Start Your Engines: L’OR Espresso x Ferrari and the Coffee That Purrs Before It Roars.

There are espressos that politely accompany your morning emails - and then there’s L’OR’s Passione Rossa Collection, which strides into your kitchen like it owns the place and insists you take breakfast seriously.

In an audacious and rather exhilarating move, L’OR Espresso has teamed up with none other than Ferrari Hypercar to create a limited-edition duo of espresso blends inspired by Italian excellence, engineering precision, and, dare we say, the thrill of the drive. And it works - not because it’s flashy (though it is), but because both brands speak the same language: passion, design, and a devotion to performance that borders on obsession.

Let’s be clear - this is not your average pod collection. This is espresso with torque.

The first of the two, Maranello Espresso, is named after the hallowed home of Ferrari and drinks like a slow, seductive cruise through the northern Italian countryside. It’s medium-bodied and suavely balanced, with initial aromas of roasted hazelnut, cassia bark, and bittersweet cacao.

On the palate, it opens up to ripe red berries - think macerated raspberries and Amarena cherry - mingled with a silky undertone of dark chocolate ganache and toasted brioche. There’s just enough acidity to lift the profile, giving it a polished finish that lingers like the afterglow of a well-delivered compliment. It's urbane, quietly commanding, and impossibly smooth - the espresso equivalent of an impeccably tailored Italian suit with a surprise silk lining.

It downshifts, smoulders, and delivers flavour at 10,000 RPM. Caffeine? No. This is combustion in a cup.

Then there’s the powerhouse: Imola Ristretto. Named after the legendary racing circuit, this one arrives in a cloud of gravitas. Short, intense, and layered with drama, it presents dense aromas of dark-roasted Arabica, burnt caramel, and a wisp of pipe tobacco, followed by a palate that rolls in like a velvet thunderstorm - all sticky figs, moody black plums, a generous lick of espresso crema, and a flirtatious whisper of baking spice that smoulders like it knows exactly what it’s doing.

The mouthfeel is velvety and rich, with a slightly smoky edge - more of a high-octane midnight espresso than a gentle sunrise affair. If Maranello is the silk suit, Imola is the leather driving glove - well-worn, slightly dangerous, and undeniably thrilling.

Both blends are housed in aluminium capsules compatible with Nespresso® Original machines, making high-performance coffee more accessible than ever. No pit crew required. Just a moment of reverence, a touch of button, and a sense that you’ve entered your own espresso grand prix.

But beneath the gleam of red lacquer and race-day aesthetics lies something even more compelling: a commitment to sustainability. L’OR, under the watchful eye of JDE Peet’s, isn’t just flirting with Italian flair - it’s putting its money where your mouth is, backing the future of coffee through its Common Grounds initiative like a barista with a conscience and a black belt in long-term thinking. That means fair sourcing, climate-resilient agriculture, and long-term support for the communities that grow these extraordinary beans. Because excellence isn’t just about taste - it’s about traceability and respect. And L’OR understands that there’s no point crafting the perfect cup if the planet gets left behind.

The collaboration with Ferrari, then, isn’t a gimmick. It’s a shared manifesto: to deliver beauty and power with every detail accounted for - from the blend composition to the capsule finish. It’s what happens when speed meets crema, and the result is espresso that hums with tension, elegance, and unmistakable intent.

And let’s not forget - coffee and cars share something else: ritual. The slow pull of a ristretto, the hiss of the machine, the first hit of aroma rising from the cup - it’s not unlike the moment a hypercar roars to life. You don’t just drink it. You feel it.

So no, you don’t need to own a Ferrari to drink this coffee. But you might want to channel a little of its confidence while you do. Perhaps drink it standing up, staring out the window like something’s about to happen. Because with the Passione Rossa collection, something usually does.

After all, some mornings don’t just call for caffeine.They call for ignition.

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Words by AW.

Photo courtesy of L'OR Espresso.