A perhaps apocryphal story ascribes Enzo Ferrari's motivation in replacing the 250GT Lusso with the 275 GTB to his belief the Lusso was too beautiful to convey properly the image of Ferrari.

Like many Ferrari stories, it may be less than fully accurate, but contributes to the myth that surrounds the marque.

Its logic, however, is supported by the judgment of history: the aggressive 275 GTB is today more coveted by collectors than the Lusso, even though the Lusso's design has endured the test of time to be generally agreed as among the most pure and beautiful products of the collaboration between Ferrari and Pininfarina.

The 275 GTB has other distinctive attributes, not least its place as the first fully independent suspension transaxle-equipped Ferrari road car and for the power and tractability of its 3.3 liter 60° V12 engine developed from the 1½ liter Colombo "short block" originally designed in 1947.

The engine was mounted low and farther back, taking advantage of some of the s...