Herbert Wertheim, an 87-year-old billionaire optometrist and philanthropist with a home at Mar-a-Lago, has paid roughly $40 million at auction for Ferrari's first ever fully electric car, the Elettrica. The purchase highlights the huge sums wealthy collectors are willing to pay for landmark vehicles, even as electric cars remain a contentious topic among some traditional car enthusiasts and, notably, among parts of the Mar-a-Lago social circle associated with Donald Trump, who has been sharply critical of EVs.

Despite the record price, Wertheim said he has no intention of actually driving the car, treating it instead as a collector's piece marking a historic first for the storied Italian marque. Ferrari has long resisted going electric, and the Elettrica represents the company's first major step into battery-powered vehicles, making the auction sale a symbolic moment for the brand as much as a personal indulgence for the buyer.