This $2.3 million Ferrari LaFerrari has been rotting for a year in a Philippine customs parking lot... and is still waiting for its owner.

It's a story that seems almost unreal in the hushed world of vintage hypercars. A Ferrari The LaFerrari, sold for over $2.3 million at an auction in Saudi Arabia, has now been immobilized for over a year... in the open air, in a customs parking lot in the Philippines.

Far from the air-conditioned garages of Middle Eastern collectors, this piece of Italian engineering, produced in just 499 examples, is now going through a slow descent into hell under the sun and tropical rains of Manila.

A hypercar goes from prestige to judicial seal

The model concerned is not insignificant. According to thelaferrariregistry, it is chassis 204219, a LaFerrari originally intended for the Middle East market. Delivered to a customer based in the United Arab Emirates, this configuration featured Rosso Corsa paint combined with a black Nero roof, exposed carbon elements and a light brown leather interior with red stitching.

Its history took a turn in 2019, when it was sold at auction in Riyadh for $2,354,000. A transaction in line with the market at the time... and one that today would almost be considered a “bargain”, with some comparable LaFerraris now selling for between 3 and 5 million euros.

But on February 14, 2025, everything changed. On that day, the Philippine Customs Bureau carried out a raid on luxury car imports deemed illegal. Two companies were targeted: TopCar Specialist and Trading Inc. and AC Che Gong Miao. On site, the authorities discovered a veritable treasure trove of cars: McLaren Senna, Bugatti Chiron, Ferrari SF90... and this LaFerrari. All are immediately seized.

A year of neglect in a tropical climate

Since then, the situation has remained unchanged. In the absence of proof of payment of the required taxes within the legal deadline of fifteen days, the vehicles have passed into the control of the Philippine State, pending an eventual auction. In the meantime, the LaFerrari is not sleeping in a secure warehouse.

It's parked outside, surrounded by ribbons, permanently exposed to the elements. Images that recently appeared on Instagram show a car covered in dust, its glass surfaces having lost their shine.

In a hot, humid climate like Manila's, prolonged downtime of this kind is never trivial. UV rays tire out varnish, humidity threatens leather and cabin foam, while electronic and mechanical components suffer from prolonged downtime without special precautions. Even carbon-ceramic brakes and carbon-fibre parts, designed for extreme performance, are not designed to stand idle in the rain.

Every month that passes outside takes this LaFerrari further away from the competition status awaited by collectors. And while the Philippine authorities are considering an auction, no timetable has yet been announced. One thing's for sure: when it finally leaves the parking lot, the future buyer may be acquiring not just a collector's hypercar... but also a restoration project.

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