Ferrari Luce Electric Car Sells For $40 Million At Monterey, Setting New-Car Auction Record

A one-off 2026 Ferrari Luce known as “Chassis 0” has sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction in California, setting what Ferrari and the auction house describe as a world record for the most expensive new car sold at auction. The sale took place during Monterey Car Week in August 2026, with all proceeds going to educational initiatives through The Ferrari Foundation.

This was not a standard Ferrari Luce electric car. It was the first production chassis from Ferrari’s first fully electric model, finished as a unique Tailor Made example and sold as a charity lot.

What Ferrari and RM Sotheby’s announced in Monterey

RM Sotheby’s held its 2026 Monterey sale from 13 to 15 August at the Portola Hotel and Monterey Conference Center. The Luce appeared as Lot 345 and sold for $40 million, far above its pre-sale valuation of more than $1.1 million.

Several confirmed details explain why this Luce was different from a normal customer car:

• It is the first production chassis. Ferrari and RM Sotheby’s identify it as “Chassis 0”, the first production chassis of the Luce programme, with a plaque marking that status. That gives the car a permanent place in Ferrari history.
• It is a one-off Tailor Made specification. The car uses a Madreperla Semi-Gloss exterior developed specifically for this example, with pearlescent reflections that can shift from green to violet. Its Perla Le Mans metallic leather, Grigio Corvara trim, dedicated wheels and bespoke brake calipers further distinguish it.
• The sale was entirely for charity. RM Sotheby’s waived the buyer’s premium, while Ferrari said all proceeds would support future educational initiatives through The Ferrari Foundation. The result is therefore not a normal benchmark for retail or resale values.

Why the Ferrari Luce electric car reached $40 million

The price reflects a combination of provenance, scarcity and philanthropy. Chassis 0 carries several attributes that cannot be recreated on another Luce.

Chassis 0 carries collector value beyond the standard Luce

Two factors stand out when comparing the auction car with a regular customer example:

• Its historical position is fixed. Future Luce models can be highly personalised, but none can become the first production chassis of Ferrari’s first EV programme. That makes Chassis 0 a milestone car regardless of how the wider electric Ferrari market develops.
• Its specification is genuinely unique. Ferrari’s Tailor Made programme gave the auction car finishes and detailing created specifically for this example. The buyer was acquiring both the first chassis and a one-off factory configuration.

The charity setting changed the economics of the sale

Reuters identified the buyer as US billionaire investor and Ferrari collector Herbert A. Wertheim, who also bought the one-off Daytona SP3 that set Ferrari’s previous new-car auction record at $26 million in 2025. The Luce surpassed that figure by $14 million, with the proceeds directed towards Ferrari Foundation education projects.

The charitable element matters because bidders can pay beyond conventional collector-car valuations when the transaction also functions as a donation. The $40 million figure should not be treated as the market value of a regular Luce.

What the production Ferrari Luce offers

Ferrari fully unveiled the Luce in Rome on 25 May 2026. It is a four-door, five-seat electric Ferrari developed with LoveFrom, the design collective associated with former Apple design chief Sir Jony Ive.

Its confirmed production figures put the auction result into perspective:

• Performance remains central. The Luce uses four electric motors, one at each wheel, and produces more than 1,000 horsepower. Ferrari has quoted a top speed above 310 km/h and a driving range of more than 500 km.
• The regular car costs far less than Chassis 0. Reuters reported a European price of €550,000, with global client deliveries due to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026. The Monterey result is a singular collector and charity sale, not the retail price of Ferrari’s first EV.

UAE buyers are already watching the Luce closely

The UAE is directly relevant because the Luce is already being offered locally. In July, The National reported that Al Tayer Motors had been taking orders since the model’s reveal and quoted an entry price of Dh2.3 million. Al Tayer Motors is Ferrari’s official dealer in the UAE.

For Gulf collectors, the Monterey sale strengthens the Luce’s historical profile without setting a new UAE transaction value. The cited public sources do not confirm how many cars will be allocated to the UAE or a specific first-delivery date for local customers beyond Ferrari’s broader fourth-quarter 2026 delivery schedule.

A $40 million statement on Ferrari’s electric era

The Luce Chassis 0 sale shows that Ferrari’s move into full electrification can still attract the kind of collector attention normally associated with its rarest combustion-engined cars. It does not mean every Luce will become a multi-million-dollar collectible.

For UAE and GCC enthusiasts, Chassis 0 was worth $40 million because it combined first-of-its-kind status, a one-off factory specification and a major charity auction, not simply because it runs on electricity.