How Ferrari Luce Chassis 0 Reached the $40 Million Mark

The first production example of the Ferrari Luce, Maranello's first fully electric car, sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby's Monterey auction on Saturday night, during Monterey Car Week 2026. The lot, identified as "Chassis 0," carried a pre-sale estimate of just over $1.1 million and was sold without reserve, with the entire hammer price going to charity.

Ferrari Luce "Chassis 0" Sets a New Auction Record

Bidding opened at $1 million and climbed quickly, briefly stalling near $30 million before jumping to $40 million, according to accounts from journalists present in the room. RM Sotheby's waived the buyer's premium on the lot, meaning the $40 million figure represents both the hammer price and the full donation amount. Multiple outlets covering the sale, including CNBC and Electrek, reported that the result marks a record price for a new car sold at auction, surpassing the $26 million paid for a Ferrari Daytona SP3 Tailor Made at the same Monterey auction the previous year.

The buyer has been publicly identified in automotive press coverage as Herbert "Herbie" Wertheim, a businessman and philanthropist.

Why Ferrari Luce "Chassis 0" Is So Special

Chassis 0 is the first production unit of the Luce to come off Ferrari's line, distinguished from other examples by a dedicated plaque marking its position in the production run. It was built through Ferrari's Tailor Made personalization program, developed with input from Ferrari's design studio, and carries specification not available on standard Luce orders.

The car's exterior uses a one-off "Madreperla" semi-gloss paint mixed specifically for this example, described by outlets covering the auction as shifting between green and violet depending on the light, with wheels and brake calipers color-matched to the body. Inside, the cabin uses Le Mans metallic leather in Perla with Grigio Corvara accents, which Ferrari reportedly used in place of black trim for the first time on a Luce.

Ferrari Luce Becomes Ferrari's First Fully Electric Car

The Luce is Ferrari's first series-production fully electric model, following the company's broader move toward electrification alongside its existing hybrid and combustion lineup. Reporting describes the production Luce as using four electric motors — one per wheel — with a combined output of 1,036 horsepower (772 kW) and a 0–62 mph time of roughly 2.5 seconds, while seating up to five people. Ferrari has not published a full technical specification sheet in the sources reviewed for this article, so figures beyond those reported by automotive outlets should be treated as third-party reporting rather than an official Ferrari release.

The regular Ferrari Luce carries a list price of roughly €550,000 (about $640,000), a figure separate from the $40 million paid for the unique Chassis 0 example at auction.

What Makes the $40 Million Ferrari Luce Different?

An auction price of $40 million for a car that starts at around $640,000 reflects several factors beyond the vehicle's base specification. Chassis 0's status as the first production unit, its unrepeatable Tailor Made configuration, and its position as the first series-production electric Ferrari all appear to have driven collector interest. The charity component — with proceeds benefiting a cause rather than Ferrari or the seller directly — is also widely cited by outlets covering the sale as a factor that can push bidding well past a car's functional market value, since buyers may also be motivated by philanthropic giving and associated tax considerations.

It is worth noting that this result reflects the value collectors placed on a unique, first-of-its-kind charity lot, not the resale value of a standard production Luce.

Ferrari Luce Chassis 0 Auction Details

Where the Ferrari Luce Auction Money Will Go

Coverage of the sale is consistent that 100% of the proceeds go to charity, but sources reviewed for this article differ on the exact recipient: several automotive outlets name the Ferrari Foundation, a public charity that supports educational initiatives, while at least one report names Save the Children. Because the specific beneficiary is not consistently confirmed across sources, readers should treat the exact charity destination as reported rather than independently verified, pending an official Ferrari or RM Sotheby's statement naming the recipient.

What the Ferrari Luce Means for Ferrari's EV Future

The Luce's launch was described in coverage as one of Ferrari's more divisive product debuts, with its styling and status as Ferrari's first fully electric car drawing criticism from parts of the automotive press and Ferrari's traditional customer base. Reports note that Ferrari nonetheless sold its allocated production run of the Luce quickly.

The $40 million result for Chassis 0 does not resolve that debate, but it does give Ferrari and collectors a public price signal for the model earlier than would typically occur for a newly launched car. Whether that translates into sustained collector demand for standard production Luce units, or whether it remains tied to the unique circumstances of a charity lot and a first-production chassis, will likely become clearer only once more Luce units have changed hands on the secondary market.

Ferrari Luce vs Other Ferrari EV and Hybrid Models

The Luce is Ferrari's first fully electric production model, distinct from Ferrari's existing hybrid models and from limited-run specials like the Daytona SP3, which uses a naturally aspirated V12 rather than an electric powertrain. The Daytona SP3 Tailor Made comparison is relevant mainly because a similarly personalized example from that program set the previous Monterey auction record for a new car, at $26 million, before being surpassed by the Luce Chassis 0 result. Beyond that pricing comparison, the two cars represent different points in Ferrari's product strategy — one a V12 limited-series model, the other the brand's first step into series-production electric vehicles.

Frequently Asked Questions

Conclusion

The $40 million sale of Ferrari Luce "Chassis 0" at RM Sotheby's Monterey auction is a significant early data point for Ferrari's electrification strategy, even though it reflects the value of a unique, first-production, charity-benefiting lot rather than the market price of a standard Luce. The result, reported as a record for a new car sold at auction, arrives amid a genuinely mixed public reaction to the Luce as Ferrari's first fully electric model. What it means for broader demand and collector interest in the Luce lineup will become clearer as regular production deliveries begin and more examples reach the secondary market.