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Ferrari  | Profiles, Reviews and Buyer's Guides from the October, 2003 Issue

1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta Review and Buyer's Guide

The Lusso combined race-car looks with new standards of passenger comfort
1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta

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 road-going cars enjoyed a fully trimmed interior and softer springing.

Ferrari’s policy of building a single, dual-purpose race/road model did not survive long into the 1960s, as the diverging requirements of the two markets necessitated specialization. Thus was born the competition-only 250 GTO and the more luxurious, Gran Turismo 250 GT Lusso. Built on a short-wheelbase chassis similar to that of the 250 GT SWB, the Lusso was powered by a 3-liter V12, with three twin-choke Weber carburetors. The two-cam, all-aluminum unit produced 240 hp at 7,500 rpm, producing a top speed of 150 mph and 0-100-mph acceleration time of 19.5 seconds.

One of just 350 250 GT Lussos made, this superb example was supplied new in the US and was re-imported to Italy in 1987, where it was restored in 1989 by Officine Sauro of Bologna. Records indicate that the car was once owned by one Kurt Miska.

The car enjoyed a number of owners in Atlanta in the early 1970s. In 1976 the car was owned by a George Brown of Atlanta, and offered for sale by him in 1979 at 51,000 miles, benefiting from “new paint and leather to original silver/black specification.” The car was next owned by Luther Godwin, of Baldwin, New York. It was acquired by its present Italian owner in 1996, who describes its condition as “believed good” in all respects. Finished in the original silver metallic with black interior, the car is Italian registered and comes complete with tool kit, restoration invoices and ASI/FIVA papers.

This 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Berlinetta Review and Buyer's Guide appeared in the October, 2003 Issue of Sports Car Market Magazine.

  The SCM Analysis 
Details
Years Produced1962-64
Number Produced350
Original List Price$12,600
SCM Valuation$130,000-$160,000
Tune-up Cost$2,000-$2,500 including valve adjustment
Distributor Caps$450, two required
Chassis # LocationLeft frame member by steering box
Engine # LocationOn right rear, under distributor
Club InfoFerrari Club of America, PO Box 720597, Atlanta, GA 30358
Websiteclick to visit
AlternativesAlfa Romeo TZ-1, Aston Martin DB5 Volante, Bizzarrini Strada, Lamborghini 400 GT
Investment GradeB

This car sold for $223,610, including buyer’s premium, at Bonhams’ Monaco sale May 26, 2003.

Ferrari called the Lusso the 250 GTL—“L” is not found in any other Ferrari designation. Speculation was that the L stood for Lusso, an Italian word meaning luxury. While it was, in fact, more luxurious than the 250 SWB it replaced, it was not in the same league with the Super-america, the true luxury car of the Ferrari line at that time. The Lusso was a step away from the dual-purpose race/street Ferraris that preceded it, but style, not luxury, was its appeal.

Chuck Jordan, former head of styling for General Motors, has been quoted as saying the Ferrari 250 Lusso is the most beautiful car ever built. Jordan backed that statement by buying a Lusso that he kept for many years. If imitation is the most sincere form of flattery, he flattered the Lusso in one of his own designs: The Chevrolet Vega featured a Lusso-style Kamm tail and rear-end treatment. Pininfarina surely noticed imitation, but probably wasn’t flattered.

Despite its great looks, the Lusso is not particularly comfortable. The seats are true buckets without back or rake adjustments. High engine revs make it rather loud at normal cruising speeds. Combined with a somewhat noisy gearbox and minimum sound insulation, the Lusso is not a quiet car. The interior is, however, exquisitely trimmed with a large upholstered area behind the seats and a beautiful leather-covered dash.

Even in its street trim, the Lusso performs in true Ferrari style. It is quick, agile and very reliable. Vintage racers have found the Lusso to be a potent weapon in the hands of a skilled driver. The car commands respect normally reserved for cars much more expensive.

Two years ago, then-Brooks, now Bonhams, sold a Lusso at its West Palm Beach Cavallino auction. The car was a top-flight example and went for $140,000, including buyer’s premium, against an estimate of $130,000-$160,000. About that same time, a dealer friend of mine bought a nice driver for a little under $100,000 and flipped it to another dealer, who had a hard time reselling it for $115,000. What a difference two years makes—now Lussos are hot. The car here might have been a shade high in price, but you would be hard-pressed to find a premium example for under $200,000 today.

So who’s Kurt Miska, and why does it matter that he owned this car? Miska did own a Lusso, but not this one. His was 4409GT. He did, however, write the definitive book on Lussos, The Berlinetta Lusso: A Ferrari of Unusual Elegance. If you are interested in Lussos, it’s a great resource, but it’s unfortunately hard to come by. The original has been out of print for years and the company that was reprinting it recently dropped the title.—Steve Ahlgrim