1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso

The 250 Series was Ferrari's first volume-produced model, beginning with the 250 Europa and Europa GT, built from 1953 to 1956, accounting for fewer than sixty examples. Prior to this, Ferrari had built road-going coupes and convertibles in small numbers, usually to special orders and built atop a sports-racing chassis. Touring, Ghia, and Vignale were responsible for the coachwork on many of these early road cars, and no two cars were alike.

The 250 Europa brought a change in Ferrari's preferred coachbuilder. Vignale had clothed most of the early Ferraris, but with the 250 Europa that changed to Pinin Farina (later 'Pininfarina') as Ferrari's number one choice.

Preceding the Lusso was the 250 GT Berlinetta SWB (Short Wheel Base). It earned the SWB name from its chassis that, at 2,400mm, was 200mm shorter than the standard 250GTs. Depending on the customer's preferences, the SWB could be built for either road or track, with models designed for competition receiving lightweight aluminum-alloy bodies. The road-going versions often received a fully trimmed interior and softer springing.

Building a single, dual-purpose race/road model did not survive long in the 1960s. With divergent requirements for the two markets, Ferrari built the competition-only 250 GTO and Gran Turismo 250 GT Lusso.

Pininfarina designed the Ferrari 250 GT/L, or the 'Lusso' as it has become known over time, and made its debut at the Paris Motor Show in October of 1962. 'Lusso' translated into English means luxury, which is the perfect word to describe the car. Coachbuilt by Scaglietti, these were the last Ferrari vehicles to wear the 250 name. They rested on a shorter wheelbase chassis (similar to that of the 250 GT SWB and 250 GTO) of the Ferrari 250 model range and was powered by the same 2,953-cubic centimeter short block V-12 that was designed by Gioacchino Colombo. This would also be the last V-12 Ferrari road car to use this engine, as displacement would increase to 275-cubic centimeters per cylinder for the next generation of Ferrari road cars. The lessons learned by the Scuderia in racing the 250 SWB and 250 GTO were implemented throughout the Lusso, including to the chassis, which received concentric springs around the telescopic shock absorbers and a Watts linkage to laterally stabilize the rear axle.

Front-end styling was clearly inspired by the 250 GT SWB and the low-slung nose of the 400 Superamerica, and the back received a swept-back design with a Kamm tail with a subtle rear spoiler, in a similar fashion to the 250 GTO. The interior was well-appointed and luxurious, with the finest Italian leather, chrome trim, and a Nardi wood-rimmed steering wheel (a trademark Ferrari item). There was a rear luggage shelf that was quilted in fine Italian leather and designed to support designer luggage. The dashboard configuration closely resembled a previous special-bodied 250 SWB, featuring a large-diameter tachometer and speedometer in the center of the dashboard. The interior ambiance had an airy 'greenhouse' motif with glass surrounding the driver on all sides, which was interrupted only by thin rear pillars that help house the panoramic rear window. This design feature was unique to the Lusso and offered nearly 360-degree visibility for the driver.

The Lusso could race from 0-to-100 mph in 19.5 seconds and had a top speed of 150 mph. Production would continue from 1962 through 1964, with approximately 350 examples being built.

by Daniel Vaughan | Oct 2019