{"id":91174,"date":"2014-02-11T20:44:02","date_gmt":"2014-02-11T19:44:02","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.gtspirit.com\/?p=91174"},"modified":"2014-10-09T15:18:23","modified_gmt":"2014-10-09T13:18:23","slug":"road-test-1963-ferrari-250-gt-lusso","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gtspirit.com\/2014\/02\/11\/road-test-1963-ferrari-250-gt-lusso\/","title":{"rendered":"Road Test: 1963 Ferrari 250 GT Lusso"},"content":{"rendered":"

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In the early 1960s, while the Beatles and Cliff Richard were topping the charts in Britain, and Elvis was threatening to become America\u2019s best-known export, Ferrari were crafting some of the most beautiful cars ever to turn a wheel.<\/p>\n

The Ferrari 250 came in many guises and became the generic term for a whole range of Ferrari Grand Touring cars. With 15 different models spanning the years 1953 to 1963, the 250 Series encompassed a decade of elegant sports cars designed for both road and track. <\/p>\n

In a history spanning just over half a century, Ferrari has produced cars with a wide range of styling from beautiful and elegant to purposeful and even brutal. The most famous of the 250 series cars are undoubtedly the 250GT SWB and the incredible 250GTO, both racing legends and purposeful looking with it. But amongst the road cars the 250GT Lusso has the most beautiful lines of all, and is arguably the most elegant road going Ferrari of all time.<\/p>\n

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This is of course a subjective judgement, a gut reaction to a design that looks right from every angle. But in design, what looks right normally is, and when you stand back and consider the Lusso\u2019s styling objectively, it becomes apparent that its basic proportions obey all the fundamental rules of good design.<\/p>\n

At the core of this \u2018rightness\u2019 in proportion is the long front, which conveys a sense of power and speed, while the rear tapers to a Kamm tail, the aerodynamically most efficient way to finish a car. In between, the proportion of roof to body and its shape and position in relation to the wheelbase is also visual perfection. <\/p>\n

The slim roof pillars and glasshouse create a feeling of light and space both inside and out, resulting in a car that appears powerful yet graceful. This is exactly the sort of look that made the Supermarine Spitfire, another lithe and curvaceous design, the aviation classic that it is.<\/p>\r\n