Chassis No. 5847
Engine No. 5847
Transmission Internal No. 326
Rear Axle Internal No. 330

Unveiled to the world at the 1962 Paris Salon, the stunning Ferrari 250 GT/L-better known as the Berlinetta Lusso (meaning Luxury)-is widely regarded as one of the most elegant Ferrari Gran Turismos ever built. With the introduction of the 250-series chassis in the early 1950s, Ferrari showed the world it was serious about the business of building exceptional road-going GT cars. The 250 was still highly successful in motorsport, but the road cars now had a level of refinement demanded by Ferrari clients. The Lusso was the final act in the 250 GT series, replacing the 250 GT Pinin Farina Coupe. It signaled a departure from Pinin Farina's earlier crisp and angular style with a soft, flowing, and elegant form, brought to life in physical form by the craftsmen at Scaglietti. It honored its sporting pedigree with nods to the 250 GT SWB but with a more prominent grille and headlight treatment. Delicate pillars supported the gracefully sweeping roof, and a beautifully drawn waistline began at the A-pillars, swept across the rear quarters, and terminated in an Kamm tail-an aerodynamic cue shared with Ferrari's competition benchmark, the 250 GTO.

Beneath its sculpted bodywork, the Lusso's similarities with its competition-bred stablemates continued. Its chassis, which descended directly from the GTO, adopted two Watts linkages firmly locating the rear axle, as well as four-wheel disc brakes and coil-over dampers at each corner. Power came from the Tipo 168 U 3.0-liter Colombo V12 in its most fully developed form, incorporating features like outside-plug ignition and single-cylinder porting proven in the competition 250 variants such as the Testa Rossa and SWB. The 250 GT/L wasn't raced in any official capacity by the factory, although some examples saw competition in the hands of privateers, particularly in long-distance endurance races, rallies and club events.

Produced in a run of just 350 cars over roughly two years, the 250 GT/L remains a rare and highly sought after final evolution of the highly influential 250 GT family-an exquisite bridge between the classic three-liter Colombo era and the new 275 that would follow.

Chassis number 5847 is a late-run Lusso completed by the factory in June of 1964 as the 327th of 350 examples built. This car's fascinating and colorful history is exceptionally well documented via photos, correspondence, receipts, as well as a detailed history report provided by marque historian Marcel Massini. According to Massini's records, 5847 GT left the factory destined for German distributor Auto Becker in Düsseldorf. Interestingly, the car was ordered with an ammeter in place of the clock and a column-mounted ignition key and steering lock, as required by German regulations at the time. Finished in Grigio Argento over Nero hides, it was sold to a doctor residing in Berlin, and records show that early in its life, it returned to the factory service department in Modena, Ferrari Assistenza Clienti, for repairs.

In October 1967, 5847 had been traded or consigned back to Auto Becker. By this time, it had been repainted red and was subsequently sold to Ingvar Brandstrom, beginning a long and fascinating chapter in Sweden. Through the late 1960s, the car passed through several Swedish owners, all of whom are documented in the accompanying Massini Report. In 1967, a famous photograph of 5847 was taken in Sweden with the car's designer Battista Pininfarina posing alongside for Kurt H. Miska's book The Ferrari Lusso. A moment significant enough to make the local Swedish newspaper!

In 1968, Peter Ashtelik acquired 5847 from Sven Andersson, and sometime between 1969-1970, Ashtelik had an unfortunate encounter with a petrol pump, damaging the bodywork on right side of the car. He eventually sold it back to Andersson, who, within about a week, sold it on to Tom Trana, a successful Swedish rally driver with close ties to Volvo and Saab-Scania. Trana was a past winner of the Swedish Rally as well as the prestigious RAC Rally, and he took advantage of his close ties within the Volvo competition department to get his newly acquired Ferrari repaired and back in action, subsequently taking part in a number of Swedish road rallies over the next few years.

Throughout the 1970s and early 1980s, 250 GT/L 5847 was enjoyed to the fullest on the road, in rallies, and in casual competition by a series of enthusiastic Swedish owners, including the founder of the Swedish Ferrari Club, Dr. Rien Tomson. In 1983, while in the care of Jens Gustav Larsson, the Lusso suffered crash damage during the Prix Maritim in Lübeck, Germany, and was subsequently placed in storage until it was sold in 1987 to fellow Swede Gunnar Pettersson.

By this time, with interest in vintage Ferraris on the rise, the decision was made to entrust the Lusso to Carrozzeria Auto Sport in Modena, Italy for an extensive restoration. There, the damaged car was repaired and refinished in its original shade of silver-grey metallic. Shortly thereafter, the engine was rebuilt by Autofficina Saoro Mingarelli in Bologna. Petterson returned the car to Italy in 1991/92, furthering the restoration by having it repainted again in yellow as an homage to one of the original Lusso prototypes, and having the interior restored in black leather by Fratelli Luppi of Modena. He continued to enjoy the car throughout the remainder of the decade, making appearances at events in Italy, Germany, and France.

The striking yellow Lusso began a new chapter in the early 2000s, when it was acquired by Dutch enthusiast Willem Kroon, who reimagined the Lusso in semi-competizione guise. Inspired by the iconic 250 GTO, Kroon fitted a sextet of Weber carburetors supplied by Roelofs Engineering complete with polished velocity stacks. The front suspension and rear axle were rebuilt and refreshed to tighten up handling, and a new alloy fuel tank and SNAP exhaust tips fitted. To complete the competition-inspired look, Kroon removed the rear bumper and dressed the body in period-style roundels, Tricolore stripes, and period sponsor logos. Kroon enjoyed his spiced-up Lusso in many rallies and shows across Europe, and in 2009, chassis 5847 was featured in Forza magazine, issue number 96.

The Lusso came to the United States in 2010 in the care of John and Susan Barrett of Athens, Georgia, who continued the car's sporting legacy by driving it enthusiastically on the Copperstate 1000 on three occasions, also showing it at the 2010 Keenland Concours d'Elegance. The renowned Ferrari collector David Lee acquired 5847 for his collection in 2015, subsequently showing it in the exclusive 2016 Quail Motorsports Gathering and the San Marino Motor Classic in 2021, before it changed hands most recently in early 2026.

Still as vivid as ever in its yellow livery over black leather upholstery, Lusso 5847 has since shed its tricolore stripes, roundels, and period logos for a more factory look, also reverting to its factory bumper configuration. It still retains hints of its prior competition life including the six-carburetor intake, SNAP exhausts, and an alloy fuel tank. Importantly, this Lusso appears to retain its complete original drivetrain, sporting its original matching numbers Tipo 168 250 V12 engine, and transmission and rear end whose stamped numbers correspond to those found on Marcel Massini's report.

It is offered with an extensive history file including copies of its original factory build sheets, fascinating period correspondence from the 1970-1972 period documenting Tom Trana's efforts to get the car repaired and back on the road, restoration receipts and correspondence with Bacchelli & Villa, and various service invoices from more recent times, in addition to Marcel Massini's comprehensive history report. Additionally, should the winning bidder so choose, the Lusso will be offered with its previously installed roll bar and pair of racing seats, available for pickup at the buyer's expense post-auction in California. Beautifully presented today, with a sporting character earned through years of driving enjoyment, this Lusso boasts exceptionally well-documented history, and is ready for a new custodian to continue its fascinating, high-performance legacy.