Just months after its unconventional design sparked a wave of criticism, Ferrari’s first electric vehicle has made headlines for an entirely different reason. A one-off Luce has sold for an astonishing US$40 million (C$55.45M), setting a new record for the most expensive new car ever sold at auction.
The 2026 Ferrari Luce “Tailor Made” crossed the block at RM Sotheby’s Monterey auction during Monterey Car Week, with the winning bid far exceeding the electric Ferrari’s already eye-watering starting price of around US$640,000.
Sold: $40,000,000 USD
— RM Sotheby's (@rmsothebys) August 16, 2026
The 2026 Ferrari Luce ‘Tailor Made’ has sold at our Monterey auction.
Ferrari will donate all proceeds of this charity auction to benefit future educational initiatives through The Ferrari Foundation, a recognized 501(c)(3) public charity. #RMMonterey… pic.twitter.com/4FFMrc6HXO
Ferrari will not be pocketing the massive proceeds from the sale. Instead, the entire $40 million will be donated to The Ferrari Foundation, a registered public charity, where the money will be used to support future educational initiatives.
The sale also easily shattered the previous record for a new car sold at auction. That record was set just last year when another highly customized Ferrari, a Daytona SP3, sold for US$26 million. The Luce beat that figure by $14 million.
Of course, the charity aspect and exclusivity of the Tailor Made example mean the $40 million price shouldn’t be viewed as an indication of the Luce’s actual market value. However, it adds another surprising chapter to what has already been an eventful introduction for Ferrari’s first EV.
When Ferrari revealed the Luce in May, its unusual proportions immediately became one of the biggest talking points. Rather than resembling one of Ferrari’s traditional low-slung supercars, the four-door, four-seat EV features a rounded design developed in collaboration with LoveFrom, the design firm founded by former Apple design chief Jony Ive.
Despite the backlash, early demand has apparently been stronger than expected.
As we previously reported, Ferrari reportedly reached its entire 2026 Luce sales target within roughly two months of the vehicle’s unveiling. The automaker was reportedly targeting just under 500 sales for the year, with particularly strong interest coming from China and technology entrepreneurs in the United States.
The Luce starts at US$640,000 (~C$887,200) and produces 1,050 horsepower from four electric motors. It also features a 122 kWh battery, 350kW fast charging, and an expected EPA range of approximately 280 miles.
Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in Europe this October, followed by the United States in the second quarter of 2027.
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