Maserati MC12 vs Ferrari LaFerrari at auction: it was close, but one of them won!

There are days when auctions feel like a real battle. At last weekend's Bonhams sale, two Italian icons clashed in the spotlight within minutes of each other. Maserati MC12 and Ferrari LaFerrari. Two supercars born in different eras, but united by the same DNA: that of Maranello. And this time, victory came down to a few hammer blows.

Maserati MC12: victory at €2,950,000

On the podium with its imposing two-tone white and blue bodywork, the Maserati MC12 sold for €2,950,000. Just behind it, the Ferrari LaFerrari came in at €2,900,000. A tiny difference of just €50,000, but enough to give Maserati a symbolic victory over its Ferrari cousin.

Prices below estimates

However, Bonhams' expert estimates had been higher. In the end, both models sold below their expected value, a surprise in a market usually driven by scarcity and speculation.

For Maserati, the explanation is simple: the example on offer had over 45,000 km on the odometer, a high mileage for a collector's car of this calibre. By way of comparison, another MC12 Stradale sold at the end of August for $5.2 million (around 4.5 million euros), but it had only 11,000 km and had just been completely reconditioned.

The same is true of the Ferrari LaFerrari, which usually fetches prices in excess of 3.5 million euros. The example sold at this auction had over 17,000 km, making it one of the most used models ever offered at auction. This mileage clearly weighed in the balance.

Two supercars, two philosophies, a historic duel

While the Maserati MC12 remains rarer, with 50 examples produced in the Stradale version, compared to 499 for the LaFerrari, the supercar from Modena retains the unique charm of a model built from the chassis of the Ferrari Enzo, but designed to dominate GT1 circuits. The LaFerrari, on the other hand, embodies the quintessence of the 21st century: hybrid technology, 963 cumulative horsepower, and the status of the last Ferrari equipped with a naturally-aspirated V12 before the electric era.

A fascinating duel between two Italian legends, separated by just €50,000. While the amounts may seem "disappointing" in comparison with previous records, they nevertheless offer an interesting indicator: high mileage is becoming a decisive factor in the valuation of these collectible hypercars.