1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta

The Lusso combined race-car looks with new standards of passenger comfort

Arguably the most beautiful product ever to carry the Maranello marque’s prancing-horse emblem, the 250 GT Lusso debuted at the Paris Salon in October 1962. Styled by Pininfarina and built by Scaglietti, the Lusso combined race-car looks with new standards of passenger comfort. Beautifully proportioned, it blended a low-slung nose, reminiscent of that of the 250 SWB Berlinetta, with a sculpted Kamm tail. Slim pillars and wide expanses of glass enhanced the car’s outward appearance.

The Lusso’s immediate antecedent had been the 250 SWB, a true dual-purpose car that was capable of coping equally well with the conflicting demands of road and track. The SWB (short-wheelbase) designation arose from a chassis that, at 2,400 mm (94.49 in), was 200 mm (7.87 in) shorter than the standard 250 GTs of the time. Specifications could be varied to suit individual customers’ requirements: Models supplied for competition had lightweight aluminum-alloy bodies, while...