Ferrari’s first-ever electric car has sold for a staggering $40 million at a charity auction, setting a new record for the most expensive new vehicle ever sold at auction.
The Ferrari Luce, designed in collaboration with legendary iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive, fetched more than 35 times the car’s usual price at an RM Sotheby’s auction in California.
The one-of-a-kind vehicle features a unique white finish, special wheels, customised brakes and several bespoke parts. The identity of the buyer has not been revealed.
Sotheby’s revealed that all proceeds from the historic sale will be donated to the Ferrari Foundation’s educational programmes.
The Luce made headlines even before its record-breaking sale after Ferrari unveiled it in May as its first entry into the electric vehicle market. The launch marked a major shift for the Italian luxury carmaker, whose identity has traditionally been closely associated with high-performance petrol-powered sports cars.
However, the electric Ferrari immediately faced backlash from some fans and critics, who accused the company of moving too far away from its traditional design and identity.
The criticism became so intense that Ferrari’s share price dropped the day after the Luce was unveiled.
Among those who criticised the vehicle were Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini and former Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo, who warned that the new model was “risking the destruction of a legend.”
Ferrari’s chief design officer Flavio Manzoni defended the vehicle, saying critics are part of the innovation process and expressing confidence that people would eventually appreciate the Luce.
Sotheby’s described the auctioned Luce as an “unbeatable opportunity” to own the first production car of the model.
2026-08-17 21:51:00
