A special edition of the first electric Ferrari vehicle, named 'Luce,' was sold at an auction in Monterey, California. Specifically, the 'Chassis 0' model was realized for the sum of $40 million.
A special edition of the first electric Ferrari vehicle, named 'Luce,' was sold at an auction in Monterey, California. Specifically, the 'Chassis 0' model was realized for the sum of $40 million.
This car, which is the first production chassis of the new Ferrari model, was presented at the auction in Monterey, California. The sale of this unit will be directed towards supporting educational initiatives through the Ferrari charitable foundation, and the buyer's premium was waived.
The high price of this special series is due to the fact that the car was created as part of Ferrari's Tailor Made personalization program. This program allows for the development of unique details and features specifically for this vehicle.
Among the features of this model is the Madreperla Semi-Gloss finish, which creates iridescent reflections changing from green to purple. Additionally, the interior is lined with Le Mans mother-of-pearl metallic leather, made from specially selected Swiss leather, emphasizing the exclusivity of the car.
The winning bidder will not be able to immediately operate the car. Instead, it will be delivered to the Ferrari headquarters in Italy, and the handover to the winner is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027.
The first series production model of the Ferrari Luce, the Italian brand's first electric vehicle, was sold for 40 million US dollars (equivalent to approximately 208 million Brazilian reais) on Saturday evening. The sale took place at the RM Sotheby’s auction during Monterey Car Week in California. This amount is the highest ever paid for a new car at a public auction.
The vehicle, identified as Chassis 0, was offered without a reserve price and without the usual buyer's commission, meaning the entire sum of $40 million will go to charity. The auction house's estimate was just over $1.1 million (approximately 5.7 million reais), so the final result exceeded the forecast by 36 times. All proceeds will be directed to Ferrari Foundation's educational initiatives.
According to the duPont Registry website, the buyer was American billionaire Herbert 'Herbie' Wertheim, aged 87. RM Sotheby’s registered the sale only as being made to an anonymous participant who bid over the phone.
Wertheim, who is an optometrist, inventor, and investor, has accumulated a billion-dollar fortune in Florida. He is known in Monterey for the red fedora he has worn for decades. As a signatory of the Giving Pledge, created by Bill Gates and Warren Buffett to donate at least half of his wealth, he has already donated over $100 million to state universities.
This is not the first time he has set a record. In 2025, at the same event, Wertheim acquired a unique example of the Ferrari Daytona SP3, prepared by the Tailor Made division, for $26 million, which he surpassed this time.
The Ferrari Luce, unveiled in May, marks the launch of a platform dedicated to electrification. The car is equipped with four electric motors, an all-wheel-drive system, four doors, and five seats. The combined power reaches 1050 horsepower, and the acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h takes 2.5 seconds, with a top speed of 310 km/h. The battery has a nominal capacity of 122 kWh, an 800V architecture, and an estimated range of 530 km, although it is still undergoing certification. The design was developed jointly by the Stile de Maranello Center and the LoveFrom studio, owned by Jony Ive, a former Apple employee.
In Europe, the price for the Luce starts from 550 thousand euros, which is about 3.3 million reais, and the first deliveries are expected in the last quarter of 2026. The auction sum on Saturday is approximately 62 times this base price. Production for the first year ended in less than two months, which enhanced the appeal of this initial unit, assembled with exclusive Tailor Made finishes to United States specifications.
However, collectors market experts note that this amount should not be used as a price benchmark, as it was a philanthropic transaction, a structure Ferrari has used in Monterey for many years. The value of such auctions is determined by provenance: cars marking the beginning or end of a brand cycle occupy a special niche in the market.
