Ferrari's controversial electric car just sold for a world record price at auction

Photo: © IMAGO

Ferrari

Ferrari's controversial electric car just sold for a WORLD RECORD price at auction

It has massively divided opinion

Simmey Hannifin Donaldson F1 Editor

Motorsport journalist covering F1 since 2024

Sunday 16 August 2026 18:45

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Ferrari turned heads when they unveiled a new, all-electric production vehicle earlier this year, and now it has fetched a world-record price at auction.

The Ferrari Luce is the iconic Italian manufacturer's first fully electric car, and it was engineered, developed, and manufactured in Maranello, just like their F1 single seater.

The car uses a quad-motor all-electric powertrain, with a motor in each wheel giving it more than 1,000 horsepower. All of that means the Luce can accelerate from 0-100 km/h in around 2.5 seconds and reach a top speed of 310 km/h.

It can also go quite a distance, with its 122 kWh battery offering a range of more than 530 km with charging capability up to 350 kW.

Ferrari F1 stars Lewis Hamilton and Charles Leclerc were heavily involved in the promotion of the Luce when it was first revealed, with the manufacturer uploading a series of videos of the drivers unveiling and driving their new electric machine.

Ferrari Luce sells for world record $40 million price

Naturally, Ferrari making an all-electric car is a big departure from their traditional heritage, and it proved incredibly controversial when unveiled, with some loving it and others hating it.

Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo was particularly outspoken, claiming the Luce was "risking the destruction of a legend" and adding the iconic brand should remove its badge from the car.

Well, despite all that, someone out there really loved it. Chassis 0 of the Ferrari Luce went to auction with RM Sotheby's this weekend in Monterey, California, and ended up fetching a world-record price.

The auctioneer opened the bidding at $1 million, but the bids just kept on going up and up as keen motorists looked to secure themselves a piece of history.

In the end, the price reached an eye-watering $40 million, which is a world record for a brand new car going under the hammer.

All of that money is set to go to an amazing charitable cause, too, with Ferrari set to donate all of the proceeds towards future educational initiatives through the Ferrari Foundation.