Looking to fill the gap between the race-ready 250 GT SWB Berlinetta and the four-seater 250 GTE, Ferrari’s new 250 GT/L sought to offer the best of both worlds between performance and everyday usability. The “L” designation in the car’s nomenclature stood for lusso, or luxury, as this car was indeed a luxuriously outfitted grand tourer.

First unveiled to the public at the 1962 Paris Motor Show, many onlookers quickly fell head over heels for the car’s gorgeous Pininfarina-designed bodywork. Crafted from steel with an aluminium hood and doors, the Lusso’s body was a study in sports car perfection, and it remains one of the most celebrated automotive designs of all time. Gently curved, bulbous fenders gave way to a sleek, fastback Kamm tail, complemented by a generously glassed canopy and delicate, minimal brightwork.

However, the Lusso’s beauty was not just skin-deep. Ferrari’s tried-and-true 3.0-litre, Colombo-designed V-12 with three Weber carburettors lay beneath the hood in what would be its final application in the Ferrari line-up. With 240 brake horsepower on tap, acceleration from 0–60 mph took just eight seconds, leading onwards to a top speed of 150 mph. Borrowing its short-wheelbase chassis from the incredible 250 GT SWB Berlinetta and 250 GTO, it boasted wonderful handling to complement its speed.

Aside from the engine, the Lusso was updated with disc brakes as standard, as well as two rear-suspension upgrades developed with the 250 GTO: the integration of concentric springs on the shock absorbers and a Watts linkage to assist in lateral stability of the rear axle. Inside, the Lusso’s cabin was swathed in leather and featured a unique new dashboard layout and instrument arrangement that would never be duplicated in any other Ferrari. Five small gauges lay behind the classic wood-rimmed steering wheel, while two large centre-placed dials angled towards the driver, aesthetically anchoring the instrument panel in a futuristic manner. Over the course of two years of production, approximately 350 examples of the Lusso were built.

According to factory records, this particular 250 GT/L Lusso was completed by the factory on 10 June 1964 as the 306th example built, finished in Grigio Argento (18940 M) over Nero (VM 8500). It was subsequently delivered to Franco-Britannic Autos SA of Paris, France, and sold new and registered to its first French owner, Mr Mignaval, shortly thereafter. It remained in France until June of 1980, when it was imported to Italy.

Chassis number 5681 GT was registered immediately thereafter to Giuseppe Medici’s company, Medici S.p.A., in Reggio Emilia. It only remained in his possession for a short amount of time and by the following year, it was noted as being re-registered in Padua under the ownership of the great Ferrari enthusiast Aldo Cudone, now finished in dark brown by Bachelli & Villa with a tan leather interior by Luppi—a livery that Aldo Cudone chose because his father had owned a Lusso in the same colour combination whilst he was growing up. The car was seen at Ferrari's 50th anniversary festivities in Rome and Maranello in May of 1997. It was acquired by its current Italian owner in 1999 after Aldo Cudone passed away. Still finished in dark brown over beige, a very elegant colour combination for a Lusso, the car presents quite well throughout and is accompanied by a car cover and tool roll.

Considered by many to be the most attractive model of the 250-series of Ferraris, the Lusso is a car that is just as wonderful to look at as it is to drive. Capable of crossing large swaths of land at high speed while cosseting its driver and passenger in comfort, the Lusso is a grand tourer par excellence and a wonderful automobile by all accounts. Thanks in part to its highly compelling colour scheme, chassis number 5681 GT stands out from the rest as a very interesting example of the final model of the vaunted 250 family of Ferraris.