1985 Ferrari Mondial

1980 brought the start of the Mondial and the end of the V-6 powered Ferrari Dino. The wedge-shaped styling would define the sports-car appearance through the 1980s.

Ferrari returned to Pininfarina for styling with the mid-size Mondial coupe and, eventually, a cabriolet. Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Scaglittle of nearby Modena was tasked with the construction. This 'usable' model offered the practicality of four seats, good interior space, reasonable rear legroom, excellent visibility, and a slightly higher roofline than its stablemates. A single long door on each side of the vehicle allowed for easy entry and exit. The steel body was built over a lightweight steel box-section space frame. This was the first Ferrari to have the engine, gearbox, and rear suspension assembly mounted on a detachable steel subframe. This made engine removal for servicing much easier than on previous models.

The Mondial employed the 308 GT4's 3.0-liter quad-cam V8 engine in a lengthened version of its chassis. The running gear and transmission remained the same - a five-speed transaxle and independent suspension setup all around. In 1982, the Mondial QV was introduced, which, as the name implies, increased the number of valves to four per cylinder and horsepower rose to 240 bhp. Displacement grew to 3.2-liters by 1986 and horsepower reflected that change, increasing to 260 bhp. Styling changes included body-colored bumpers, similar to the 328, with more integrated indicators and driving lamps, and a set of restyled wheels. Updates continued to the interior with a more ergonomic layout and a more rounded instrument binnacle.

The Mondial featured more electronic accessories than any prior Ferrari and showcased new technologies throughout its production. They had many modern conveniences like power brakes, automatic climate control, and fully adjustable suspension.

The Mondial's were quite roomy and well balanced, and the roar of the transverse-mounted V-8 engine was delightful. The four-valve-per-cylinder V-8 featured Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection and Marelli Microplex electronic ignition, mated to an F1 style transverse-mounted five-speed manual gearbox. Top speed was in the neighborhood of 144 mph and zero-t-sixty mph was accomplished in under seven seconds. They successfully accomplished the goal of being a 'more usable' model with the practicality of four seats with the performance of a mid-range Ferrari.

Production of the Mondial lasted from 1980 through 1993. 703 examples of the Mondial 8 were built from 1980 through 1982, and 1,145 coupes and 629 cabriolets of the Mondial QV were built between 1983 and 1985. Production of the Mondial 3.2 lasted from 1986 to 1988, with 987 coupes and 810 of the cabriolet. The Mondial t was the final iteration, built from 1988 through 1993, with 858 coupes and 1,017 cabriolets.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet by Scaglietti
Chassis number: ZFFUC15A1F0057303

The Ferrari Mondial was designed by Pininfarina and wears coachwork by Scaglietti. This example has just 58,000 miles. The notoriously slow windows have been upgraded with window accelerators in both doors. The car is finished in its original Rosso Corsa red paint with black leather interior.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet by Scaglietti

Originally, a cabriolet was a light horse-drawn carriage. Developed in France in the late 18th century, it quickly became the preferred vehicle for hire. In its shortened form - 'cab' it has become synonymous with such a conveyance. Ferrari chose 'Mondial' to honor its win with the famed 500 Mondial race car of the early 1950s. It was conceived as a practical model, offering 2+2 seating. The body design is by Pininfarina. It is the only 4-seat, mid-rear engine convertible automobile ever manufactured in regular production. Just 629 were built between 1983 and 1985. It is powered by a 3.0-liter fuel injected 32-valve overhead camshaft V-8 engine developing 245 horsepower mated to a 5-speed transmission capable of 0-60 mph in 6.4 seconds. The current owner first acquired it in 1997, sold it in 19999 and repurchased it in 2000.

Cabriolet by Scaglietti

Between 1982 and 1985, Ferrari produced just 629 examples of the Mondial Convertible. The Mondial was the first production car to feature 2+2 seating in a mid-engine car.

This Ferrari has just 37,548 miles on the odometer and is powered by a 3-liter 32 valve V8 engine offering 240 horsepower and connected to a 5-speed manual transmission. It is finished in Rosso Corsa red paint and has black Connolly leather hides and a black convertible top, metric wheels with original TRX tires, and a well preserved interior.

by Dan Vaughan

Coupe by Scaglietti
Chassis number: ZFFUD14A1F0054691

This 1985 Ferrari Mondial QV Coupe is finished in deep blue exterior paint. It was delivered new to Florida and accrued the majority of its mileage in the 1980s. Since the 1990s less than 10,000 miles have been added to the odometer. Recently, the vehicle has been in the care of a Texas-based owner who treated the car to the prerequisite belt service in 2016.

The car is powered by a 2926.90cc dual overhead cam V-8 engine fitted with a Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection system helping to produce 235 horsepower at 6,800 RPM. There is a four-speed manual transmission, independent suspension, and four-wheel disc brakes.

by Dan Vaughan

The Pininfarina-designed Mondial 8 was debuted at the Geneva Auto Show in 1980 as a replacement for the 308 models. It used the same 2927cc quad-cam V8 mounted transversely behind the seats. The US version produced 205 bhp while the other versions produced 214 bhp. The transmission was borrowed from their F1 efforts and featured a transverse-mounted gearbox that lowered the drive-line by five inches.

This was the first Ferrari with power-assisted rack-and-pinion steerings. Air-conditioning was standard with climate control for both the driver and passenger.

The Mondial 3.2 was produced from 1985 through 1988 with power coming for a V8 engine having a larger bore and stroke and displacing a total of 3.2-liters. Horsepower rose to 270 and the weight distribution was optimized adding to the car's performance and its mid-engine persona. Other changes were minor, such as painted bumpers and new wheels. In 1987, anti-lock brakes became standard, improving not only the vehicle's performance but also its safety. On the inside, Ferrari gave it a few modern updates and changes.

In 1989, the Ferrari Mondial t was introduced. The 't' referenced a new transversely mounted gearbox, which allowed the engine to be positioned lower, improving weight distribution and handling. The engine had also received modifications. Instead of mounting the engine transversely, as was done in the prior Mondial, the engine now sat longitudinally in the chassis. Its bore and stroke were enlarged giving it a displacement of 3405 cc. The 3.4 liter V8 was capable of producing between 270 through 300 horsepower, depending on the configuration. The Euro-specs did not have to comply with as-strict emission standards and were capable of producing greater horsepower. Top speed was achieved at 156 mph with zero-to-sixty taking just 5.6 seconds.

Minor visual changes accompanied the mechanical changes for the Mondial t. Rectangular engine air intakes could now be found on the rear wings. The seats, dash, and center console were modernized.

In 1993, Ferrari offered a Valeo transmission which allowed the driver to manually change gears without the use of a clutch. Though the Valeo system was revolutionary and worked extremely well, only a few Mondial t's opted for this option. By 1997 the F1-style transmissions superseded the Valeo system.

During the production lifespan of the Mondial t, the cabriolet versions proved to be more popular with over 1000 examples being produced. Around 840 Coupes were constructed.

by Dan Vaughan