Fast and Luce: Ferrari responds to Mazda’s trademark

Ferrari has drawn a line in the sand regarding its ownership of the Luce name.

As first reported by CarExpert last week, Mazda moved to trademark the moniker in early March 2026 – barely three weeks after details of the Ferrari Luce were announced by the Italian performance car maker.

While the Mazda Luce hasn’t been on sale since 1991, the Japanese brand began using the name in 1966.

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However, Ferrari doesn’t appear willing to consider a different badge for its forthcoming electric vehicle.

“Ferrari holds the right to use the ‘Ferrari Luce’ trademark internationally, by virtue of its registration under international law,” the company’s head office said in a statement issued to CarExpert.

“As always, Ferrari carried out prior searches, which did not identify any active third-party rights in conflict with ours.”

Despite not selling a vehicle under the Luce name since the early 1990s, Mazda mentioned the 1969 Mazda Luce Rotary Coupe as recently as 2017 as part of its unveiling of the Vision Coupe concept – referencing it as a "respectful nod to its heritage".

Though CarExpert was unable to determine whether an application had been filed by the brand, evidence included as part of an unrelated trademark opposition suggests Ferrari may have submitted official documentation as early as May 2025 that included the nameplate.

Regardless, it appears neither automaker is willing to let go of the Luce badge easily, and it may come down to a determination by trademark authorities as to who gets to use it.

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