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This Ferrari Engine Alone Is Being Sold for as Much as a Brand New Supercar

A Ferrari engine is being auctioned off for roughly the same price as a brand-new supercar, or two. But this isn't just any engine we're talking about; it's one that powers the eardrum-shattering Ferrari FXX – the first of its kind to be sold in this good a shape.
Ferrari FXX lineup close-up 10 photos
Photo: Ferrari
Ferrari F140 Tipo DA crate engineFerrari F140 Tipo DA crate engineFerrari F140 Tipo DA crate engineFerrari F140 Tipo DA crate engineFerrari FXX promo displayFerrari FXX promo displayFerrari FXX promo displayFerrari FXX promo displayFerrari FXX promo display
Ferraris are known for many things, such as steep price tags and screaming 12-cylinder engines. The Ferrari FXX has both of these qualities in spades. Built as a track-focused supercar based on the Ferrari Enzo, the FXX is not your typical Prancing Horse model. For a brand known to have exceptionally high standards for all its products, the FXX can still stand out from the stable simply due to the sheer exclusivity it represents.

It's a car that Ferrari doesn't sell to anyone but its most loyal and qualified customers, and if you happened to be one, you still had to pay north of $2 million. Despite the FXX's jaw-dropping cost, owners won't be able to flaunt it at their nearest Cars and Coffee, as Ferrari only intended them for use on specific pro race tracks, not public streets. Owning the FXX comes with its own set of rules, where one has to set up a specialized track day or even travel to other places just to drive it. Owners didn't get typical creature comforts like stereos or bigger headlights either. Of course, the burdens of owning one don't really matter once drivers hear the sound of that FXX engine, which is sublime enough on its own.

Ferrari FXX Engine = Music to any petrolhead's ears

Ferrari F140 Tipo DA crate engine
Photo: Sotheby's
The FXX's 6.3-liter Tipo F140 DA V12 engine is not only capable of producing 789 horsepower (800 ps), but it also emanates a screeching symphony that's as deafening as it is awe-inspiring. Unfortunately, with only 30 FXX examples made, only a few will ever get to experience first-hand the visceral spectacle its engine has to offer. After all, not everyone can secure a spot at Ferrari's extremely limited-membership Corse Clienti program – a prerequisite for buying these types of illustrious models in the first place.

However, if you're interested in owning at least a piece of this prestigious Ferrari – the very source of its melodious whining, no less – then you're in luck as a crate engine is being auctioned off at Sotheby's. This particular FXX engine listing is noted for being the first time a pristine example straight from the Maranello factory ever went on sale in public.

Described as a rare “piece of Ferrari history,” the fully-assembled engine is essentially good-as-new and ready to be installed into any fitting project, or at least grace homes as an eye-catching conversation piece. That is, if you could stomach its exorbitant price, which is estimated to be between $245,000 to $425,000.

A six-figure lump of metal

Ferrari F140 Tipo DA crate engine
Photo: Sotheby's
Performance-wise, the FXX V12 engine is worth its weight in gold; utilizing an aluminum block churning out 128 hp per liter; it propels the supercar to a top speed of 214 mph (345 km/h). Since the one in the listing claims to be the real deal, not a replica, it should be just as capable of such a  blistering performance if ever installed on an FXX.

All pre-owned Ferrari FXX models that pop up in the open market have always been valued in the millions, with some examples even being priced at a ludicrous $3 million. While one might argue that spending literally millions of dollars on a track toy like the FXX is already excessive, paying almost half a million for an engine that can't even run on its own can be downright ostentatious.

To put it bluntly, buyers will be paying about $1,000 to $1,500 for every kilo of this 262 kg engine, and that's if it doesn't go for much higher than expected during bidding. It's also worth pointing out that you can buy a new Ferrari F8 Tributo within relatively the same price range, and that this FXX engine's estimated starting price alone is already worth more than a base Ferrari Portofino, perhaps even a Roma Spider.

Ferrari FXX promo display
Photo: Ferrari
Then again, this particular example is the first of its kind to be made available in the open market, separate from the already-scarce 30 FXX units sold. Even if one were to source an F140 Tipo DA engine straight from a used FXX, it still wouldn't be as mint as this untouched example – we're talking about museum-worthy levels here in terms of condition.

The significance of such engines is further highlighted by the fact that naturally-aspirated Ferrari V12s serve as the marquee for the brand's most sophisticated, top-shelf products, not to mention being a symbol of the company's rich racing heritage. For die-hard collectors, paying six figures is a small price for owning a piece of automotive history, but for anyone else, this FXX engine is nothing more than an overpriced lump of metal. Regardless, you can try your luck at owning this elusive metallic banshee when bidding starts from March 22 to 29.
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About the author: Kyle Encina
Kyle Encina profile photo

Kyle still remembers the times when people read magazines, after all that's what sparked his passion for cars and tech. In 2016, he's turned that passion into a journalism career fueled by a unique view afforded by his mix of philosophy and business degrees.
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