The first electric car in the history of Ferrari was sold this Monday for 40 million dollars at a charity auction held in California, setting a new world record for a new vehicle sold at auction.
The auction house RM Sotheby's awarded the Ferrari Luce during the Monterey Auction 2026, for a price that exceeds more than 35 times the usual market value of the model, estimated at around 640,000 dollars.
The auctioned specimen is not just any Luce: it is the so-called "Chassis 0," the first production chassis of the program, identified with a dedicated plaque and uniquely configured through the Ferrari Tailor Made program.
The exterior finish is a Semi-Gloss Mother of Pearl developed specifically for this vehicle, featuring a pigment capable of producing iridescent reflections that range from green to violet depending on the angle of the light. The interior combines metallic Le Mans leather in Pearl color—crafted from selected Swiss hides—with secondary elements in Grigio Corvara, a combination that moves away from the traditional black.
All funds raised will be allocated to The Ferrari Foundation to finance educational programs. The identity of the buyer was not disclosed by the auction house.
El Luce was officially presented in May of this year and represents the Italian brand's first venture into the electric vehicle market, a sector dominated by Tesla and Chinese manufacturers.
The model is a four-door, five-seat sedan with four electric motors—one for each wheel—over 1,000 horsepower, a top speed exceeding 310 km/h, and a range of over 530 kilometers.
Its design was developed in collaboration with British designer Sir Jony Ive —known for creating the aesthetics of the iPhone and iPod during his time at Apple— through his studio LoveFrom, whose partnership with Ferrari was formalized in 2021.
The launch of the model generated strong controversy. The Vice President of the Italian government, Matteo Salvini, and the former president of Ferrari, Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, severely criticized the vehicle.
Montezemolo went so far as to say that the car was "risking the destruction of a legend" and requested that the prancing horse emblem be removed. Ferrari's stock fell by 8.4% the day after the launch.
Despite the controversy, the company's design director, Flavio Manzoni, defended the project in May by stating that critics are part of the innovation process and that the public will ultimately appreciate the Luce. According to a report from the Financial Times cited by BBC, Ferrari had already achieved its sales quota for this year thanks to strong demand coming from China.
RM Sotheby's described the auctioned item as "a tangible expression of innovation, responsibility, and long-term vision for future generations."
The price of 40 million surpasses the previous record for a new car at auction, which was also held by Ferrari: a Daytona SP3 Tailor Made sold in August 2025 for 26 million dollars, also in Monterey and for the benefit of the same foundation.
The absolute auction record for automobiles remains that of the 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe, which was awarded in 2022 for approximately 142 million dollars.
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