This LaFerrari prototype in red, white, and black might end up selling for half a million dollars. If it doesn't sound like much, guess again. Whoever will take it home won't be able to drive it. The car is being auctioned off by Supercar Blondie's dealership in Dubai and can't even come near a public road.
Roll at high speed along the Californian coast with the window down in a red Ferrari. It sounds like a dream, doesn't it? Well, you'll have to scrap that. You can't take this car to the road because it is not street legal. You can't even take it to the track and have the time of your life in it. Unless you can settle for a 30 mph (48 kph) speed limit. Yes, you read that right.
Or you can display it during specific events and have everyone envy/admire/pity you. Why pity? Because you would then have a Ferrari but would not be able to drive it. Uness you think that a couple of hours going in circles at low speed, again and again, is worth half a million dollars.
The Italians internally called this vehicle the "F150 Prototipo Preserve PS1." This LaFerrari prototype came into the world as a third and final phase factory prototype. Everything about it (except for that color combo, of course) is identical to the production car. The car is painted in Rosso Corsa (red), Matte Black, and white, a trio that you don't regularly see on a production Ferrari.
The cabin continues the exterior theme, sporting a very interesting theme. There are seats in red leather with contrasting black piping, while the dashboard is wrapped in black Alcantara and carbon fiber. The 2014 prototype currently has 10,198 miles (16,412 kilometers) covered, all during testing.
The speed of the LaFerrari is limited. Very limited
The model is powered by a 6.3-liter Type F140FE V12 engine with prototype components and two electric motors, developed in partnership with Magneti Marelli. One powers the rear wheels, while the other engages the ancillaries.
Photo: SBX Cars
The naturally aspirated V12, equipped with Formula 1-derived variable intakes and adaptive oil pump measuring G-forces, churns out 789 horsepower (800 metric horsepower) and 516 pound-feet (700 Newton meters) of torque.
Meanwhile, the HY-KERS adds 161 horsepower (163 metric horsepower) for a total of 950 horsepower (963 metric horsepower) and 664 pound-feet (900 Newton meters) of torque. Power is sent to the rear wheels through a seven-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
The engine redlines at 9,250 rpm and makes the production vehicle run from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 97 kph) in just 2.9 seconds, hit 124 mph (200 kph) in 6.9 seconds, 186 mph (300 kph) in 16 seconds, even though those that tested the model claimed that Ferrari overpromised and underdelivered.
Going from 0 to 186 mph would take 21.6 seconds, which is way slower than what the Italian house claimed. It also claims that the top speed is 218 mph (352 kph). However, all those figures are dust in the wind for whoever buys this prototype. The fastest it can do is 30 mph.
Photo: SBX Cars
The LaFerrari pre-series production version rides on 29-inch wheels at the front and 20-inch units at the rear, with Pirelli P-Zero extreme-performance tires.
The prototype is accredited with Ferrari Classiche Certification and is being sold on a bill of sale. Since it is not road-legal, it can'' be registered for use on public roads.
Non-driveable, but still excluisve
The road-legal version, though, is a super-exclusive model. Ferrari only built 500 coupes between 2013 and 2016, and 210 Aperta convertible examples from 2016 to 2018. Ferrari kept the model for select customers.
But prototypes are even rarer, as Ferrari only built three units with this specification. Even fewer end up outside the company. Some are destroyed, others go on display in the brand's museum, or others are stored away and forgotten.
Photo: SBX Cars
The prototype, just like the stock car, is built around a carbon-fiber tub main structure. It sports a lower ride height and center of gravity than the Enzo that came before it and previewed the production model that was to battle the Porsche 918 and the McLaren P1.
And it did give them a run for their money as it was quick and extreme, and everything in between, like this prototype has never been. Because this is anything but quick. A whole decade after it was introduced, the LaFerrari is still tagged as one of the brand's most exciting and advanced models ever.
The prototype is being auctioned off by the dealership Alexandra Hirschi, aka Supercar Blondie, recently opened. With two days left to the end of the online auction, bidding has already reached $400,000. That is around half the price Ferrari sold the production version for.
The most expensive LaFerrari ever sold was $5,360,000. However, that one was driveable.
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