Acclaimed Italian sports carmaker Ferrari is celebrating its 70th birthday. Gleaming Ferrari sports cars were out in force in Italy last weekend to celebrate Prancing Stallion's remarkable journey.
Among those, the very final unit of the Ferrari LaFerrari Aperta (drop top version) hybrid sports car made headlines.
The 210th LaFerrari Aperta was auctioned on Saturday, September 9, for an impressive sum of €8.3 million (approximately Rs 63 crore). To put it into perspective, a regular LaFerrari Aperta cost around $1 million (Rs 6.38 crore).
The car from the motoring giant was sold in RM Sotheby's auction during the Prancing Horse's 70th Anniversary celebrations at the Fiorano circuit.
The whopping figure is a new record for a 21st-century car. The previous record of $7 million (Rs 44 crore) was set last December at Daytona by an exclusive LaFerrari (Coupe), which went under the hammer to raise funds for earthquake victims in Central Italy.
Maranello-based Ferrari had plans for only 209 LaFerrari Apertas. The company decided to build an extra sample for a noble cause. The earnings from the 210th LaFerrari Aperta sale will be donated to Save the Children, an international organisation that works to improve the lives of disadvantaged children in over 120 countries worldwide. In this case, the funds raised will be used for educational projects in Asia and Africa.
The auctioned LaFerrari Aperta unit sets itself apart from the rest with special livery in stunning metallic Rosso Fuoco and featuring a metallic Bianco Italia double racing stripe on the bonnet and rear.
The interiors have been conceived in black Alcantara and shiny black carbon fibre with red leather inserts on the seats, with red stitching.
The LaFerrari Aperta is powered by a naturally-aspirated 6.3-litre V12 engine that develops 780bhp working in tandem with an electric motor and battery pack that generates 161bhp. The combined output of the hybrid powertrain will be 941bhp.
The engine is coupled with seven-speed dual-clutch transmission. The open-top version of the LaFerrari sprints from standstill to 100kmph in three seconds and comes with a top speed of over 350kmph.
