Four Modern Ferrari Prototypes Are Heading to Auction in Monterey

There isn’t an automotive enthusiast among us who wouldn’t love the chance to see what goes on behind the scenes at their favorite automaker. Thanks to the folks at Ferrari and Mecum Auctions, a lucky few have the opportunity to take home a group of four development prototypes from some of the automaker’s most exciting modern offerings: the LaFerrari and the F12TDF.

The cars are slated to cross the block at Mecum’s upcoming auction in Monterey, California, which runs from August 18-20. All four of the prototype vehicles were constructed to develop new technologies that would later find their way into the production models. The first Ferrari of the bunch is known as "F150 Muletto M4," which was built in 2011 to test the LaFerrari’s V-12 engine for emissions. In order to test in relative secrecy, Ferrari stuck the engine in the back of a modified 458 Italia. Large removable bits of camouflage were added to confuse passersby as to what they’re looking at. The car itself looks similar to the later F150 Muletto M6, which RM Sotheby's auctioned off earlier in the year.

In 2012 Ferrari created another LaFerrari prototype known as "F150 Mulotipo MP1". This particular prototype utilized a ton of production-ready LaFerrari components, and served to ensure everything worked together nicely. The car looks a bit more extreme than its 458-based predecessor, but that’s at least in part due to the fact that Mulotipo MP1 is constricted on the LaFerrari’s carbon tub. It also packs the 950-hp hybrid powertrain we’ve all come to know. There’s almost a bit of the 512 S in the styling, and it’s a shape we’d honestly love to see Ferrari play with in the future.

The final LaFerrari Prototype is a near-production unit called "F150 Prototipe Preserie PS1." The car was built to test the final layout of the hybrid hypercar, with very few differences visible from the production unit. Of course, you can’t actually drive this or any of these prototype vehicles on the street, as none of them feature a proper VIN number.

If you prefer your Ferrari to be front-engined, Mecum will also be selling the Ferrari MP4 prototype. This development mule for the Ferrari F12TDF is basically a production-spec car, more closely resembling the final product than any of the three LaFerraris prototypes. That isn’t to say MP4 isn’t an interesting or valuable offering, but it is perhaps a bit less enticing for the mega-collectors out there. Considering a production F12TDF already costs well over a million dollars on the second hand market, expect this example to follow suit.

It's rare for an automaker to sell off a development prototype. Most of the time these vehicles end up hidden away in an automaker’s private collection, perhaps occasionally finding their way onto a museum floor, or crushed. This sale presents a truly unique opportunity for the well-heeled Ferrari fanatic to master the collection game.

Let us know which prototype you’d most like to own down below.

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