The Ferrari 250 GT/L ‘Lusso’

October 1962 marked the official unveiling of the Ferrari 250 GT/L Berlinetta at the Paris Motor Show, and thanks to Pininfarina’s timeless styling, it was instantly adored by the public.

Larger and more luxurious than its predecessor, the 250 GT Berlinetta, this Ferrari was designed for the world’s upper classes to tour across Europe and America. But don’t be deceived by its elegant looks, this Ferrari was as equally at home being driven aggressively up the Stelvio Pass as it was cruising along the California coast’s Highway 1.

The 3.0-litre, Columbo-designed, Ferrari V12 was capable of 240 bhp and achieving a top speed in excess of 240 km/h. The interior, far superior to that of any previous model, was leather lined and featured a pair of deep bucket seats, behind which resided a luggage platform with leather straps and a diamond-quilted cover panel. The instrument layout was unusual in that the two main dials, the speedometer and rev counter, were mounted in the centre and angled towards the driver.

If you wanted to arrive in style, there was no equal to a Ferrari 250 GT/L ‘Lusso’. Count Giovanni Lurani declared this to be “the best car in the world”, having driven one through Milan, the Mont Cenis Pass, Lyons, Tours, Le Mans, Orleans, Basel, Lucerne, the St Gotthard Pass, Lugano and back to Milan in one journey!

This ‘Lusso’

This Ferrari Classiche certified, matching-numbers Ferrari 250 GT/L ‘Lusso’ was built over the winter of 1963, with its Certificate of Origin being issued on 24 February 1964. Originally finished in Grigio Fumo with a Pelle Nera interior, the car is offered today just as it was 54 years ago, with its original gearbox and rear axle.

This car was sold new by Ferrari through official dealer VECAR (Veicoli e Commercio Automobili Roma) to its first owner, CO.GE.S S.p.A, a construction company also based in Rome. At this time, the car was registered on the Rome license ‘Roma 720668’, with copies of registration documentation included in this car’s history file and the original sale price noted as 5,750,000 Italian lire.

The second owner, Ottavio Gagnani, also a resident of Rome, bought the car in January 1965, at the impressively young age of only 24. The car passed through two further Italian owners, as documented in the car’s history file, before being bought by English actor John Richardson in March 1967.

Richardson appeared in many Italian films, but his best-known role was perhaps in One Million Years B.C. (1966), in which he played a hero who fell in love with Raquel Welch. Later in the 1960s, Richardson was considered for the role of James Bond in On Her Majesty’s Secret Service (1969), when Sean Connery first left, but lost out to George Lazenby. During his ownership of this Lusso, Richardson was married to English actress Martine Beswick, who is best-known for her appearances in two James Bond movies.

Before being exported to the USA, this Lusso was serviced and maintained at the Ferrari factory’s Assistenza Clienti in Modena, where the mileage was noted at 37,515 km in July 1967. In the 1970s, this Ferrari was exported from Italy to the USA, residing in Michigan, before being bought by Dave Jordano in Chicago. An avid Ferrari fan and classic car collector, with a Ferrari 275 GTS already in his stable, Jordano set about restoring his Lusso in 1986. The car was restored in Port Huron, Michigan, with Terry Myr rebuilding the engine.

Freshly restored, this car was shown by Jordano at the 1992 Ferrari Club of America’s Annual National Meeting and Concours in Grand Rapids and Gratton Raceway, Michigan, where it placed Second in Class. A testament to the car’s condition and meticulous restoration, the Lusso returned to the 1996 Ferrari Club of America’s Annual National Meeting and Concours, where it again placed Second in Class.

In 2007, this 250 GT/L was bought by Hawaii-based collector David E. Walters, who kept the car in California, although did register it on the big island with the registration ‘KYT 358’. In April 2008, Walters decided to have Ferrari inspect and certify his Lusso. Ferrari confirmed the car to retain its original chassis, engine, gearbox and rear axle — everything one could ask for!

Sadly, Walters passed away only a year later, with more than 150 cars in his ownership. His estate was diluted, with our very own Max Girardo selling this car at RM Sotheby’s (née RM Auctions) 2010 Monterey auction to its current European collector. Under this ownership, this Lusso has returned to Europe, where it has also been repainted in its original colour of Grigio Fumo, as well as being meticulously maintained by the collection’s dedicated in-house mechanic.

Having returned to Europe, this Ferrari is ready to enjoy the open road once again — it’s just waiting for you to get behind the wheel.

Price Upon Application