As Ferrari revealed its first electric car to the public over the last few months, it first drew immense praise for the inventive interiors with a focus on physical controls.

The exterior design, however, was received with the enthusiasm of a root canal.

It was a major design misfire from a brand known for sexy freedom machines that look like they're going fast even while stood still. The Luce looks like an all-too-practical commuter that has no business making 1,035 hp and 730 lb.ft (990 Nm) of torque, and accelerating from 0-60 mph (0-97 km/h) in 2.5 seconds.

As it turns out, its polarizing design hasn't put absolutely every potential buyer off. In fact, someone liked it so much they paid the price of 62 Luces for a single example.

At this year's Monterey Car Week in California, an auction run by Sotheby's saw Ferrari sell off the very first production unit of the Luce for US$40 million.

Identified as Chassis 0, this one was put together with bespoke appointments through Ferrari's Tailor Made program.

That includes a custom off-white Madreperla Semi-Gloss pigment, and the use of Perla – a leather material derived from select Swiss hides exclusive to the Tailor Made program – in a light Le Mans metallic shade. You'll also notice white wheels and brake calipers, and the Ferrari logo set against an optical white background on the rims.

Okay, so it's a bit of a one-off, it's the first one off the assembly line, it's the company's first EV, and the styling – whether or not you're into it – was led by Apple design legend Sir Jony Ive's agency. But does that still justify paying so much more than the usual $640,000 sticker price?

Billionaire Herbert Wertheim seemed to think so. The Florida-based optometrist and philanthropist, said to be worth between $5 billion and $7 billion, previously snapped up a Ferrari Daytona SP3 at last year's auction for $26 million.

While Chassis 0 was estimated by Sotheby's to be worth just over $1 million, all the proceeds are going to charity – specifically, The Ferrari Foundation.

That sounds like a noble venture, but Jalopnik notes it's mostly a self-serving move for the brand. Apparently, only a portion will be directed towards "supporting ongoing educational initiatives in the United States," while the Ferrari Foundation will donate the rest to the car company's training center for technicians.

If all that wasn't bonkers enough, it turns out the Luce wasn't the most expensive lot at the auction. That honor goes to a 1964 Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe – one of six that were ever made for the race track. At just under $43 million, it's also the most expensive American car ever auctioned off.

The Luce did, however, beat out a number of arguably more desirable machines, including a 1996 McLaren F1 GTR, a 2025 Bugatti W16 Mistral, a 2024 Pagani Huayra Roadster ‘Executor’, and a 1968 Lamborghini Miura P400 S. Different strokes for different folks, eh?

Source: Sotheby's