Ferrari’s first fully electric production car, a bespoke example of the newly unveiled Luce designated as Chassis 0, sold for a record-breaking $40 million (€34.5 million) at an RM Sotheby’s charity auction in California during Monterey Car Week, with all proceeds destined for the Ferrari Foundation’s educational initiatives.
That $40 million figure shattered previous benchmarks. It comfortably cleared RM Sotheby’s pre-sale estimate of more than $1.1 million (€950,000) and eclipsed the previous auction record for a new car, which was set in 2025 when a bespoke Ferrari Daytona SP3 raised $26 million for the carmaker’s education programs.
Engineering the Luce: Powertrain and Architectural Realities
Underneath the controversy, the Ferrari Luce operates on a quad-motor architecture. The vehicle deploys one electric motor to drive each wheel independently. This layout yields a maximum output of 1,050 horsepower. It launches from zero to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and tops out at 310 km/h. Energy storage comes from a 122 kWh battery pack. According to the manufacturer, that pack yields a claimed driving range exceeding 530 km.
RM Sotheby’s cataloged Chassis 0 as a unique collector’s model. It features a specialized white finish, custom-designed wheels, and customized brakes. Despite the astronomical hammer price, the production vehicle lineage traces back to a vehicle that originally sparked fierce debate upon its public debut.
Design Backlash and Market Recovery
When Ferrari unveiled its first fully electric model in May, carrying a retail price tag of €550,000, it drew immediate pushback. The aesthetic direction came from LoveFrom, the creative collective founded by Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson. Critics didn’t hold back. Italy’s deputy prime minister Matteo Salvini and former Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo both voiced sharp criticisms. Montezemolo warned publicly that the car was risking the destruction of a legend.
Ferrari’s chief design officer Flavio Manzoni addressed the friction in an interview that May. He maintained that critics are a natural part of the innovation process and expressed confidence that public perception would evolve over time. The market reaction was swift. Ferrari’s share price dropped immediately following the launch. Yet, the stock rebounded strongly after the company raised its full-year guidance, posted robust earnings, and confirmed that retail orders for the Luce were tracking in line with expectations.
Financial Times reporting indicated that the automaker has already hit its sales targets for the vehicle this year, largely driven by strong demand out of China. In the wake of these earnings and the high-profile Monterey auction, Ferrari’s share price has climbed approximately 27% compared to its closing level of €284.05 on May 25, the first trading session after the Luce was first revealed.
The Collector Market Versus Historical Benchmarks
While the $40 million auction result sets a high-water mark for a newly manufactured vehicle, it sits well below the absolute historical ceiling for automotive auctions. That broader record remains held by an ultra-rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé, which commanded $142 million in 2022. Even so, the charity sale of Chassis 0 functions as a tangible expression of innovation, responsibility, and long-term vision for future generations, according to RM Sotheby’s.
The buyer of the record-breaking electric Ferrari remains anonymous. The capital generated, however, moves directly into structural education programs managed by the Ferrari Foundation.
