Rare Ferrari fetches the equivalent of AUD $40 million at US auction

Luxury car collectors are famous for paying outrageous prices for limited edition* cars – but this one sets a new standard.

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 tour* chariots*.

Limited to just 599 examples, the Ferrari SP3 was priced from $US2.2 million (AUD $3.38 million) 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 a statement Ferrari logo splashed across 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.

The unique car was a hit with serious Ferrari collectors, who entered a bidding war during California’s “car week” celebrations.

It sold for a staggering $US26 million (AUD $39.9 million), 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 … but it’s also a pretty sweet ride.

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GLOSSARY

• limited edition: refers to a special product or work of art, such as a book, which is only produced in very small numbers, often making it more expensive as a collector’s item
• grand tour: an expression that originally referred to travelling through the major cities of Europe, especially one undertaken by a rich or aristocratic Englishman to complete his education
• chariot: now a slang term for any car or other vehicle, as in the expression, “your chariot awaits”
• carbon fibre: a very strong, lightweight synthetic fibre used in protective clothing, spacecraft components, racing shells and so on
• livery: an identifying badge or design conveying brand, ownership or lineage
• octane: the magazine Octane is named for the chemical substance in gasoline
• obscene: vulgar, shocking, too much to witness

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QUICK QUIZ

1. How much was the minimum spend (in US and AUD) to buy a standard model Ferrari Daytona SP3?
2. What is splashed across the top of the one-of-a-kind version of the car?
3. How many limited edition Daytona SP3 Ferraris were made in total?
4. What was the record-breaking auction price in US and AUD?
5. What is the Ferrari Foundation and what does it do?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. The world’s cheapest car!
What’s the opposite of this story? Rewrite today’s story to make it about the world’s cheapest car. Don’t forget to include lots of details that show why it’s so cheap and why nobody wants to buy it.

Time: allow at least 30 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

2. Extension
Imagine that you have been one of the people who can buy this amazing car. Write a description of what it is like to take your first drive in your new Ferrari.

Time: allow at least 20 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English

VCOP ACTIVITY
Up-level the sentence
After reading the article, with a partner identify two basic sentences that you think you can make more engaging. Your job is to “uplevel” the sentences, making them more interesting, detailed, and engaging. Work with your partner to rewrite the sentence in a more sophisticated way.

Steps to consider to uplevel your sentences:
Add descriptive words:
Add words that describe the setting, atmosphere, or emotions.

For example, describe a “crowded stadium,” a “thrilling event,” or “an excited crowd.”

Add specific details:
Include key points from the article to make the sentence more informative.

For example, mention specific names, locations, or numbers if relevant.

Enhance vocabulary:
Swap out simple words for more precise or vivid vocabulary.

For instance, instead of “went,” try words like raced, hurried, or marched.

Create a complex sentence:
Add a second clause to expand the sentence, providing additional information or linking ideas.

Reorder the sentence:
Try opening the sentence with time, place, who, or a dependent clause.