Ferrari has written another chapter in automotive history in the United States. A one-of-a-kind Ferrari Luce, the Italian company's first fully electric production model, sold for $40 million at RM Sotheby's Monterey auction in California during the 2026 Monterey Car Week, setting a new world record for the most expensive new car ever sold at auction.
The sale took place in Monterey on Saturday, August 15, as collectors, manufacturers and enthusiasts gathered on California's Central Coast for one of the most prestigious weeks on the global automotive calendar. The car offered was not a regular production example but "Chassis 0," the first production chassis in the Ferrari Luce program, specially configured through Ferrari's Tailor Made division.
The $40 million result shattered the previous record for a new Ferrari sold at auction. That mark had been established only a year earlier, also during Monterey Car Week, when a unique Tailor Made Ferrari Daytona SP3 sold for $26 million. The Luce therefore raised the record by $14 million – approximately 54% – while once again placing Ferrari at the center of the international collector-car market.
The auction also had a philanthropic purpose. Ferrari is donating the proceeds through The Ferrari Foundation to support future educational initiatives. RM Sotheby's waived the buyer's premium for the lot, further emphasizing the charitable nature of the sale.
The record-breaking Luce was created as an exceptionally distinctive expression of Ferrari's personalization capabilities. Its Madreperla Semi-Gloss exterior uses a specially developed pigment producing iridescent reflections that can shift from green to violet depending on light and viewing angle. Inside, Perla Le Mans metallic leather and Grigio Corvara details continue the luminous theme, while dedicated wheels, bespoke brake calipers and special Ferrari branding distinguish the car from standard production examples.
The significance of the auction extends beyond the price. Luce represents Ferrari's historic entry into fully electric production. Developed with a design language created in collaboration with Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson's LoveFrom collective, the model combines Ferrari engineering with an unusually minimalist approach to exterior, interior and interface design.
Technically, the Luce represents a major shift for Maranello. Its four electric motors deliver more than 1,000 horsepower in boost mode, while Ferrari quotes acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in about 2.5 seconds, a top speed above 310 km/h and a driving range exceeding 530 km. The battery has a capacity of 122 kWh and uses an 800-volt electrical architecture.
The buyer will not immediately receive the record-setting car. After the Monterey sale, Chassis 0 is scheduled to return to Maranello, with final delivery expected during the first quarter of 2027.
For Ferrari, the $40 million auction result carries powerful symbolic value. The company's first fully electric production car has become, before even reaching its owner, the most valuable new automobile ever auctioned.
And significantly, the record was established not in Italy but in the United States – in Monterey, California, during one of America's most important celebrations of automotive culture.
