OSLO, April 29 (Reuters) - Ferrari Chief

Executive Benedetto Vigna said on Tuesday the Italian luxury

sportscar maker would always develop key components for its

vehicles internally, as it prepares to launch its first fully

electric car later this year.

Breaking its tradition of roaring petrol engines, Ferrari

will unveil its first fully electric car on October 9 in its

hometown of Maranello, after it started to offer hybrid-electric

models in 2019.

Speculation spread last week over a possible cooperation

between Ferrari and Chinese EV maker Leapmotor on more

potential Ferrari EV models, after Leapmotor CEO Zhu Jiangming

posted a selfie with Vigna on his social media account, saying

he hoped there could be more communication and cooperation

between the two companies.

Vigna, a former microchip industry top executive, visited

Leapmotor twice this year as part of his business trips to

China. He said he retained many "friends" all over the world

from his previous job experience, especially in the EV sector.

"Do we have some Chinese suppliers? Yes. Are they making

strategic components? No," Vigna said in an interview with

Bloomberg TV during a Norges Bank event in Oslo.

"I think that there is nothing more than that".

Leapmotor last week clarified that there were no ongoing

talks with Ferrari.

Vigna told Reuters on Tuesday that Ferrari does not develop

"platforms", which are technological architectures that can

underpin several vehicle models.

"Our cars are unique, not platform-based," he said, adding

Ferrari doesn't buy platforms from external partners.

"And number three, strategic components will always be kept

in-house. They have been, they are, and they will be always

under our control," he said.

Vigna said the company already had collaborations on

non-strategic components with Chinese, European, American,

Japanese and other Asian partners.

"When it comes to non-strategic components, we go and select

the right partners," he said.

Vigna has said crucial components for Ferrari EV cars

include electric motors and axles but not battery packs.