Nissan is “flattered” by Leaf-Ferrari Luce comparisons — and fires back at Maranello

Nissan’s Irish division has turned online chatter comparing its third-generation Leaf to Ferrari’s debut electric car, the Luce, into a playful social-media moment. Posting the two EVs side-by-side on Facebook and Instagram, the brand cheekily thanked Ferrari for the “flattery,” echoing the old adage that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. While the two cars share a similar hue and a vague silhouette resemblance when viewed from a distance, Nissan insists the similarities stop there. The Leaf’s boxy, utilitarian shape contrasts sharply with the Luce’s sleek, wedge-shaped profile, and a closer look reveals almost no common parts or design language.

Yet Nissan chose to lean into the meme rather than push back, even tagging Ferrari in a post that read: “They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so thank you Ferrari. Nissan. Always a smart choice.” The exchange is rare in an industry where brands rarely trade barbs online, and the contrast in price points underscores just how far apart the two EVs are in the market. In Italy, the Ferrari Luce starts at €550,000, while the Nissan Leaf begins at just under €41,000—roughly 13.5 times cheaper.

With such a gulf in positioning, the two cars aren’t even in the same conversation for buyers, let alone on the same shopping list. Nissan’s Irish team clearly knew the joke would drive engagement, and it did: the comment section exploded. Ferrari has yet to respond, but the lighthearted jab highlights how even the most unlikely rivals can find common ground in the age of viral social media. For now, the Leaf and Luce remain polar opposites—one a mass-market electric hatch, the other a six-figure halo EV from Maranello—but both have succeeded in sparking conversation.