Rare Ferrari fetches $40m at auction
In what might be the world's most expensive case of auto FOMO – the fear of missing out – a fabulously wealthy collector has spent a staggering sum on a Ferrari with a one-off paint job.
The Ferrari Daytona SP3 is a rare beast that combines the racing mid-engine layout of the brand's most agile supercars with the huge 6.5-litre V12 found in its more luxurious grand tourers.
Limited to just 599 examples, the Ferrari SP3 was priced from $US2.2 million ($3.38m) plus options and on-road costs. It was only offered to Ferrari's best customers – folks who might have bought a dozen cars from the brand.
A single additional car brought that sold-out production run up to 600 vehicles.
Finished in an eye-catching blend of yellow paint and exposed carbon fibre, it has an exclusive livery that includes Ferrari's logo writ large over the top of the car.
The brand sold the car through RM Auctions to raise money for The Ferrari Foundation, a charity which invests in education, and recently helped rebuild a Californian school lost to fire.
Monterey’s defining snapshot: $26,000,000 USD on the board for the 2025 Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made'. #RMMonterey #RMSothebys #Ferrari #DaytonaSP3 #MontereyCarWeek pic.twitter.com/NTvockz7K6
— RM Sotheby's (@rmsothebys) August 17, 2025
The unique car struck a chord with Ferrari collectors who entered a bidding war during California's 'car week' celebrations.
It sold for a staggering $US26m ($39.9m), or more than 10 times the standard car's original cost.
Ferrari designer Flavio Manzoni said he was ' speechless ', Octane magazine described the sum as ' frankly obscene ' and Road and Track confirmed it was the highest sum ever paid for a new Ferrari at auction.
It's certainly a high price to avoid missing out on a rare Ferrari.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Man of Many
8 hours ago
- Man of Many
$26 Million Ferrari Daytona SP3 Sets Record for Highest-Priced New Ferrari Ever Sold at Auction
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 20 Aug 2025 Share Copy Link 0 Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Sold for USD$26m, proceeds benefit The Ferrari Foundation Seven times the estimate, new Ferrari auction record Two-tone livery: Giallo Modena and exposed carbon, Ferrari logotype featured Powered by unchanged 6.5-litre V12, 829 HP, 0–100 in 2.85s Tailor Made interior uses recycled Q-Cycle fabric and F1-derived carbon Just 599 Ferrari Daytona SP3s were made at launch, but unbeknownst to anyone, the brand produced a very special 600th car as part of its Tailor-Made program. The one-of-one vehicle was auctioned off for charity in partnership with RM Sotheby's at Monterey Car Week 2025. What happened next was a bidding war that saw the realised price of this ultra-rare Ferrari reach seven times that of the pre-sale estimate, setting a new world record as the highest-priced ever paid for a new Ferrari at auction when the hammer sounded at USD$26 million (AUD$40 million). It's far behind the most expensive car ever sold at auction, a 1955 Mercedes-Benz 300 SLR Uhlenhaut Coupe that sold for €135 million. It's also half the price of the most expensive Ferrari ever sold at auction, a 1962 Ferrari 330 LM / 250 GTO by Scaglietti that sold for USD$51,705,000, but it's an insane price nonetheless. We're still a little unsure about the livery, which reminds us of the Off-White-inspired liveries we've seen on Hondas, but there's significance here that we can't avoid. It's the first road car from the marque to feature the iconic Ferrari logotype as an unprecedented livery, and you'll find it on the Giallo Modena coloured side of the two-tone exterior livery. The other side isn't painted, but exposed carbon fibre, because of course it is 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's This car's serial number, 599+1, adds just one model to the sold-out Icona Series, a capstone for a vehicle priced initially from $US2.2 million ($3.38m) plus options and on-road costs when new in 2021. Design-wise, the SP3 is based on the Sport Prototypes of the 1960s. Specifically, the Mauro Forghieri-designed Ferrari 330 P4, from which it takes its raised front guards and flat rear end. That particular model accounted for two of three vehicles that crossed the finish line together at the 1967 24 Hours of Daytona, joined by a Ferrari 412 P. Inside, the bespoke appointments from Ferrari Tailor Made complement the two-tone exposed carbon fibre and Giallo Modena livery alongside the plethora of carbon-composite elements on the front splitter, side skirts, and rear diffuser. You'll find Q-Cycle fabric upholstery made from recycled tires, yellow-coloured seatbelts, and the Prancing Horse motif stitched into each headrest. Finally, the instrument binnacle and steering column feature a checkered flag motif crafted from a specialised carbon fibre used by Scuderia Ferrari in Formula One. No changes have been made to the car hardware-wise, which means the naturally aspirated mid-mounted 6.5-litre V12 producing 829 HP and backed by a seven-speed dual-clutch transmission is still alive and well. It accomplishes the 0 to 100 km/h sprint in just 2.85 seconds, while 0-200 km/h arrives in 7.4 seconds. Importantly, this is without the assistance of hybrid technology. 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's No $26 million Ferrari purchase is without its fair share of goodies, and the 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' comes with a few great ones. First and foremost is a Maranello Clutch, which is not of the automotive variety but of the handbag type. It's inspired by Ferrari silhouettes and features an adjustable chain strap and a Giallo Modena Q-cycle ultra-suede lining, which is the same fabric used inside the car. The goodie bag also includes an official Ferrari window sticker, an owner's manual and warranty book, a tool kit, a battery conditioner, and a cover kit. While many cars sold at Monterey Car Week will end up in a billionaire's collection, it's reassuring to know that Ferrari has donated this additional SP3 for charity. All proceeds will benefit The Ferrari Foundation, a 501(c)(3) public charity, for future educational initiatives. 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's 2025 Ferrari Daytona SP3 'Tailor Made' | Image: Supplied / RM Sotheby's
News.com.au
17 hours ago
- News.com.au
Oscar Piastri fears mount as McLaren rivalry with teammate Lando Norris set to ‘boil over'
Former F1 driver David Coulthard has warned McLaren that the battle between Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris for the drivers' championship is about to 'boil over' as tensions between the pair reach an all-time high. Piastri leads Norris by nine points at the championship break, in what has quickly become a two-horse race between the McLaren duo, who have won 11 of the 14 grands prix races so far. Fox Sports, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every practice, qualifying session and race in the 2025 FIA Formula One World Championship™ LIVE in 4K. New to Kayo? Join now and get your first month for just $1. However, Piastri's British teammate has won three out of the past four races. The latest of which was at the Hungarian Grand Prix, where the Aussie was the victim of his McLaren team's strategy gamble that all but won the race for Norris, which saw tensions bubble over. McLaren has done a great job in keeping the relationship between Piastri and Norris amicable, but that may not be possible in the second half of the season, something that became abundantly clear at Hungaroring. As Piastri was preparing for his final stop at the Hungarian GP, he was asked by race engineer Tom Stallard if he intended to extinguish any glimmer of hope Leclerc had of winning the race, or was instead focused on beating his teammate. Piastri's blunt response was incredibly telling: 'I don't really care about Leclerc. I just want the best chance to try and beat Lando.' In the end, he didn't manage to reel in his teammate, and the Aussie was visibly frustrated by the team's tactics. And Coulhard says with the pair feeling more like arch rivals than teammates, tensions could 'boil over' and fast. '(Teammates) …. it's a misnomer. He's not your mate. He's your biggest rival,' Coulthard said on the Indo Sport podcast. 'He is the person that whose success is his failure and vice versa. And you take pleasure in their failure. It's as simple as that because it leads and builds. ' … It's a very volatile relationship to manage, and it's one of the most difficult roles for the team principal, whether it was Ron Dennis for Alain Prost and (Ayrton) Senna, Nigel Mansell and Nelson Piquet under Frank Williams, Nico Rosberg and Lewis Hamilton at Mercedes. 'These are difficult situations that inevitably we will see boil over at McLaren, as with Lando and Oscar. We've seen little signs of it. 'One of those guys will be world champion this year, and it might be the only chance they get. Next year's McLaren might not be any good. 'It's a completely different sport next year. It's still called Formula 1, but this could be their one chance.' But the rising tensions aren't news to McLaren, with the team set to speak to both men before the second half of the season gets underway on August 31. Speaking to The Race last week, McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown said the team will work out a plan on how to handle the losing driver when the championship is ultimately decided. 'We'll just sit down and actually have a conversation and go 'Right, one of you is going to win, it's going to be the best day of your life – one of you is going to lose, how do you want us to handle that? You want us to jump up and down and celebrate this guy [who] won?' he said. 'We're fully aware and sensitive to how you celebrate that situation. And I think we'll just sit down with the drivers and come to an agreement: 'One of you is not going to be the champion. How do you want us to act?' 'That's the way we think. It comes back to thinking about our people.' But McLaren insists they will give both drivers an equal opportunity to take their first title and will give them freedom to race wheel-to-wheel and employ different strategies. 'It's going to come down to execution,' said Brown, speaking about which driver will come out on top.
News.com.au
20 hours ago
- News.com.au
2026 Mercedes-Benz CLA review
Normally it's the job of the flagship S-Class limo to usher in Benz's latest and greatest tech. Said gadgets, gizmos and techno wizardry then filter down slowly over the next few years to more affordable Mercedes models that more Australians buy. But in the super-fast-paced world of EVs, the old tradition of democratising technology has been thrown out the window. The change begins with new the Mercedes CLA. Despite supposedly being the cheapest, most affordable sedan, it's now the German car giant's most advanced car yet. Breaking with tradition again, Benz has abandoned doing a dedicated EV version. Instead, the battery-electric and mild-hybrid both arrive in the same swoopy four-door body style, with rakish CLA Shooting Brake arriving later, along with the petrol-electric power. Based on an advanced new MMA platform, the fresh underpinnings finally introduce Benz's powerful 800-volt electrics that allow charging rate of more than 320kW – well beyond its current EQS limo and SUV. If you can find a powerful 350kW DC charger, just ten minutes after plugging the new CLA in you will have added a remarkable 325km of range, with a 10-80 per cent top-up taking just 22 minutes, not that you'll have to charge the small sedan much. Thanks to its streamlined body, special low rolling resistance tyres, brake-by-wire tech that can claw back as much as 200kW of energy and a new two-speed transmission for the rear motor the new CLA 250+ can cover an incredible 792km on a single charge. Not bad for a car with 200kW that can launch from 0-100km/h in 6.7 seconds. Engineers say if you buy a CLA, you banish so-called range anxiety to the history books. All the more remarkable is the efficiency translates into the real world and even if you drive the baby Benz sedan without any concessions to how many electrons you're burning through, it will still drive further than any other EV you care to mention. As the power gauge dropped to 70 per cent, even with my lead-filled clogs, I still had more than 500km to cover – and the good thing about the CLA is it's no chore to drive over long distances. There's zero sound from the powertrain, while road and tyre noise are almost non-existent, aside from some wind rush, it almost feels S-Class-like in the way it covers ground, although it misses out on a limo's cushiony air springs. Behind the wheel it's hard not to love the look and feel of the CLA cabin. We love the MBUX Superscreen that combines a 10.25-inch instrument cluster and up to two 14-inch touchscreens behind one expansive piece of glass. The open pore wood and metallic finishes also impress and could fool you into thinking you're driving a bigger car. Space, unfortunately, remains at a premium and despite being larger in every dimension headroom in the second row remains limited, while the rear boot is smaller than the old car's – but luckily a 101L frunk saves the day. While a decent cruiser, what the CLA isn't is a sports sedan, even with the 260kW all-wheel drive CLA 350 4MATIC at your disposal, as it weighs 2135kg it's simply too heavy and unwieldy. Set to rock up Down Under in the second half of 2026, the new CLA is expected to hover between $85,000-$90,000 for the very cheapest rear-drive version, which isn't that affordable for a small sedan but even at half the money many Australians would probably still ignore the swoopy four-door. Instead, we think most buyers will wait a little longer and be happier to pay more for the less efficient, worse-driving, heavier GLC because it will be a higher-riding SUV.
