Ferrari has announced that Enrico Galliera, its chief marketing and commercial officer of more than 16 years, will step down, handing one of the most sensitive jobs in the luxury car world to an outsider.
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His successor, Massimiliano Di Silvestre, the former head of BMW’s Italian business, takes over on 1 July and will report directly to CEO Benedetto Vigna.
Galliera’s exit comes barely a month after Ferrari pulled the covers off the Luce, its first fully electric model, which received a reception few at the company were happy about.
The car, whose edgeless styling was developed with LoveFrom, the design studio founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive, broke sharply from Ferrari’s traditional look and drew swift ridicule from enthusiasts and investors alike.
The backlash was unusually public for a brand accustomed to adoration.
Ferrari’s shares fell more than 8% in a single session after the reveal, a sharp market verdict on one of the industry’s most valuable names.
Critics lined up to attack the design, among them the company’s own former chairman, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who warned that the brand was risking the destruction of a legend and went so far as to suggest the famous badge be removed from the car.
Italy’s deputy prime minister, Matteo Salvini, joined in, questioning the four-door model’s price, which starts at €550,000.
However, Ferrari has firmly rejected any link between the criticism and Galliera’s departure.
According to the company, he had decided to move on some time ago and agreed to remain in place through the Luce launch before pursuing what it described as a new chapter in his career.
Vigna praised his contribution and framed the change as part of the brand’s evolution rather than a reaction to it.
An outsider for an uncertain road
Whatever the motivation, the choice of replacement is telling.
Di Silvestre brings more than two decades of experience in the premium car market, having steered BMW Italy since 2019, and represents a rare move by Ferrari to recruit its commercial chief from a rival rather than promote from within.
He inherits the task of selling an electric Ferrari to a clientele that pays a heavy premium for exclusivity, at a moment when demand for high-performance EVs has cooled.
Ferrari maintains that interest in the Luce remains strong, though investors will not get a clearer picture until the company reports its second-quarter results on 30 July.
Emanuel M Schwermer/DigitalVision via Getty Images
German luxury carmaker BMW (BMWKY) stock fell about 8% on the DAX Index (DAX:IND) on Wednesday as the automaker issued an unexpected profit warning, citing a deepening downturn in China and the economic fallout from the Iran war.
The RAC has named the best cars on the market for a road trip in the UK, with an unexpected vehicle coming out on top thanks to its fuel efficiency and fun driving experience
The RAC has announced the best road trip car (stock)(Image: Andrew Merry via Getty Images)
Despite soaring fuel costs, motorists across the UK will still be eager to hit the open road this summer and enjoy a good old-fashioned road trip.
Whether it’s a group of mates touring Cornwall, tackling Scotland‘s legendary North Coast 500, or conquering the Welsh hills, there’s no shortage of thrilling routes to choose from.
With this in mind, the RAC has compiled a list of the finest road trip cars currently on sale in the UK. However, the top pick may well raise a few eyebrows – and so might the runner-up.
Taking the top spot is the £17,095 Kia Picanto city car which, while not an obvious choice, the RAC’s Lawrence Allan explained how its compact performance made it more exhilarating to drive than many far pricier and more powerful alternatives on the market.
He explained: “Road trips are rarely dull when you’re pushing a car to its limits, and you can do that in the little Kia and still be under the speed limit. You’ll sip fuel, too – a bonus with unpredictable fuel prices.
“What’s more, the Picanto is good fun to drive on the kind of tight, twisty roads that are found in most of our top 10 best road trips in the UK. Then, when you head into a nearby town for dinner, parking is a doddle.”
Pipped to second place behind the Kia Picanto was the electric variant of the Mercedes-Benz CLA, which Lawrence described as the ultimate electric vehicle for hitting the road.
Lawrence cited the primary reason for this as the distance the £45,615 car could cover on a single charge, boasting a range of up to 484 miles — sufficient to travel from London all the way to Dundee in Scotland.
He further noted that the vehicle impressed with its efficiency and rapid charging capability, making pit stops noticeably less lengthy than those required by other electric cars over the past decade.
Taking third place was the £34,875 Nissan Qashqai e-Power. Lawrence attributed its bronze position partly to its efficiency, which allows drivers to achieve over 770 miles from a tank of fuel, as well as its outstanding practicality.
While the Kia and Mercedes offer 255 and 407 litres of boot space respectively, the Nissan boasts a generous 504 litres. The Nissan also edges ahead of the Kia on fuel economy, with the Kia capable of 51.4mpg compared to the Nissan’s 64.2mpg — a crucial factor during a period of rising fuel costs.
On the subject of fuel, some experts have cautioned against filling up between 10am and 2pm, amongst them Interfuels’ Gordon Walllis.
He explained to the Express: “By late morning, many retailers have already adjusted their prices to reflect overnight changes in wholesale costs. That means drivers filling up around midday are often paying a premium.
“Late morning and early afternoon tend to be busy periods, with people stopping during errands, commutes or lunch breaks. When demand is steady, there is less pressure on retailers to keep prices low.”
