The Ferrari Luce, the first fully electric car from Maranello, has reached another historic milestone. Chassis 0 was sold by RM Sotheby’s during Monterey Car Week in California for a record $40 million, turning the first production chassis of Ferrari’s electric programme into the most expensive new car ever sold at auction.
The Luce was officially unveiled in Rome on 25 May and immediately became one of the most discussed Ferrari road cars in recent memory. Its electric powertrain and unconventional approach generated intense debate over the direction of the Maranello manufacturer, but the extraordinary result achieved by Chassis 0 has now added another chapter to the model’s story. The fact that the sale was organised as a charity auction probably contributed significantly to the final price.
The $40 million result represents a record for a new car at auction and also places the Luce among the enormous sums normally associated with the most valuable historic collector cars. It is a remarkable figure for a model whose debut had already generated considerable controversy around Ferrari’s electric strategy.
Ferrari Luce Chassis 0 rises from $1 million to $40 million
The auction started from a figure of $1 million, but the final price ultimately climbed to 40 times that amount. Chassis 0 was created through the Ferrari Tailor Made programme in collaboration with the Ferrari Design Studio, transforming the first production example into a highly distinctive specification.
The exterior is finished in an iridescent, semi-metallic Madreperla colour created specifically for the car. The treatment is intended to emphasise the technical innovation, design, materials and craftsmanship behind Ferrari’s first electric model while giving Chassis 0 an appearance unlike a conventional production specification.
The unusual design direction has been a major part of the wider conversation surrounding the car since its unveiling, with the Luce becoming one of Ferrari’s most polarising recent launches and even contributing to a strong reaction among fans and investors.
$40 million Ferrari auction proceeds will support education projects
All of the proceeds from the sale will be directed towards educational projects in the United States and elsewhere around the world. One of the most important initiatives is M-TECH Alfredo Ferrari, a new educational hub scheduled to open in Maranello in 2029 with the aim of inspiring and training international talent while encouraging technological innovation in the automotive industry.
Other initiatives include collaboration with Save the Children to help rebuild Aveson Charter School, which was damaged by the 2025 wildfires in California. Funding is also planned to strengthen mathematics and literacy programmes in lower-income communities in East Texas.
Another partnership involves the Second Round Foundation, the non-profit organisation co-founded by NBA champion Jalen Brunson, which works to promote education in disadvantaged urban communities in New York City.
Ferrari is also financing after-school reading and mathematics programmes in collaboration with Boys & Girls Clubs serving a low-income area of South Florida. The record auction result therefore gives Chassis 0 a significance extending well beyond its status as the first production Ferrari Luce.
Ferrari Luce Chassis 0 receives unique Tailor Made details
The Madreperla Semi-Gloss paint was developed specifically for this car and incorporates a special pigment capable of creating iridescent reflections that shift from green to violet depending on the intensity and angle of the light.
The interior follows the same theme. It is upholstered in Perla Le Mans metallic leather, a material designed to help diffuse light throughout the cabin. For the first time, secondary interior elements are finished in Grigio Corvara rather than traditional black, creating a greater sense of visual continuity and brightness.
The wheels, brake callipers and Ferrari logo on the dashboard are finished in optical white. Each of these elements was created specifically for Chassis 0 to underline the unique nature of the Tailor Made configuration.
Ferrari Luce combines 1,050 horsepower with F80-derived technology
Beneath its bespoke appearance, Ferrari Luce Chassis 0 uses the same advanced electric platform that defines Ferrari’s first production EV. Among its key features is an active suspension system derived from the Ferrari F80.
Four independent electric motors work with a 122 kWh battery to deliver a combined output of 1,050 horsepower. Ferrari quotes acceleration from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.5 seconds and a top speed of 310 km/h, while the declared driving range is approximately 530 kilometres.
Those figures place the Luce firmly within Ferrari’s high-performance tradition despite the absence of an internal combustion engine. Chassis 0, however, now carries a distinction no conventional specification can replicate: the first production example of Ferrari’s electric era has changed hands for $40 million, combining a historic technical milestone, a unique Tailor Made specification and a major charitable contribution in a single car.
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