Offered from 33 years of single ownership
1964 Ferrari 250 GT/L 'Lusso' Berlinetta

2,953 CC SOHC Tipo 168 U SOHC 60º V-12 Engine
Three Weber 36 DCS Carburetors
240 BHP at 7,000 RPM
4-Speed Manual Gearbox
Front Independent Suspension, Rear Live Axle with Semi-Elliptic Springs
4-Wheel Vacuum-Assisted Dunlop Disc Brakes

*Stunningly well-preserved and maintained with integrity
*Original colors of Grigio Argento over Nero leather
*Serviced by the respected specialists, Fast Cars, Ltd.
*A numbers-matching example, documented with a Massini Report
*Ex-Chic & Chris Vandagriff of Hollywood Sport Cars
*One of just 350 produced
*Arguably Ferrari's finest grand tourer of the 250 series
*In the care of one custodian for over three decades


THE FERRARI 250 GT/L 'LUSSO' BERLINETTA

"This new luxury Berlinetta has been developed from the car which allowed so many gentlemen to enjoy sports car performance. It boasts those characteristics valued by enthusiasts while also possessing the comfort required by the ladies." – Ferrari's brochure for the 250 GT Lusso.

Arguably the most beautiful machine 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 realized in the metal by the master craftsmen at Scaglietti, the Lusso (Luxury) combined racetrack looks with new standards of passenger comfort. Beautifully proportioned, it blended a low-slung nose, reminiscent of that of the SWB Berlinetta, with a sculpted Kamm tail by means of some of the most exquisite lines yet seen on an automobile. Slim pillars and wide expanses of glass not only enhanced the car's outward appearance but made for excellent visibility and a pleasantly light and airy interior. "The design of the body was at once elegant and exciting and no other road Ferrari before or since has earned the same degree of enduring admiration for its aesthetics," declared Road & Track.

After Pininfarina had completed the prototype Lusso, production was entrusted to Carrozzeria Scaglietti, a smaller concern that specialized in building Ferrari's lower volume models. In total, 351 Lussos (including one prototype from Pininfarina) would be completed over the next two years, with deliveries of the production model commencing early in 1963. "Its proportions approach perfection, and the execution is faultless," enthused Car & Driver, "It makes for Grand Touring in the grandest possible manner..."

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 necessitating greater specialization in the form of the competition-only 250 GTO and the touring 250 GT Lusso. Built on a short-wheelbase chassis similar to the 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO, the Lusso utilized Gioacchino Colombo's light and compact 3.0-litre V12. Ferrari's first in-house power plant, the supremely versatile Colombo V12 debuted in 1947 as a 1.5-litre unit and would enjoy a remarkably long production life, finally bowing out in 4.9-litre quad-cam form in 1988. Breathing through three twin-choke Weber carburetors, this all-aluminum, two-cam, Tipo 168 unit produced 240bhp at 7,500rpm as installed in the Lusso, giving it a top speed of 150mph (240km/h) and brisk acceleration, getting from 0-60mph in about 8 seconds, and sprinting on to 100mph (0-160km/h) in 19.5 seconds. Power was transmitted to the road via a conventional four-speed gearbox, and the power train was housed in Ferrari's familiar steel spaceframe chassis with oval main tubes. Suspension was conventional for the time: independent at the front by means of 'A' arms and coil springs, with a well-placed, semi-elliptically sprung live axle at the rear.

The result was not only one of the best-looking Ferraris ever made, but also, courtesy of its competizione antecedents, one of the most rewarding to drive. "Driving a Ferrari smoothly is always easy; the Lusso is no exception," proclaimed R&T. "The gearshift moves like the proverbial stick in a bowl of whipped cream, and the smooth clutch combines with the 12-cylinder engine's buttery delivery of torque to make it nearly impossible... to stall the engine when moving off from rest." R&T found that the Lusso's steering was lighter than one would expect and remarked on its smooth, predictable, and forgiving handling. They were also much impressed by the powerful servo-assisted four-wheel disc brakes.

An important milestone in the Maranello marque's history, the 250 GT Lusso was the last of the long-running 250 series that had done so much to cement Ferrari's commercial success, and a most fitting finale to this remarkable family of Ferrari road cars.


THE CAR OFFERED

The 250 Lusso offered here, S/N 4497 GT, is a superlative example of Ferrari's grandest Grand Tourer which has been lovingly and thoughtfully maintained through the years to preserve its exceptional level of originality. Per the accompanying history report compiled by Ferrari historian Marcel Massini, this Lusso rolled out of the factory gates on August 10, 1963, finished in Grigio Argento (code 18940 M) over Nero Connolly Vaumol leather upholstery. A relatively early example, this car is the 54th of 350 production units, and it was completed in Left-Hand Drive, USA specifications, and destined for the famed US importer, Luigi Chinetti Motors in New York.
4497 was first sold in 1963, although the original owner's identity is not known. In 1967, it was sold to John Carmack of Carmel, Indiana who appeared to be an active Ferrari Club of America member. It changed hands in 1971 to Richard Pendleton Hall of Maryland, then again in 1977 to Charles Girand of Dallas, Texas. On February 5, 1989, Rick Cole advertised the car in the Los Angeles Times, and it was snatched up by Chic and Chris Vandagriff of Hollywood Sport Cars (it was always "Sport" cars), one of the oldest and most storied Ferrari dealers in the United States.

Chic Vandagriff was a hugely influential character during the sports car boom of the 50s and 60s, and he opened Hollywood Sport Cars in 1960 as a distributor for various British marques, before adding Ferrari in 1962. Eventually, his dealership would become the second largest Ferrari dealer in the world, before Ferrari edged him out by establishing their own store in Beverly Hills years later. His son, Chris, began working at the Ferrari dealer when he was 8 years old, and today, carries on his late father's legacy as a foremost expert and leader in the world of historic motorsports.

The Vandagriffs acquired 4497 in 1989, and as dealers, they never titled the car. They were the ideal custodians as they recognized its significance as a largely unrestored example. In 1991, Vandagriff sold the Lusso to its current owner, who has thoroughly enjoyed it, while methodically preserving its exceptional originality for the past 33 years. While it is believed the car was refinished some time ago in its correct original shade of Grigio Argento, it survives otherwise unrestored, down to the original black leather interior. Other lovely details include the Marchal lamps, factory jack and hammer, and Irvin seat belts. It also retains its original, numbers-matching V12 engine per the Massini Report.

Fast Cars Ltd of Redondo Beach, California were entrusted to maintain 4497, and great care was taken to keep the car in tip-top functional condition, while preserving its fabulous character. It is this sort of detail that ensures 4497 is one of the finest preserved and most honest examples of a 250 Lusso extant. After more than three decades of faithful care, this marvelous Ferrari Lusso is now ready for its next custodian to carry on its rich legacy.