Ferrari’s first production electric car, a one-off Tailor Made Luce identified as Chassis 0, sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction on August 16, setting the record for the most expensive new car ever sold at auction. All proceeds go to educational work through the Ferrari Foundation, with the buyer’s premium waived.
The hammer price landed roughly 62 times the standard Luce sticker and more than 36 times the pre-sale estimate of more than $1.1 million. Delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027 after the car returns to Maranello.
What Chassis 0 actually is
Chassis number ZFF21BUA8T0338000 carries the dedicated “Chassis 0” plaque that marks it as the first production unit of the Luce program. Ferrari’s Tailor Made studio treated it as a complete one-off built around the theme of light.
The exterior uses a Madreperla Semi-Gloss finish mixed specifically for this car. Its pigment produces iridescent reflections that shift from green to violet with the angle and intensity of light. The semi-gloss surface keeps depth while balancing gloss and matte areas across the sculptural body.
Inside sits Perla-colored Le Mans metallic leather drawn from specially selected Swiss hides. Secondary elements appear in Grigio Corvara rather than the usual black, extending the luminous theme. Exclusive details include dedicated wheels, bespoke brake calipers and the Ferrari logo set against an optical white background.
- Madreperla Semi-Gloss paint with green-to-violet iridescence developed only for this chassis
- Perla Le Mans metallic leather from Swiss hides plus Grigio Corvara secondary trim
- Optical-white Ferrari badge, unique wheels and custom calipers
- US-specification build with full Tailor Made collaboration between the client and Ferrari Design Studio
The standard Luce is a five-door liftback executive car with four electric motors, one at each wheel, producing a combined 1,035 hp. Its 122 kWh NMC battery from SK On sits in an 800 V architecture and delivers a claimed WLTP range of 529 km. Ferrari quotes 0-100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and a top speed above 310 km/h. The official Ferrari Luce specifications and design list a wheelbase of 2,961 mm, length of 5,026 mm and kerb weight of 2,260 kg. Design came from LoveFrom, the studio of Jony Ive and Marc Newson, working with Ferrari’s own teams.
How $40 million stacked against every other result
RM Sotheby’s offered the car without reserve as lot 345. The final bid of $40 million cleared every previous new-car auction mark and placed the Luce seventh on the all-time list of most expensive cars ever sold at auction, according to contemporary rankings converted at prevailing rates.
| Rank | Car | Approx. price | Year sold |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe | $142 million | 2022 |
| 2 | Mercedes W196 R Stromlinienwagen | £43 million | 2025 |
| 3 | Ferrari 250 GTO/330 LM | £42 million | 2023 |
| 7 | 2026 Ferrari Luce Chassis 0 | $40 million | 2026 |
A McLaren F1 GTR sold the same evening for $34.6 million. The Luce result sits far above any prior contemporary production car. The charity structure mattered: in the United States the amount above fair market value can be treated as a deductible contribution, and the waived premium meant the full hammer price reached the foundation.
Stats snapshot
- $40 million hammer price with buyer’s premium waived
- ~$640,000 base price for a standard Luce, or about 62 times sticker
- >$1.1 million pre-sale estimate, cleared by more than 36 times
- Q1 2027 scheduled delivery after return to Maranello
The full Chassis 0 lot details and sale terms confirm the car was built to US specification and that export responsibilities fall on any non-US buyer.
The buyer who already owned last year’s headline Ferrari
Dr. Herbert “Herbie” Wertheim, the Florida-based inventor and investor who always wears a bright-red fedora, placed the winning bid. The same weekend a year earlier he paid $26 million for a one-off Tailor Made Ferrari Daytona SP3 chassis 599+1 finished in two-tone carbon fiber and Giallo Modena, also a Ferrari Foundation charity lot.
Wertheim’s path runs from Depression-era Philadelphia through the Navy, NASA engineering work at Cape Canaveral and a scholarship into optometry. In 1969 he invented a UV-filtering tint for plastic eyeglass lenses. He founded Brain Power Inc. the next year; the company accumulated more than 100 patents. He invested the profits patiently, buying Apple and Microsoft at their IPOs and building a stake in aerospace supplier Heico from roughly $5 million in 1992 into more than $800 million, making him the largest individual shareholder. Forbes has estimated his wealth near $4.6 billion. He has given more than $100 million to Florida public universities and signed the Giving Pledge.
For collectors the repeat appearance signals that Chassis 0 sits in the same rarefied bracket as Icona specials rather than ordinary series production.
Launch backlash that never slowed the order book
Ferrari revealed the Luce in May 2026 at a tightly controlled event near Rome. The five-seat liftback form, centre-opening rear doors and LoveFrom design language immediately split opinion. Social media filled with Multipla comparisons and toaster jokes. Former Ferrari chairman Luca di Montezemolo voiced strong criticism. Shares fell 8.4 percent the next day before recovering. A Dezeen podcast asked why everyone seemed to hate the new electric Ferrari.
Pope Leo XIV toured a Luce the day after the reveal. Despite the noise, the 2026 allocation sold out, including an 88-car China launch that cleared immediately. Ferrari had already hit its sales targets for the year by late July.
Sold: $40,000,000 USD. The 2026 Ferrari Luce ‘Tailor Made’ has sold at our Monterey auction. Ferrari will donate all proceeds of this charity auction to benefit future educational initiatives through The Ferrari Foundation, a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity.
That was the RM Sotheby’s $40 million sold announcement that racked up more than half a million views. Replies mixed celebration with sharp skepticism: some called the bid a tax-efficient PR move or even a money-laundering exercise, while others simply labeled the car an oversized toaster. The charity frame and collector signaling clearly lifted the number far beyond what pure performance or design consensus would have supported.
Where the money goes and when the car arrives
Every dollar benefits the Ferrari Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity focused on educational initiatives in the United States and elsewhere. Ferrari has framed the lot as a tangible expression of long-term vision for future generations.
- October 2025, Ferrari Capital Markets Day previews the electric platform under the working name Elettrica.
- May 25 2026, Production Luce revealed near Rome; stock drops 8.4 percent the following session.
- June 2026, China allocation of 88 cars sells out on launch day.
- August 16 2026, Chassis 0 sells for $40 million at RM Sotheby’s Monterey.
- Q4 2026, Standard customer deliveries begin.
- Q1 2027, Chassis 0 scheduled for final delivery after Maranello return and any US title work.
After the hammer the car travels back to Italy for final preparation. A US buyer must complete documentation at an authorized dealership before taking possession.
What the price says about Ferrari’s electric future
The Luce rests on a dedicated architecture with a structural battery and the first Ferrari chassis to use 75 percent recycled aluminium chassis construction. Active aero, four-wheel steering, torque vectoring and a real-time sound system that amplifies actual drivetrain noise rather than a fake engine note complete the package. Ferrari claims the lowest drag coefficient in its history.
Chassis 0 now sits in the same conversation as the Uhlenhaut Coupe and the great 250 GTOs, even though it is a brand-new electric liftback that many enthusiasts still reject on sight. The multiple paid for a first-of-sequence plaque, unique paint and a tax-advantaged charity channel. It also handed Ferrari an immediate halo for a model whose launch was among the most contested in the company’s recent history. Standard Luces will never approach this figure, yet the existence of a $40 million example changes how collectors price scarcity and narrative around the entire program.
Wertheim will take delivery next year. The rest of the market will watch whether any subsequent Tailor Made Luces or future electric specials can approach the same air.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Ferrari Luce?
The Luce is Ferrari’s first production battery-electric vehicle, a five-door liftback executive car with four motors producing 1,035 hp, a 122 kWh structural battery and a claimed 529 km WLTP range. It was designed with LoveFrom and went on sale in 2026 with deliveries starting in the fourth quarter.
How much does a standard Ferrari Luce cost?
European list price is approximately €550,000, or roughly $640,000 before options and taxes. The China launch price was reported near $586,600. Heavy Tailor Made personalization can raise the figure substantially, though nowhere near the Chassis 0 auction result.
Who bought the Ferrari Luce Chassis 0?
American inventor and investor Dr. Herbert “Herbie” Wertheim won the auction. He previously bought a one-off Tailor Made Daytona SP3 for $26 million at the same event in 2025 and is known for long-term holdings in Apple, Microsoft and Heico as well as large gifts to Florida universities.
Where does the $40 million from the Luce sale go?
Ferrari donates the entire proceeds to the Ferrari Foundation, a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity that funds educational initiatives in the United States and other countries. The buyer’s premium was waived so the full hammer price reaches the foundation.
When will the Chassis 0 Luce be delivered?
The car returns to Ferrari’s Maranello headquarters after the sale. Final delivery to the buyer is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027. A US resident buyer must complete title work at an authorized dealership first.
