Few car companies capture the mystique and aura of the automotive world quite like Ferrari. For generations, the Prancing Horse from Maranello has produced some of the most iconic cars in the world. These range from the Ferrari 275 GTB, the F40, the 500 TRC, and right up to more modern classics such as the Enzo and the SF90 Stradale. But one of the most famous cars that Ferrari has ever produced is that of the 250 GT Lusso, a car that is now one of the rarest Ferraris in the world.

The Lusso was produced for just 18 months, from 1962 to 1964. In total, 350 of these iconic machines were produced and it was a larger and more luxurious version of the 250 GT Berlinetta. Unlike the Berlinetta, the Lusso was not intended for sports car competition and was aimed solely at the road market. We at HotCars, thanks to the generosity of Automobiles Etcetera in Montreal, have been lucky enough to have been able to have a look at a unique $1.7 million 250 GT Lusso, an original bodied and original engine example of one of Ferrari’s most elegant cars.

Backstory To This Special 250 GT Lusso

This particular GT Lusso was delivered to its owner in October of 1963. This remarkable machine was once owned by New York Yankee legend Reggie Jackson. Jackson was perhaps most famous for his performance as a Yankee when he crushed three home runs from three pitchers on their first games, in the sixth game of the 1977 World Series. So this car already has added value thanks to its legendary owner. But, whilst that always helps to sell a car, there is a lot more to this Lusso than just Reggie Jackson.

The Lusso has the original engine, body, and suspension so still drives as it did back in 1963. The front-engine layout of the car also helps to add more interior space. This Lusso is also number 125 of the 350 units built and is finished in a unique Pinot Verde metallic green shade, a finish applied when Reggie Jackson got the car restored by Grand Prix Motors in 1998. Its also a platinum award winner of the Ferrari Club of America, Ferrari Red Book Classiche certified and Marcel Massini certified. The 250 GT Lusso was the very last of the 250 lineages, which started in 1952 with the 250S.

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The Last Of Its Kind

Ferrari GT Lusso Side View
via YouTube

Of course, we know there were more expensive 250s made in the range, such as the 250 GTO. But there is still so much that is special about this GT Lusso. The GT Lusso has a 3.0-liter Colombo V12 engine powering it, which is mated to either a four-speed or a five-speed manual gearbox and the engine churns out 2,953.21 cc worth of power. Of course, that isn’t a huge amount of power by today's standards, but it is still plenty of power.

The Lusso though is perhaps more memorable than even the 250 GTO. Steve McQueen had a brown one, and guitar god Eric Clapton had a silver one. The 250 GT Lusso and all of its predecessors were sold to ensure that Enzo Ferrari had the money he needed to go and race on the circuits of the world in series such as Formula 1 and at venues such as Le Mans. The GT Lusso was also seen in the film Tower Heist, in the stunning scarlet red that has become so synonymous with Ferrari. It is fair to say that this car is something pretty special.

An Entry-Level Ferrari

Ferrari GT Lusso Rear View 2
via YouTube

Remarkably, the rather “low price” of this Ferrari 250 compared to the other types in the range actually makes this something of an entry-level car in the 250 range. If of course, you have deep enough pockets. In Gone in 60 Seconds, Nick Cage played a man called who was looking for a vintage Ferrari. Roger wanted something that didn’t make him a “self-indulging wiener”. He wanted to be a connoisseur and have a 1967 Ferrari 275 GTB 4-Cam. Yes, this is the car's successor, but our point is that money doesn’t buy class. If you want to stand out, you need to have a taste. And this 250 GT Lusso has good taste written all over it.

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The 250 GTO Is An Understated Icon

Ferrari GT Lusso Front View
via YouTube

The Ferrari 250 GTO is a car that, maybe rightly, takes a lot of attention and is often seen as perhaps the greatest car Ferrari ever produced. But there is something so, so special about the 250 GT Lusso. Especially this former Reggie Jackson owned, Pinot Verde metallic green, last of its kind, and all original beauty. Ferraris are, not for everyone. They often mean “oh look at me” to a lot of people. But they know exactly how to make a great car. And this is a truly great Ferrari.

Source: YouTube