Ferrari CEO praises Elon Musk for Tesla Roadster’s daring debut

It’s not every day that the head of Ferrari dishes out praise for rival brands, and not many would’ve expected its CEO to celebrate the reveal of a Tesla.

As reported by Italy’s Quattroruote, Ferrari CEO Benedetto Vigna praised Tesla for how it unveiled the Roadster prototype last week, a debut which became one of the most talked about events in recent automotive history.

The Roadster – which is still a concept at this stage – was able to drive up a wall using its under-body fan, before launching off it, coming to a safe landing thanks to its SpaceX-derived rocket boosters.

Later, it jumped and performed a skateboard-style ‘kickflip’ over a row of other Tesla vehicles, giving it the tag of being a “flying car”.

While reaction has been divided, Vigna heaped praise on Tesla and its CEO Elon Musk, who owns the EV giant and SpaceX.

“I give it a 10 for technology and a 10 for communication: it was a sensational presentation,” Vigna said, in translated quotes. 

“It shows that there's still so much to do in the automotive sector and that we must continue to dream. 

“As a European, I say to Elon Musk: thank you for demonstrating that even in an industrial world considered old, you can still innovate and take risks.”

The Roadster’s reveal is arguably the second major automotive launch this year, following the unveiling of Ferrari’s Luce, its first-ever EV.

Now the holder of the record for the world’s most expensive new car, after one example sold for US$40 million (A$56.5 million) at a charity auction, some have been less enthralled about it.

Shortly after the Luce’s debut, former Ferrari president Luca di Montezemolo went on a tirade about the Luce, finishing it by saying it was “a car the Chinese won’t copy”.

While the Luce is slated to debut in showrooms in the coming months, the Tesla Roadster isn't due until 2028, if the brand can keep up with its targets.