This gorgeous 1964 Lusso, the 10th from the last built, was first delivered to official dealer Vecar S.r.l. in Rome, in July 1964, finished in Blu Notte (Night Blue) over a beige leather interior. It was then sold to its first owner in Rome, and in 1968, it was exported by dealer Dino Armando Genghini to the US. After passing among several American enthusiasts, the Ferrari was sold to a UK owner by 1988, but eventually it returned to the US. In 1998, noted 1960s privateer Ferrari racer Pierre Noblet and his son Gregory purchased the Lusso from Fantasy Junction in Emeryville, California.

Pierre Noblet was a successful 1960s gentleman racer and heir to a French textile fortune. The family had trade connections with Italian Count Gaetano Marzotto, whose fortunes were also in textiles and whose son Gianni had won the Mille Miglia twice while piloting a Ferrari. In the late 1950s, Gianni convinced Noblet he should visit the Maranello factory to see Ferrari’s wondrous creations for himself. When Noblet arrived, Enzo was on hand to meet him, and by the time he left he had bought a 250 MM. In 1960, Noblet finished 6th Overall and 3rd in Class at Le Mans in an Ecurie Francorchamps 250 SWB. The next year, he finished 3rd Overall, behind the factory Ferrari Testa Rossas. In 1962, equipped with a new 250 GTO, he went one better, finishing 2nd Overall to the Ferrari 330 TRI of Gendebien and Hill. Continuing his success at La Sarthe, Noblet finished 1st in Class at Le Mans in 1964 and 2nd in Class in 1966.

Upon receiving the Lusso in 1998, Noblet sent it to be freshened, which is summarized in a note on file. The body was restored by Bacchelli & Villa, the upholstery was completed by Fratelli Luppi, and the mechanicals were done by noted Ferrari specialist Piet Roelofs in the Netherlands. The engine was fitted with high-lift cams, forged pistons, and a lightened flywheel. With the Lusso, the Noblets participated in five runnings of the French Tour Auto, the Targa Florio Revival, and the Modena Cento Ore, among others.

In 2003, the Noblets sold the Lusso through Gregor Fisken in the UK when they acquired an alloy 275 GTB. Before the sale, the engine was again refurbished by Roelofs with new bearings, pistons, and valves. The Ferrari is accompanied by extensive documentation for this work, as well as registrations, work orders, and correspondence going back to the 1980s.

In 2004, the Lusso was sold to a noted Ferrari collector and former 250 GTO owner in the US. In his ownership, the Ferrari was sent to Sport Auto Modena in Italy for work on the suspension, steering box, braking system, clutch, and gearbox. In 2014, he brought the car to Brandon Wang’s Tour Le Ferrari Ritorno a Casa in the South of France and Maranello, and the Lusso was then displayed at Museo Enzo Ferrari in Modena. In 2014, the Ferrari was Classiche certified at the factory, confirming its matching-numbers engine and gearbox.

In 2020, the consignor acquired the Lusso, and hired the Ferrari experts at R & R Automotive Restorations of Mount Kisco, New York, to perform additional work in preparation for the Texas 1000 rally. This included replacing the points and condenser, rebuilding the distributors, replacing the coils, draining and replacing fluids, a rebuild of the water pump, a valve adjustment, carburetor rebuild, and suspension work. After the successful completion of the tour, the car was sent back to R & R Automotive Restorations for a post-rally inspection, and additional work was completed.

Today, this beautiful 250 GT Lusso possesses a host of desirable attributes. It has been classiche certified and retains its matching-numbers engine and gearbox. It has been improved by some of the top Ferrari mechanics in the US and Italy. It was even displayed in the Ferrari Museum in Modena. Owned by a renowned Ferrari collector and former GTO owner, as well as an important 1960s racing personality, the Lusso has excellent provenance. With the bonus of its recent sorting and the completion of a 1,000-mile rally, the Lusso’s next fortunate owner will have the pleasure of owning a great example of one of the most beautiful road-going Ferraris of all time.