This is the 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso that belonged to two-time Canadian Driving Champion and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Famer Eppie Wietzes. It retains its matching-numbers V12, and it’s now being offered for sale.
“Lusso” translates from Italian into English as “Luxury,” the 250 GT Lusso was intended very much as a luxurious grand tourer but under the skin lay versions of the chassis, engine, and suspension, used on the 250 GTO which won the FIA’s International Championship for GT Manufacturers in 1962, 1963, and 1964.
Fast Facts – The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso
- The 1964 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso shown in this article once belonged to Eppie Wietzes, a two-time Canadian Driving Champion and Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame member. This car retains its matching-numbers V12, and has a known history since the late 1960s.
- The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso, “Lusso” translating to “Luxury” in English, was designed as a luxurious grand tourer but shared closely related chassis, engine, and suspension components as the 250 GTO, which won the FIA’s International Championship for GT Manufacturers from 1962 to 1964. It features a tubular steel chassis, upgraded rear suspension from the 250 GTO, traditional double wishbone front suspension, and disc brakes at all four corners.
- As the final model in the Ferrari 250 series, the Lusso was produced between 1962 and 1964, with only 351 examples made. It was positioned between the 250 GTE 2+2 and the 250 GT SWB. Despite not being intended for racing, it was used in events like the Targa Florio and the Tour de France. The Lusso gained popularity, particularly in the United States, with notable owners such as Steve McQueen and Eric Clapton.
- The Lusso shown here was originally delivered to Italy, later moved to the United States in 1969, and subsequently to Canada where Eppie Wietzes acquired it in 1972. It underwent refinishing and partial engine rebuilding over the years, with its current color being a later addition. This car is set to be auctioned by RM Sotheby’s with an estimated price range of $1,500,000 to $1,800,000 USD, offered without reserve.
The Last Ferrari 250 GT Road Car
The Ferrari 250 series of road and race cars debuted in 1952 and remained in production until 1964. There can be little argument that the 250 Ferraris are the most important model series in the company’s long and storied history, doing more than any other to establish the company as a builder of world beating sports racing cars, and luxurious high-performance grand tourers.
Here we see Enzo Ferrari standing with a Ferrari 250 GT Lusso on his right and a Ferrari 330 GT 2+2 on his left. Image courtesy of Ferrari.
The highlights of the 250 series include Ferraris we’ve all heard of countless times, including the 250 Testa Rossa, 250 GTO, 250 LM, 250 GT California Spyder, the 250 GT SWB, and of course, the 250 GT Lusso.
The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso would be the final iteration of the 250 series, entering production in 1962 and remaining in production for only approximately 18 months before being replaced by the Ferrari 275 GTB in 1964.
As the last in the series, the Lusso incorporated a broad range of improvements that had been made to the model range since its debut. It featured a tubular steel chassis based on the design of the multiple-championship winning 250 GTO, and it also adopted the uprated rear suspension from this car, consisting of a live axle with semi-elliptical concentric coil springs and telescopic shock absorbers.
The front suspension was more traditional, with double wishbones and coil springs, and the car was fitted with disc brakes front and back. The body, designed at Pininfarina, was built at Carrozzeria Scaglietti out of steel, with aluminum opening panels including the doors, hood, and trunk.
The Lusso was first shown to the world at the 1962 Paris Motor Show in prototype form, however production models were merely weeks away from hitting showroom floors. Ferrari had developed the car to slot into the model range between to the 250 GTE 2+2 which was slightly larger and offered seating for four, and the more sporting 250 GT SWB.
Over the course of the relatively short production run there would be 351 examples of the Lusso made, the car proved popular with buyers, particularly in the United States, and both Steve McQueen and Eric Clapton would own them.
Although Ferrari never intended the 250 GT Lusso to be taken racing, that had given it many race-derived parts, and as a result some privateers did compete in them. There were entries in many smaller races, as well as some major events like the 1964 and 1965 Targa Florio and the Tour de France in the same years.
The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso was perfectly suited to carrying a couple and their dog on long cross-country drives. Image courtesy of Ferrari.
Today, the 250 GT Lusso is looked back upon by many as one of the most beautiful cars from the era, with some holding it up as one of the most beautiful cars ever made. Values have been increasing steadily, and whereas a few years ago you could still get one for a few hundred thousand dollars, now it’ll take at least a low seven figure sum to land one in your driveway.
Who Was Eppie Wietzes?
Egbert “Eppie” Wietzes was a racing driver who competed in Formula One, Can-Am, Formula 5000, and Trans-Am. Today he’s best remembered for winning the 1981 Trans-Am Series, and for winning back-to-back Canadian Driving Championships in 1969 and 1970.
Interestingly, Wietzes’ other claim to fame is that he was the first ever driver of a safety car in Formula One. He made history as he took to the track in a Porsche 914 at the 1973 Canadian Grand Prix after a serious crash that took out the cars of both François Cevert and Jody Scheckter.
Wietzes was born in Assen, Netherlands in 1938 but moved to Canada when he was 12. Even though he was a dual national he always emphasized his Canadian identity, and he was inducted into the Canadian Motorsport Hall of Fame in 1993.
The Ferrari 250 GT Lusso Shown Here
The car you see here was originally completed in early 1964 and then delivered to its first owner in italy, via Renato Nocentini’s Garage La Rotunda in Prato, Italy. The early life of the car is largely lost to history, what we do know is that it was exported to the United States in 1969, it then made its way to Canada where it was sold to Eppie Wietzes in late 1972.
Wietzes would own the car for a period of time before selling it on, it then made its way through the hands of a few enthusiasts, and along the way it was refinished in black over a black leather interior. In 1994 the car was sent to the Legendary Motorcar Company of Halton Hills who refinished the chassis, brightwork, wheels, and coachwork. The engine was then partially rebuilt by Alfieri International Automobiles, also of Toronto.
The interior of the Ferrari 250 GT Lusso is beautifully appointed, its more luxurious than the out-and-out sports racing cars yet still more compact than larger models like the 250 GTE.
At some point after this the car was refinished in its current color, and it’ll be up to the new owner if they wish to keep it as is, or return it to its original factory color combination of Nocciola (hazelnut) paint over a Rosso Vaumol leather interior by Connolly.
The car is now due to roll across the auction block with RM Sotheby’s in a few days time with a price guide of $1,500,000 – $1,800,000 USD, and it’s being offered without reserve. If you’d like to read more about it or register to bid you can visit the listing here.
Here we see over a dozen freshly-built examples of the Ferrari 250 GT Lusso awaiting delivery to the dealerships in their respective countries. Image courtesy of Ferrari.
Images: Darin Schnabel ©2024 Courtesy of RM Sotheby’s + Ferrari
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