Possibly the most beautiful of Ferrari’s 250 GT series, the three hundred fifty GT/L road cars produced from 1962 to 1964 were soon known simply as “Lusso” – Italian for luxury. Technically, these cars were the final evolution of a lineage that stretched back to 1952, when the 250 MM arrived on European tracks. Wealthy clientele requested a well-behaved iteration of the sports racer for touring. Ferrari obliged, producing the 250 GT Coupé and the Europa GT, with most of these constructed and designed by Pinin Farina and Vignale. More iconic models followed, from the SWB California Spider to the GTE 2+2. Each of these has earned a berth in the pantheon of collectibility, but perhaps none so much as the Lusso, the last of the breed. To be offered by Mecum at its Monterey auction on Saturday, August 15th is this 1963 Lusso, complete with Ferrari Classiche Red Book and Marcel Massini report. No estimate is available at this point, but we can bet the price tag will range between $1.5 million and $2.5 million. A tip of the hat to Araknid78 for finding this elegant GT for us!
The Lusso benefited from Ferrari’s simultaneous homologation of the 250 GTO – a car aimed at Group Three GT racing. Both cars share the same short wheelbase, disc brakes at all four corners, and similar suspension, including “helper” springs around the rear shocks as well as a Watts linkage arrangement. The same basic 3.0-liter Colombo V12 sits in their front bays, but the Lusso borrows its internals from the GTE and the SWB. Single overhead cam construction and three Webers make for a simpler set-up than the GTO’s double of everything. Power output was 240 hp, and top speed hovered around 150 mph – a figure that ranked the Lusso as one of the fastest road-going cars of its time. This car retains its matching numbers engine and original four-speed gearbox.
The cabin offers sculpted leather bucket seats (only two!) set on either side of an extravagant console, like a piece of furniture separating the driver from the passenger. With the engine set forward in the chassis, leg room is generous. Curiously, Ferrari chose to place the ancillary gauges directly in front of the driver, with the speedometer and tach centrally located. In keeping with this car’s original destination of Belgium, the gauges are metric. To slightly appease Barn Finders who grumble at yet another near-perfect car, I pulled this photo of the pedals – where we see genuine wear!
Devoid of sheet metal gimmicks, the Pinin Farina design is perfectly balanced from front to rear. The Lusso’s curves are understated, yet effective, almost intimate. Impossibly thin A and C pillars anchor a generous greenhouse, and Borrani wire knock-offs ground this ethereal machine. Notably, the car has no badging. Mecum’s description recounts the provenance of chassis 4635 in detail, including stints at restoration shops in several countries. The car was featured in several marque-specialist magazines. The single blemish on the car’s résumé is a minor accident in 1997, which was fixed at the time and then addressed again in 2014. Any guesses about the final price here?
Excellent! Another Carriage House Find!
This is one beautiful Ferrari. Unfortunately a wee bit out of my price range though. Absolutely beautiful. The silver exterior red interior really compliments that beautiful design . Very nice car Michelle!!!
No one will believe this but, as a teenager, in 1967 I worked in a Fiat dealership in Bellevue, WA. Aside from normal Fiat mechanics, the shop had one highly qualified senior mechanic that serviced European exotics. One of the cars he serviced was a bright yellow ’64 Lusso that belonged to a Dentist or Doctor in the area. The car was in for rebuild of the Laycock overdrive. I was just a parts runner and detailer, but the mechanic liked me and let me hang around in my off hours and talk cars. When he finished the transmission installation, he had to take it for the mandatory road test and asked me if I wanted to ride along. I still remember that ride like it was yesterday – most exciting ride I ever had in any car! I’ve spent my whole life knowing I was the luckiest kid in town.
Right on Dave 👍 too cool 😎 that mechanic was. What a stunning machine.
Another Lusso and im still not understanding the love or value of them. 30-40 years ago, the only 250 less loved and valued was the 250gte. Both had their chassis, drivetrain and other bits used to produce rebodied cars, namely 250GTOs and 250SWBs.
Apparently those with money started loving Lussos more than others had in the past.
3-5 times as much for a Lusso over a 330GTC ?
That would’ve been the ride of a lifetime. Very cool mechanic pal.
And I didn’t even know there was a Fiat dealership in Bellevue back then. I think I was only aware of Metro Imports on Capitol Hill! The test drive route that the salesman had was perfect for those cars!
The only Fiat dealership I remember that was on the Eastside was in Kirkland. I don’t rememberer the name, but it was downtown. 6th street or Kirkland Ave
I’m talking about Stan Green Fiat, on north side of US 10 in Eastgate from about 1964/5 to 1970 or so. The mechanic’s name was Rod Peterson – also worked in several shops on Capitol Hill in Seattle, then moved back to the Oregon coast about 1971 or so.
Great story Dave since i was a kid have always loved Ferrari to me the most beautiful cars made and to even get a ride in one would be amazing. I will say Porsche is another on my dream car when i was 15 a neighbor bought a new 1975 911 Turbo. He was nice enough to give me a quite spirited drive in that car and i still remember it like it was yesterday.
Whoever penned the Lusso must be rolling over at the sight of the Luce!
One of the best designs of all time. Look at those curves. Bella Lusso!
I never knew Ferrari put in overdrive
I never knew Ferrari installed overdrive.
Oh, and to think I could have had a running-driving-but-in-need-of-some-TLC 250GT Pininfarina Coupe for a mere seven grand. Was offered it at Lime Rock back in the early ’70s. Sadly, I’d just finished building our house nearby and was tapped out when it came to expensive toys.
Sigh…
Back when this was new and I was a pimply overhormoned young teenager, I devoured every issue of R&T and Car And Driver. One of CD’s regular columnists, I believe it was the extremely erudite Warren Weith, bought one of these, his first Ferrari. He wrote of the extreme challenges from the surprisingly poor quality control – chassis lube points not drilled all the way through for the Zerk fittings, chips from the magwheels inside the tires giving him flats, and others that I can longer recall. But then he waxed so long and elegantly of the driving experience when eveything worked. The Lusso still holds its fame as “ The Most Beautiful Ferrari.” If I had only this one, I could live with that.
In 1980 I was associated with John Mecom, Jr. in Houston. He had a 1963 silver Lusso in the garage in the old Mecom building in the city along with a Ford GT (from Briggs C.) and some other great cars.
I lusted after the Lusso, quite possibly the most beautiful pice of automobile art history!
Never got to drive it but had hair raising run to Galveston with John in that car!!!
Someday I’ll relate the story about Mr. Mecom taking Jackie Stewart, David Hobbs and I to the Malibu Grand Prix on the Southwest Freeway. The owner was not impressed with us, said he didn’t think three guys in suits could drive.
He ended up black flagging Sir Jackie for cutting across the tracks infield to beat Hobbs!
The owner kicked us all out and told Sir Jackie he didn’t know how to drive a race car!!
Cheers
In 1980 I was associated with John Mecom, Jr. in Houston. He had a 1963 silver Lusso in the garage in the old Mecom building in the city along with a Ford GT (from Briggs C.) and some other great cars.
I lusted after the Lusso, quite possibly the most beautiful pice of automobile art history!
Never got to drive it but had hair raising run to Galveston with John in that car!!!
Someday I’ll relate the story about Mr. Mecom taking Jackie Stewart, David Hobbs and I to the Malibu Grand Prix on the Southwest Freeway. The owner was not impressed with us, said he didn’t think three guys in suits could drive.
He ended up black flagging Sir Jackie for cutting across the tracks infield to beat Hobbs!
The owner kicked us all out and told Sir Jackie he didn’t know how to drive a race car!!
Cheers
Still my favorite Ferrari. And I still have my first one, up in the attic, somewhere!
Another great write-up from Michelle, but you got one thing wrong. It’s not, “Possibly the most beautiful of Ferrari’s 250 GT series”.
It’s THE most beautiful of Ferrari’s 250 GT series.
Notably you redeemed yourself by waxing poetic in the first two sentences of your final paragraph,
Thanks for the compliments, and for noticing the “poetic wax” – ha.
I am mighty fond of the 250 GTO with its race-bred looks, but each to his own, and of course, there we’re talking about a car that costs many times what this Lusso will bring.
Michelle, my thing for 250GTO started when they were new cars that I first saw in a magazine in the school library. I never dreamt that years later I would work on them (rebodied as gto and swb) and sometimes drive them. The rebodied cars technically weren’t real but identical and sometimes, in some ways better than the original.
I just took a photo of a photo but now cant see the box to upload it?
Its of 1 of the 2 250GTO spiders that were built in WI. This was #2 and it’s finished red. #1 was bare aluminum when it was here. Many times i walked around it looking and only saw a butchered GTO. I took some photos, Polaroid back then, and after a few weeks the photos started to be a good looking open car.
Since my first experience with the 250SWB, it’s a very close 2nd to the GTO in the ways it’s not equal.
Nice write-up Michelle. This is my favorite Ferrari of this era. And thanks for the acknowledgement.
Wow,this is my favorite Ferrari ever and in the top 5 on my list of cars. Great write up. Someday soon I hope.
speakin of which, this is what a car ‘posed ta look like, no?
I’ll never forget my first encounter with one in the flesh at Larz Anderson-that was 35 years ago-time flies-like this car!