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Revealed: The Billionaire Who Bought Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” For $40 Million

By Charles Bradley –  August 16, 2026

Revealed: The Billionaire Who Bought Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” For $40 Million

The self-made American billionaire who bought a Ferrari Daytona SP3 ‘Tailor Made’ for $26 million last year is the same investing legend who purchased Ferrari Luce’s Chassis 0 at RM Sotheby's Monterey Auction for $40 million on Saturday night, immediately making it the most expensive contemporary car ever auctioned. Herbert ‘Herbie’ Wertheim, whose life story reads like an American epic, won the auction for the first production example of Maranello's first electric grand tourer. Known to friends as “Dr. Herbie,” Wertheim – who always wears a bright-red fedora – is an optometrist, inventor, and investing legend estimated to be worth up to $5 billion, depending on his charitable donations. Renowned for making shrewd investments and his generous philanthropy, his record-breaking bid will go to the Ferrari Foundation, funding education and rebuilding projects. The Luce carries a base price of roughly $640,000. Chassis 0 is the first production unit off the line, distinguished by a dedicated plaque identifying its position in the production run. It was offered as lot 345, without reserve, and RM Sotheby's waived the buyer's premium on the lot. Every dollar of the sale benefited the Ferrari Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity that supports educational initiatives. The car carries a set of Tailor-Made specifications developed through Ferrari's design studio. The exterior is finished in a Madreperla semi-gloss paint mixed specifically for this car, with an iridescent effect that shifts from green to violet depending on the light. The interior uses Le Mans metallic leather in Perla with Grigio Corvara secondary trim, paired with dedicated wheels and bespoke brake calipers. The Ferrari badge is set against an optical white background. The Luce has been Ferrari's most debated launch in years since it broke cover as the brand's first EV, and this sale is the first major public price signal tied to the model. The result is roughly 36 times the pre-sale estimate. Delivery is scheduled for the first quarter of 2027, after the car returns to Maranello, Italy. Wertheim made the headlines at Car Week last year, when he paid $26 million for the Daytona SP3. Part of Ferrari’s exclusive Icona Series, the SP3 was limited to 599 examples worldwide, but this one-off ‘Tailor Made’ commission stunned the automotive world – chassis ‘599+1,’ finished in a striking two-tone carbon-fiber and Giallo Modena livery. Who is “Dr. Herbie” Wertheim? Born in Philadelphia at the end of the Great Depression, Wertheim ran away from home as a teenager, working odd jobs like picking oranges in Florida and even living with Seminole Indians in the Everglades. At 16, he stood before a judge on truancy charges and was given a choice: State reformatory or military service. He chose the U.S. Navy at 17, a decision that reshaped his life. While serving in naval aviation during the Cold War, Wertheim began investing. His first stock purchase, Lear Jet, came from his Navy stipend, and he went on to meet aviation pioneer Bill Lear in person. That early exposure to technology and industry ignited a lifelong passion. After the Navy, Wertheim studied physics and chemistry, worked as a NASA engineer at Cape Canaveral, and eventually earned a scholarship to study optometry. In 1969, he invented an eyeglass tint for plastic lenses that filtered harmful UV rays, helping prevent cataracts. By 1970, he founded Brain Power Inc. (BPI), which went on to hold more than 100 patents and copyrights in optical technology. A Billionaire Who Played the Long Game Unlike Silicon Valley moguls or Wall Street icons, Wertheim’s fortune didn’t come from a single IPO windfall. Instead, he built it patiently through decades of disciplined investing. He bought and held shares of companies like Apple, Microsoft, GE, Google, BP, and Bank of America long before they became household names, according to Forbes. His single greatest investment remains Heico, an aerospace parts manufacturer. Wertheim purchased a stake in 1992, worth about $5 million at the time. Today, his position exceeds $800 million, making him Heico’s largest individual shareholder. A Life of Luxury, Purpose, and Giving Wertheim’s portfolio afforded him an enviable lifestyle, and he has been described as one of the most successful individual investors of his generation. Yet his wealth is balanced by philanthropy. Having donated more than $100 million to Florida’s public universities, Wertheim also signed Bill Gates and Warren Buffett’s ‘Giving Pledge’, committing to donate at least half his fortune – most of it toward education. Like his stock portfolio, the Ferrari is built on the principle that some creations – whether a transformative technology or a bespoke supercar – transcend market cycles. For collectors, it is yet another reminder that at Monterey Car Week, history isn’t just celebrated – it’s bought and can be driven. View All Ferraris for Sale Images by duPont REGISTRY, Ferrari S.P.A

First Production Ferrari Luce To Be Auctioned For Charity By RM Sotheby’s

By Tyler Rampersaud –  July 10, 2026

RM Sotheby’s To Auction The First Ferrari Luce For Charity

Ferrari recently opened a new chapter in its long history by introducing the Luce, its first all-electric car. The Luce defies several Ferrari conventions with its four-door, five-seat layout, and, of course, its all-electric powertrain, which boasts over 1,000 horsepower. Its design comes from LoveFrom’s duo of Sir Jony Ive and Marc Newson, and as a result, the new Luce features a unique, minimalist aesthetic in its interior, while also boasting the lowest drag coefficient of any roadgoing Ferrari yet. A major first in Ferrari history, the Luce is certain to be remembered as an important milestone in the legacy of the manufacturer, and the first production example, called “Chassis 0” is set to be auctioned during Monterey Car Week for charity by RM Sotheby’s. The first Luce Chassis, “Chassis 0” was customized by Ferrari’s Tailor Made program with a configuration that references the namesake of the car, light. The body of the car is finished in Madreperla Semi-Gloss, with a special pigment that emits a mother-of-pearl-like iridescence. Dedicated wheels complement the exterior color, with bespoke brake calipers enhancing the configuration, as well. The interior, meanwhile, features Le Mans metallic leather in Perla, which was developed specifically for the car, paired with secondary elements in Grigio Corvara. The dashboard features the Ferrari Luce logo on an optic white background, completing the captivatingly unique configuration. <- Gallery -> The funds raised from the auction sale of the Ferrari Luce “Chassis 0” will benefit global educational initiatives, aligning with the Luce’s dedication towards innovation and futurism. Through The Ferrari Foundation, which is a 501(c) (3) public charity, proceeds will benefit educational projects in the United States, and proceeds will also be donated to M-TECH Alfredo Ferrari. Opening in 2029 in Maranello, M-TECH Alfredo Ferrari is an educational hub that will train talent from across the globe, contributing to progress in automotive technology. An iconic, groundbreaking Ferrari and the beginning of a new era, the first production Ferrari Luce’s RM Sotheby’s auction at Monterey Car Week is set to be an exciting sale, with good causes set to benefit from it. View All RM Sotheby's Inventory Image Source: RM Sotheby's

Ferrari Luce Breaks Cover As Maranello's First EV

By Khris Bharath –  May 25, 2026

Ferrari Luce Breaks Cover As Maranello's First EV

Ferrari was founded in 1947 as a company built around racing, with Enzo Ferrari producing road cars largely because motorsport demanded it. On May 25 of that same founding year, driver Franco Cortese guided the Ferrari 125 S to the marque’s first-ever race victory at the Gran Premio di Roma, marking the beginning of what would become one of the most celebrated names in automotive history. Nearly eight decades later, Ferrari returned to Rome on the very same date to unveil the Ferrari Luce, its first fully electric production car and arguably the most consequential new model to emerge from Maranello in decades. The Luce, which translates to “Light” in Italian, is the result of a creative partnership first announced in September 2021 between Ferrari and LoveFrom, the design collective led by former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive and industrial designer Marc Newson. Ive, whose work helped define products such as the original Apple iMac G3, the iPhone, and the iPad, played a central role in shaping the Luce’s clean-sheet design philosophy, tactile interior controls, and its unconventional approach to what an electric Ferrari should look and feel like. "With Ferrari Luce, we are once again redefining the limits of what is possible. Today, we are not simply unveiling a new car, we are inaugurating a chapter that turns our vision into reality, strengthening Ferrari’s tradition of anticipating and shaping the future. Such a leap forward in product innovation could only have been achieved through process innovation; this is why we chose to embark on new collaborations, such as the one with LoveFrom for the design. And, as always, our research and engineering excellence have been placed at the service of driving emotions, without compromise. Rome, the symbolic location of our first victory, becomes the starting point for a Ferrari that lights up the future and opens new horizons". -  John Elkann, President of Ferrari. This reveal completes a three-stage rollout that began last year.  The launch, held at Rome’s Vela di Calatrava, follows nearly five years of development and months of carefully staged previews that included teasers and continued with the interior debut in San Francisco in February.  For Ferrari, the Luce represents more than a powertrain shift. It is an attempt to redefine what a Ferrari can be without abandoning the brand’s core identity around emotion, driver engagement, and performance. Now the final product has arrived with figures that place it directly among the world’s fastest EVs. The technical base was first previewed last October at Capital Markets Day, where Ferrari first broke cover on the platform it initially called the Elettrica. In production guise, the Luce produces 1,050 cv or 1,036 horsepower, through four independently controlled electric motors, one at each wheel, while there’s also the ability to make it rear-wheel drive only. Ferrari claims a 0-62 mph time of 2.5 seconds and a top speed exceeding 193 mph. A structural 122 kWh battery pack delivers more than 329 miles of range under European testing, and the 800V platform supports 350 kW charging. Ferrari says the platform was developed entirely in-house at Maranello, including the motors, battery system, inverters, and software architecture. The company confirmed the project generated more than 60 patents, with technologies influenced by programs such as the Le Mans-winning 499P endurance racer and Ferrari’s Hypersail initiative. Despite weighing 4,982 pounds, Ferrari says its low-mounted battery and torque vectoring system allow the car to behave like something nearly 880 pounds lighter during rapid directional changes. A new centralized Vehicle Control Unit updates chassis and powertrain responses 200 times per second, coordinating steering, suspension, regenerative braking, and torque delivery simultaneously. The design itself looks unlike any Ferrari currently on sale and a complete departure from the prototypes that were seen in and around Maranello with a breadvan-style cladding, prior to launch. The car's silhouette is dominated by a sweeping glass canopy extending beneath the beltline, paired with a floating aerodynamic front end that incorporates elements reminiscent of Ferrari's tradiitonal S-duct and rear wings that channel airflow around the body. Launch colors include Azzurro la Plata, Giallo Luce, Rosso Dino, Bianco Artico, and Rosso Fiammante. The rear makes Ferrari's most deliberate heritage statement: circular halo tail lights that Ferrari describes as a direct reference to the 360 Modena and 458 Italia. Wheels measure 23 inches at the front and 24 at the rear, the largest staggered diameter ever fitted to a series-production Ferrari. The optional turbine-style aerodynamic wheels, inspired by jet engine turbines according to Ferrari, help reduce drag by roughly five percent. The proportions also mark a major departure for the company.  Ferrari says the Luce achieves the lowest drag coefficient ever recorded for one of its road cars after more than 6,000 CFD simulations and hundreds of hours of wind tunnel testing. While the Ferrari Purosangue introduced Ferrari’s first four-door series-production model, the Luce became the first Ferrari ever engineered with five seats. The packaging advantages of the EV platform also allowed Ferrari to create nearly 21.2 of rear cargo space, more than the Purosangue, reinforcing the Luce’s positioning as a true long-distance grand tourer. <- Gallery -> Inside, Ferrari leaned heavily into tactile controls rather than chasing the screen-heavy layouts dominating the EV segment.  Ferrari Centro Stile, led by Flavio Manzoni, worked alongside LoveFrom for years, studying Ferrari heritage and Formula 1 controls to push back against the industry's drift toward screen-first cabins, arriving at a retro-futuristic aesthetic that holds analog and digital in deliberate balance. The three-spoke steering wheel uses machined aluminum switches, magnetic paddles, and physical controls inspired by classic Ferraris and Formula 1 cars. The Luce also reimagines Ferrari’s iconic Manettino and paddle shifters for the electric era, allowing drivers to actively control torque delivery and regenerative braking through tactile steering wheel inputs.  OLED displays developed with Samsung Display sit alongside analog-inspired instrumentation and a movable center control panel.  One of the project’s most unusual elements involves sound, which, rather than generating artificial engine audio, Ferrari developed a patented system that amplifies vibrations created naturally by the electric driveline itself. Sensors mounted to the axle housing capture real mechanical frequencies, which are then processed and projected inside and outside the car depending on drive mode and driver input. "We are convinced that a company demonstrates its leadership when it has the courage to dare and to take on the challenge of new technologies. Ferrari Luce was born precisely from this challenge, offering our unprecedented vision of electrification. Never before have we offered our clients such freedom of choice. In line with our belief in technological neutrality, we are the first in the world to combine fully electric, hybrid and combustion engine architectures for sports cars. We have not limited ourselves to innovation in powertrains; with Luce, we have launched a whole new segment in our range. This model is the result of more than 60 of our new patents and lies at the heart of an ecosystem of collaborations with outstanding technology partners. We have created a car that combines unique driving emotions with extraordinary performance, driving pleasure, and comfort for the Ferraristi of today and tomorrow". - Benedetto Vigna, CEO of Ferrari. Ferrari has also moved quickly to reassure longtime enthusiasts that the Luce does not signal the end of the brand’s combustion era. Company targets still call for gas-powered models to account for 40% of production by 2030, alongside 40% hybrids and 20% fully electric vehicles, while Ferrari has made clear that ownership of a Luce will not be tied to future access to limited-production cars. For now, the V12 remains very much part of Maranello’s future plans. European pricing is expected to begin at around €550,000, or roughly $640,000 before options and local taxes, according to Reuters, placing the Luce near the very top of Ferrari’s regular production lineup. Deliveries are expected to begin in the fourth quarter of 2026, while Ferrari has already launched the online configurator for the Luce through its official channels. For a company built on V12 engines, gated manuals, Formula 1 heritage, and decades of combustion-driven emotion, the Luce may prove to be Ferrari’s boldest production car since the Ferrari F40 reshaped the supercar formula nearly four decades ago. View All Ferraris For Sale Images: Ferrari

Ferrari Luce Episode 2 Reveals Key Details About The Design Process

By Khris Bharath –  March 04, 2026

Ferrari Luce Episode 2 Reveals Key Details About The Design Process

Last month, Ferrari gave us a sneak peek at its upcoming all-electric model, the Ferrari Luce. For an automaker with a legacy and heritage built around sound and sensation of the internal combustion engine, this moment marks one of the most consequential shifts in the Italian marque’s history. Ferrari’s new documentary series Ferrari Luce: The Inside Story offers a closer look at how that transition began, with episode two focusing on design and revealing the thinking behind a project that has quietly evolved over several years inside Ferrari’s headquarters in Maranello. The episode brings together Ferrari Chairman John Elkann, Vice Chairman, Chief Design Officer Flavio Manzoni, and CEO Benedetto Vigna, who appear alongside Marc Newson and Jony Ive of the creative collective LoveFrom.  Ive, best known for his work shaping Apple’s modern design language, first partnered with Ferrari in September 2021 when the company announced a broader collaboration between the two organizations. Piero Ferrari, son of the company’s founder Enzo Ferrari, also played an influential role. Small teams from Ferrari Centro Stile and LoveFrom spent nearly five years working across Maranello, San Francisco, and London. Designers embraced themselves within Ferrari’s engineering culture while maintaining a steady exchange of ideas across continents, in an effort to learn from Ferrari’s heritage while preparing the brand for an electric future. The steering wheel became an early focal point. Designers studied traditional Ferrari wheels alongside Formula 1 controls, exploring how familiar elements could coexist with modern technology. At the same time, the team challenged a growing industry trend toward increasingly digital interiors. Jony Ive said. “I think there’s this bizarre thought that if the power source is electric, the interface should be digital. That makes no sense to me.”  Coming off a strong Q4 and FY 2025, Ferrari aims to continue that momentum with its diverse portfolio and upcoming models, including the Amalfi Spider and the all-electric Luce, which is set to be built at Ferrari’s new $200 million+ state-of-the-art facility north of Maranello, and slated for launch in May this year.  View All Ferraris For Sale Images: Ferrari

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