Ferrari F12 Berlinetta to be auctioned for Sandy victims

Ferrari is doing its part to help Hurricane Sandy victims by auctioning off the first F12 Berlinetta that will be sold on American soil. The base price of Ferrari's halo model is about $315,000. We'd expect this one to go for much more than that. The auction will take place at 9 p.m. Eastern on Nov. 17 at the Circuit of the Americas in Austin, Texas.

“Here at Ferrari, we have experienced and seen the devastation that Hurricane Sandy has caused in the affected area firsthand,” Marco Mattiacci, chief executive and president of Ferrari North America, said in a statement. “We want to use our event next week at Formula One in Austin to give back to our local community by auctioning the F12 Berlinetta.”

If you can't make it to the auction, but want to win the car, contact your local Ferrari dealership. They have information on how to place bids.

Ferrari also has a partnership with the Red Cross—including its own contribution page—for its fans.

We drove the F12 back in July and were smitten with its 731-hp V12, seven-speed dual-clutch transmission and its relatively light weight, which is 150 pounds lighter than that of the Ferrari 599.

Make your best estimate of what the car will sell for in the comments section. We'll send out some swag to the person whose guess is closest.

By Jake Lingeman