s old is new? That’s the dilemma Ferrari currently faces in order to update its fleet of thoroughbred Italian stallions, which currently faces a problem burdening the rest of the industry: infuriating tech.

Ferrari banked its cause on the fact that people are willing to pay six figures for a new supercar with a cabin that looks like this:

Do you see what I see? Screens everywhere flanked by an abundant lack of physical switchgear. While some tactile controls have begun to return to the steering wheel and trickle down the center console, it feels like a temporary remedy to a long-term problem that seems to fail to get addressed sufficiently. This is more or less the attitude these days that all manufacturers are working to rectify, not just the one from Maranello.

But Ferrari’s approach is more radical than most. It’s going for a bit of a throwback with the interior reveal for its upcoming EV. Yes, it is still digitized but the big news is that every control is designed to be tactile to the driver’s—and their occupants—satisfaction. A little surprising when you consider the source of its inspiration.

To give you a hint, the person responsible for this slice of automotive artistry has this device in his portfolio:

That’s right, the iPhone that was designed by none other than Jony Ive. Other than his ability to say “better product” with the delivery tone of an affluent narrator reading the first edition of The Great Gatsby, he has managed to curate quite the collection of less-than-fugly designs for several devices, interfaces, and yes, cars.

Which is why the interior of the new Ferrari EV is making waves. There isn’t even a car to show but based on what we know about it so far, it’s likely that the Luce—Ferrari’s name for it—will induce a bit of retro flair that extends to more than what goes on behind the wheel.

This is what makes new cars exciting to look forward to. It’s not about the latest tech or whatever flash designers attempt to draw up to get people excited for the next model. Right now, functional yields more appeal than ever. So when we see the finished better product, I will predict that this fully-electric vehicle will be excellent.

Because I guarantee there is a yearning for the type of satisfaction we missed out on in the 1990s, when Honda over-engineered the rear hatch of an EH2-series Civic. This is precisely the type of excitement society should drum up if cars are to remain a staple in a culture that is slowly becoming more autonomous.

And yes, this is coming out on my birthday. My message is to be excited to drive it, not for the stuff that’s in it.

-TA