Key Takeaways
- Third-phase Ferrari LaFerrari prototype at auction in Seattle; close to production spec.
- Third attempt to auction off vehicle; no success in the past.
- Not registered for road-legal use.
A Ferrari La Ferrari prototype known internally as the “F150 Prototipo Preserie PS1” has come up for auction in Seattle, Washington and the piece of Ferrari history will easily fetch 7 figures with a little under two days left. Listed on SBX Cars, this perhaps one-of-a-kind prototype is known as a third-phase prototype, meaning it’s very close to production spec, although it will never be eligible for road-legal certification (unless someone pays a king’s ransom for a conversion).
This actually appears to be the third time in the last three years there has been an attempt to auction off this exact vehicle. It originally appeared to be a part of a group of LaFerrari prototypes for auction at the 2022 Monterrey Car Week, but that listing for this car cannot be found. Then, last year, this vehicle officially went to auction for Monterrey Car Week 2023, and it didn’t manage to sell. This time around, it appears the seller is taking matters into their own hands with an individual auction hoping to reach a different outcome.
LaFerrari: An Icon
Over a decade on from the LaFerrari’s debut, the model is still as stunning technologically and aesthetically as it was the day the covers were pulled off of it at the Geneva Auto Show. The hypercar debuted with 950 horsepower courtesy of the very first hybrid system ever fitted to a Ferrari production vehicle, pulling technological advancements like the KERS system from the brand’s F1 team, and marrying it to the company’s iconic 6.3-liter V12.
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Built around a state-of-the-art and very expensive carbon fiber tub, the vehicle featured a lower ride height and center of gravity than the Ferrari Enzo, allowing it to rocket from 0-60 mph in just 2.5 seconds on the way to 217 mph top speed. It was also the first Ferrari ever designed completely in-house without the help of an outside design studio like Pininfarina, setting the tone for the rest of the Ferrari models of the 2010, like the modern-day SF90 Stradale.
LaFerrai Prototype: An Expensive Museum Piece
As it was such a trailblazing vehicle, the work that went into perfecting it took years, with quite a few prototypes created along the way to iron out the defects. As this vehicle is a Third-Phase model, it’s about as close to production-ready as it can be, featuring the same bodywork and powertrain, and most of the same luxury features as the production models, barring a few tidbits here and there.
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As it was a testing mule, it also features more miles than any LaFerrari you’ve ever seen at 10,198 miles. This means the interior and exterior are far from picture perfect, showing some worn surfaces that show it’s lived a good life. You also have to appreciate its interesting paint scheme, which provides evidence of its unfinished nature. It almost looks like a LaFerrari that’s wearing a pretty cool livery as opposed to a reproduction version, especially thanks to the Pirelli stickers.
One would then hope that even if you can’t drive it on the street, you can at least take it to the track, and unfortunately, that’s basically a no-go too, because the vehicle is limited to a mere 30 mph. As it sits now, it’s really not much more than a museum piece, and if it’s worth seven figures to you, you still have time to bid on it for at least another day, as the current bid sits at $980,000.
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