“Luxury that Moves with you.” This bit of generic American marketing-speak announced an exclusive multinational luxury Grand Touring car, the Ghia L 6.4. Officially a product of Dual Motors, the Ghia-badged L 6.4 followed-up the beautiful but flawed Dual Ghia, with roots back to the long and fruitful relationship between Chrysler’s flamboyant design boss, Virgil Exner, and Ghia’s ambitious leader, Luigi Segre. Like the Dual-Ghia, the L 6.4 set its sights on Rolls-Royce, Bentley, Mercedes-Benz, and Cadillac at the pinnacle of the luxury car market. Boasting muscular Chrysler power in a striking Italian suit, the L 6.4 was another nuanced Ghia interpretation of an Exner design. The L 6.4 conveyed Exner’s exuberant sense of mid-century glamor but with restrained sophistication courtesy of the Italian carrozzeria. Virgil Exner championed the use of bodyside panels as a styling point, and the L 6.4 reflected his aesthetic with its deeply rolled sills and subtle upswept swage line on the quarter panel. The cockpit blended American Jet-Age styling with European austerity - a far cry from the dark timber-lined cabins of its British competition, yet no less luxurious. The running gear was all MoPar, in the form of the 383 cubic-inch “Wedge” V8, mated to a robust TorqueFlite automatic transmission. With 335 horsepower on tap, the L6.4 had proper continent-crushing performance ability.

The L 6.4’s shocking $13,500 price limited the audience, though Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and Dean Martin each owned L 6.4s (Martin owned several), trading up from their Dual-Ghias. At least the L 6.4 was beautifully crafted, so the few lucky owners got their money’s worth. However, like similar Italian-American hybrids of the era, even the outrageous price tag could not overcome the ballooning production cost. Rising labor rates in Italy combined with the complexity of shipping bodies across the ocean, and ultimately, the gorgeous Ghia L 6.4 was destined to a glorious flash in the pan. After Ghia completed just 26 examples, the project met its demise.

This spectacular Ghia L 6.4 is the sixth of twenty-six produced and is offered fresh from a concours-quality, nut-and-bolt restoration. Presented in a stunning shade of warm metallic silver over a parchment leather interior, this striking Ghia is one of the finest examples of the type available. According to information compiled and provided by Dr. Paul Sable and Dyke W. Ridgley, chassis 0306 was originally delivered to Switzerland to an unknown private buyer, finished in dark amaranth over a camel-colored leather interior. The car remained in Switzerland for most of its life and is believed to have been in the care of the original owner until about 2000, when it was sold to Peter Rau, proprietor of Touring Garage AG, in Oberweningen, Switzerland. Registry notes show it was a sound and complete original car needing minor service. From there, it passed to an American collector who held it in his private collection for the next 16 years but never restored it.

As offered here, the Ghia is returned to its original splendor. The warm metallic silver paintwork is exquisitely finished, and the shade highlights the coachwork’s elegant form with a sense of mid-century sophistication. The chrome and brightwork are superbly restored, and the car rides on period-correct Good Year Super Cushion whitewalls, with the restored original Ghia hubcaps in place.

Opening the large door reveals a comfortable, bright, and airy cabin. With its brightly polished aluminum and aircraft-inspired layout, the stylistic antithesis to the leather & wood of its British contemporaries. The polished alloy fascia dominates the interior as it sweeps from the instrument panel and down the center console. Gorgeous parchment leather piped in brown covers the seats, door panels, quarters, and dash, and the dark brown carpets tie in with the warmth of the silver paint. Equipment includes electric windows, a full array of bespoke instruments, Ghia-branded radio, and a gorgeous Ghia-badged Nardi steering wheel. The boot features the same brown carpet piped in parchment leather, with leather side panels and a quilted deck lid pad.

Power comes from the original, matching-numbers Chrysler-sourced 6.4-liter (383 c.i.) V8. It is exquisitely detailed and wears the proper Ghia-script valve covers in the correct black wrinkle-finish paint and an original air cleaner. Other touches include the correct MoPar hose clamps, quilted underhood pad, and polished alloy shut panel. The finish quality under the bonnet is as fine as the rest of the body, as the car has little more than a few shakedown miles on it since being completed.

Dual Motors produced just 26 examples of the L 6.4, and few of the survivors are restored to this level. This superlative Ghia is undoubtedly one of the finest of its kind extant, ready for its concours debut at any number of exclusive events worldwide.

Offers welcome and trades considered

Sorry this car has been sold. Are you looking to buy or sell a car like this? Contact a representative