In the history of FerrariSome models have become veritable icons, fetching staggering prices at auction. But sometimes, it's a far less attractive creation that attracts the attention of collectors. Such is the case with this Ferrari 458 Italia... which isn't really a Ferrari. Soon to be offered for sale by RM Sotheby's at the prestigious Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, this unique machine is estimated to fetch between $900,000 and $1.2 million. A staggering sum for a car that can never be driven on open roads.
A transformed 458 Italia
From a distance, you can recognize the silhouette of a Ferrari 458 Italia, the brand's latest naturally-aspirated V8 sedan. But on closer inspection, the changes are obvious. The front end has been radically transformed, with a bumper resembling a duck's beak and rectangular grilles on the hood. At the rear, a huge air duct overhangs the roof, while the extended tailpipes protrude well beyond the bodywork, a sign of intensive use for technical testing. On the left-hand side, a riveted hatch provides quick access to the engine compartment.
Only the interior retains a look close to that of a production 458, with its black leather seats and familiar meters. But a few details betray its true nature: a high-voltage sticker on the steering wheel and what looks like a battery on the floor in front of the passenger seat.
A key role in the birth of the LaFerrari
This strange model, christened internally "F150 Muletto M4", is not an eccentricity of a tuner, but an official Maranello prototype. Between May 2011 and December 2012, it served as a "mule" for the development of the LaFerrari, the brand's first hybrid hypercar.
Under its modified body, the original V8 gave way to the 6.3-liter F140 V12, combined with an F1-inspired hybrid system. This engine, originally derived from the Ferrari Enzo, already developed 789 hp in this experimental configuration, out of the final 949 hp of the production version.
These prototypes were often driven around the Fiorano circuit or on nearby roads, under the curious eye of spy photographers. Once the LaFerrari was finalized and launched in 2013, most of these prototypes were destroyed. This one escaped the scrap heap, offered or sold to a loyal customer, with strict restrictions: no road homologation and forbidden to use on a circuit open to the public.
More a piece of history than a car
Useless for driving, but precious to some enthusiasts, this very special Ferrari 458 is a rare witness to a key phase in Maranello's history, that of the electrification of its models. Its atypical appearance and official prototype status make it an exceptional collector's item.
At the August 15, 2025 sale in Monterey, she will rub shoulders with legends such as a Ferrari F40 LM estimated at between $8.5 and $9.5 milliona yellow F50, or a black LaFerrari Aperta. But it's perhaps this one, with its strange charm and its role in the genesis of the LaFerrari, that will steal the show.
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