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🇧🇪 Belgium /Economy & Trade

First electric Ferrari Luce sells for record $40 million at auction

From VRT NWS · () Dutch

Translated from Dutch, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified Outcome reported
  • The first Ferrari Luce electric car, chassis number '000', sold at auction in the U.S. for $40 million, a record for a new car.
  • Despite initial criticism for its design, the electric Ferrari Luce is now sold out for the current and next year, with strong interest from China.
  • Ferrari will donate the full auction proceeds to educational projects through The Ferrari Foundation, while some critics question the intentional scarcity of the model.

The first-ever electric Ferrari, the Luce, has achieved a record-breaking sale, fetching $40 million for its debut model at an RM Sotheby's auction in Monterey, California. This specific car, bearing chassis number '000', is the very first electric Ferrari to roll off the production line in Maranello.

Equipped with exclusive features like a unique exterior paint, a matching white leather interior, and custom white rims with bespoke brake pads, the 'Taylor Made' Luce commanded a price that surpassed the previous record of $26 million set by a personalized Daytona SP3 last year. The identity of the buyer remains undisclosed.

Despite facing significant criticism upon its May unveiling, particularly regarding its design which some compared unfavorably to models like the Nissan Leaf or Tesla Model Y, the Luce has proven to be a commercial success. Ferrari announced that the model is completely sold out for both this year and next, with notable demand originating from China.

Ferrari plans to donate the entire auction revenue to support educational initiatives via The Ferrari Foundation. However, the model's success has drawn scrutiny from some critics who suggest Ferrari may be intentionally limiting production to 500 units annually to create an artificial sense of scarcity and desirability, thereby avoiding a potential market flop.

DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by VRT NWS in Dutch. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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