The Ferrari Luce is not only one of the most controversial cars of 2026; it is one of the most controversial in modern automotive history.
When the iconic Italian supercar manufacturer unveiled its first electric car, it caused much more than just a stir.
The May launch caused a social media meltdown, with AI-generated memes and images mocking Ferrari’s decision to build a battery-powered four-door five-seater, developed with the help of iPhone designer Sir Jony Ive. The company’s shares fell sharply following the backlash.
But it seems Ferrari executives have the last laugh in Maranello.
Not only Ferrari has announced that this is the case This year’s allocation has already sold out of the divisive EV, but the very first production example has now broken auction records.
‘Chassis 0’, officially the earliest production car built, went under the hammer in California this weekend and raised no less than 40 million dollars.
This amount is more than 35 times the Luce’s list price and is believed to be the highest ever paid for a brand new car at public auction.
All proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Ferrari Foundation’s educational programs.
Record breaker: Ferarri Luce ‘Chassis 0’ has become the most expensive new car ever sold at auction. The winning bid placed in California this weekend was a whopping $40 million (£29.5 million).
RM Sotheby’s did not name the buyer of Luce Chassis 0, a bespoke example heavily modified through Ferrari’s Tailor Made program. The Italian carmaker also did not reveal the identity of the winning bidder.
The car features a unique ‘Madreperla Semi-Gloss’ finish that was developed exclusively for this one-off model.
Although the paint appears white to the naked eye, the paint contains a special pigment that creates iridescent reflections and changes color like a chameleon.
Depending on the angle and intensity of the light, the bodywork can change from green to violet.
The $40 million sales figure is more than 35 times the Luce’s list price — not bad for an electric car that has been relentlessly mocked since it debuted in May
The unique car was made by the customization department of Ferrari Tailor Made. All proceeds from the sale will be donated to the Ferrari Foundation’s educational programs
The car has a unique ‘Madreperla Semi-Gloss’ finish. Although the paint appears white, the paint contains a pigment that creates iridescent reflections and changes color like a chameleon
Inside, more exclusive touches can be found, including bespoke ‘Le Mans metallic leather in Perla’, a unique material developed for Ferrari’s Tailor Made program and derived from carefully selected Swiss hides.
“The characteristic softness and reflective properties contribute to the distribution of light throughout the interior, enhancing the sense of space and refinement,” says RM Sotheby’s.
The material is combined with a mid-gray shade of ‘Grigio Corvara’ which, according to Ferrari, ‘evokes the winter colors and tones of the Alps’.
The theme extends to the white wheels, brake calipers and Ferrari badges, which are set against an optically white background.
This is contrasted with a piano black roof, side sills, front splitter and grille, and the rear diffuser and light cluster housing.
The largely white-on-white specification of this one-off Luce is, whether intentionally or not, a fitting nod to the original Apple smartphone designed by Ive.
The car is largely white and black inside and out. Whether intentional or not, it’s a fitting nod to the original Apple iPhone, designed by Sir Jonny Ive, who also wrote the Luce.
Inside, it features ‘Le Mans metallic leather in Perla’, a unique material developed for Ferrari’s Tailor Made program and derived from carefully selected Swiss hides
Ahead of Saturday’s auction, RM Sotheby’s said Lot 345 represented an “unbeatable opportunity” to own the first production example of the Luce.
The sale price surpassed the previous record for the highest amount paid at auction for a new car with zero mileage. That honor went to another Ferrari Tailor Made model, a Daytona SP3 sold last year that raised $26 million for the automaker’s educational initiatives.
The highest price paid for a new car sold at auction that was not for charity was also achieved in 2025, when the first of five handcrafted Gordon Murray Automotive S1 LM supercars was sold via RM Sotheby’s in Las Vegas for $20,630,000 (£15.7 million).
The current record for the highest price paid at auction was an extremely rare 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupé. sold for $142 million in 2022.
The Sir Jony Ive-designed model has divided opinion, not least because it is a four-door, five-seat electric sedan – a dramatic departure from the low-slung, sharp-edged supercars Ferrari is known for.
Despite the backlash against Luce, Ferrari says it has already won enough orders to meet this year’s production target. This is just under 500 worldwide sales
Ferrari has already sold its 2025 Luce allocation
The backlash against the £500,000 Luce, which was unveiled on May 25, was seismic and drew comparisons to the outrage that Jaguar’s rebrand in 2024.
The model designed by Sir Jony Ive does have that divided opinionsnot least because the four-door electric sedan represents a dramatic departure from the low-slung, sharp-edged supercars Ferrari is known for.
Even the company’s former chairman publicly criticized the car within hours of its unveiling.
Luca di Montezemolo, chairman of Ferrari between 1991 and 2014, told Italian media: “If I had to say what I really think, I would hurt Ferrari. This is certainly a car that the Chinese will certainly not copy from us.’
But despite the ridicule that followed his debut, along with the the subsequent departure of Ferrari’s long-serving marketing chiefthe company says it has already secured enough orders to meet this year’s production target.
This figure is believed to be just under 500 cars worldwide.
Presenting Ferrari’s second-quarter results at the end of July, CEO Benedetto Vigna said the company was “very satisfied with the progress of orders.”
He said demand was “in line with our expectations”, with reports suggesting China has generated the highest number of pre-orders.
“Customers placing orders are both existing and new customers, and this is also in line with our expectations,” he told reporters, adding that the Luce had not changed Ferrari’s long-term EV strategy.
“When customers see the car, they are very excited and happy,” Vigna said, dismissing suggestions. Ferrari resorted to aggressive marketing tactics or pressured loyal customers to place orders.
“It’s a product they should buy if they love it, if they are genuinely interested in it,” he added.
The Luce produces 1,000 hp and can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h in just 2.5 seconds thanks to four electric motors, one of which drives each wheel.
The top speed is 313 km/h.
Ferrari says the model can travel more than 529 miles on a full charge, while the retro-inspired interior, heavily influenced by Ive, is likely to define the cabins of future models.
The company also says that all major components are produced in-house, allowing it to support and repair the vehicle well into the future while helping to protect residual values.
According to previous Daily Mail reports, the Pope enjoyed the world’s first test drive after being given exclusive early access to Ferrari’s first EV ahead of its official unveiling.
