- One-off Ferrari Daytona SP3 sold for NZ$44.7 million at auction, benefitting the Ferrari Foundation.
- Bespoke model features exposed carbon fibre and Giallo Modena livery.
- Powered by a 6.5-litre V12 producing 618kW, the Daytona SP3 goes from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.85 seconds.
A Ferrari Daytona SP3 has set a staggering new benchmark at Monterey Car Week, fetching an eye-watering US$26 million (around NZ$44.7 million) at RM Sotheby’s.
That makes it not only the most expensive new Ferrari ever sold at auction, but also the weekend’s overall top sale, by some margin.
Charity, carbon and a yellow streak
This wasn’t just any SP3. Ferrari built it as a one-off for the occasion, tacking a “599+1” badge onto the already sold-out run of 599 cars.
The Tailor Made department went all-out: exposed carbon-fibre bodywork, a bold Giallo Modena livery with the Ferrari script splashed across its flanks and an interior woven from fabric derived from recycled tyres. The dashboard and steering column even borrow carbon-fibre tech straight from Formula One.
The proceeds are headed to the Ferrari Foundation, a US-recognised charity that supports education projects. Recent work includes helping rebuild the Aveson Charter School in California after it was destroyed by wildfire.
What makes an SP3 special?
Launched in 2021 as part of Ferrari’s Icona series, the Daytona SP3 pays tribute to the mid-engined sports prototypes that earned Maranello its racing glory in the ’60s.
Beneath its retro-futurist body lies a 6.5-litre naturally aspirated V12, delivering 618kW and 697Nm, screaming all the way to 9500rpm. That translates to 0–100 km/h in 2.85 seconds, 0 to 200 in 7.4 and a top speed north of 340km/h. Its dry weight is just 1,485 kg, giving it the kind of power-to-weight ratio usually reserved for race cars.
Millionaire bargain bin
To put the sale in perspective: the SP3 originally launched at around US$2.25m (NZ$3.8 million), meaning this charity car went for more than 10 times the retail price.
The next priciest Monterey hammer fall was another Ferrari, an F40 LM, at just over US$11m (NZ$18.9m). In relative terms, that’s pocket change. Even the fabled 1961 Ferrari 250 California Spyder Competizione, which cleared US$25m (NZ$43m) at Gooding Christie's, had to settle for second place behind this yellow-and-carbon unicorn.
For one collector, eight figures secured a slice of Maranello history, plus bragging rights that might never be topped.
