Ferrari has turned its controversial first electric car into an extraordinary auction success.
A special Luce selling for $40 million at a charity auction in California.
The sale shattered the record for a brand-new car sold at auction, fetching more than 35 times the typical price of a Ferrari Luce.
The one-off model features a distinctive white finish, bespoke wheels and customised brakes.
All proceeds going to the Ferrari Foundation’s educational programmes.
But why pay $40 million for an electric Ferrari?
Luce Makes History at Auction
The Luce, designed with input from former Apple designer Sir Jony Ive, initially divided Ferrari fans when it debuted in May.
Critics argued that its five-seat layout and battery-powered drivetrain strayed too far from the marque’s traditional identity.
Former Ferrari chairman Luca Cordero di Montezemolo even warned it risked “the destruction of a legend”.
Ferrari’s design chief Flavio Manzoni, however, sees criticism as part of innovation and believes the car will eventually win people over.
The charity auction certainly offered a powerful counterargument. Ferrari’s previous auction record for a new car was $26 million for a Daytona SP3 in 2025.
At $40 million, the Luce has now done more than make history, it has put Ferrari’s electric future firmly in the spotlight.
