Ferraris first electric car sells for record sum at California charity auction

Ferrari’s first fully electric model, the Luce, sold for $40 million (€34.5 million) at a charity auction during Monterey Car Week in California on Aug. 16, setting a record for the highest price paid for a new car at auction, according to RM Sotheby’s and the automaker .
The vehicle, identified as “Chassis 0,” was the first production model of the Luce series and featured custom specifications. All proceeds will go to the Ferrari Foundation to support educational initiatives, including the M-TECH Alfredo Ferrari training center planned for Maranello, Italy, in 2029 .
The Luce, unveiled in May with a base price of €550,000, drew sharp criticism for its design, which departed from Ferrari’s traditional styling. The model was developed in collaboration with LoveFrom, the creative studio founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive and Marc Newson. It features four electric motors—one per wheel—with a combined output of 1,050 horsepower, a 0-100 km/h acceleration time of 2.5 seconds, a top speed of 310 km/h, and a 122 kWh battery offering a claimed range of over 530 km .
Ferrari’s share price initially fell after the Luce’s unveiling but has since risen by about 27% from its May 25 closing level of €284.05, following strong earnings and raised full-year guidance. The company reported that orders for the Luce are progressing in line with expectations, with the 2026 sales target of around 500 units already met by early July, according to the Financial Times .
The auction surpassed RM Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate of over $1.1 million (€950,000) and broke the previous record of $26 million set by a bespoke Ferrari Daytona SP3 in 2025. The buyer of both vehicles was billionaire Herbert Wertheim, known as “Dr. Herbie,” according to Bloomberg .
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