A surprising development at the 1960 24-Hours of Le Mans signalled a new direction for Ferrari, one that had little to do with racing. Serving as the race marshal’s course car, a new Pinin Farina-built 2+2 Coupé demonstrated Maranello’s intention to widen its audience and finally delve into the production-based luxury car market.

Riding the same 508-series chassis as the 250 GT Coupés, the 250 GTE’s driving position was moved forward to accommodate the rear seats, whilst Pinin Farina crafted a typically elegant body, more of an homage to the fastback saloons of the prior decade than an exercise in futuristic aerodynamics. The latest version of the Type 128 engine, the 128E, which featured spark plugs outside the V for easier maintenance and longer engine life, gave the model its unusual suffix. As Ferrari’s first series-produced 2+2, the 250 GTE was manufactured in three discretely revised series between 1960 and 1963, and it was the manufacturer’s best-selling model to date.

This mid-production second-series 250 GTE was originally delivered by French importer Charles Pozzi to its first owner in Udine, Italy, in January 1963. Records reflect that the car was serviced nine months later at the Ferrari Factory Assistenza Clienti in Modena. By the mid-1980s, the car was owned by Giancarlo Luppi, who reportedly presented it at the Ferrari Days Modena event in September 1983.

Enjoying the company of the consignor’s sensational Ferrari collection for the last 10 years, this 250 GTE has been certified as a matching-numbers example by Ferrari Classiche. It is finished in Grigio Notte, the same as when it left the factory, and the interior benefits from a recent retrim in supple black leather. Considering the mammoth growth of 250 GT values in recent years, 3827GT offers an affordable investment into the ranks of 250 ownership that should allow for measurable appreciation in coming years.