☰
conceptcarz.com
✕

1989 Ferrari Mondial T

The Mondial 8 represented many 'firsts' for Ferrari, including their first effort at building a car suitable for markets throughout the world. Mondial means 'world and was named to honor Ferrari's four-cylinder racers of the early 1950s. Its 3.0-liter quad-cam V8 engine was sourced from the 308GT4 but installed in a lengthened version of its chassis, with the five-speed transaxle and running gear remaining much the same. It offered ride quality and comfort in an elegant package that was capable of reaching speeds in excess of 140 mph. The Pininfarina-styled Mondial offered considerably more room than previous Ferrari 2+2 models, and it was the first Ferrari to depart from the company's familiar three-digit naming scheme. It was sold as a mid-sized coupe and, eventually, a cabriolet.

The interior was luxurious with British Connolly leather and a leather rimmed steering wheel that was adjustable for reach and rake, a first for Ferrari. Standard equipment included air-conditioning, central door locking, remote control mirrors, and a power antenna. All examples bound for the United States market required an optional power sunroof.

The car was not built as a monocoque in a conventional way, but instead, the steel outer body was produced by the Italian coachbuilder Carrozzeria Scaglietti and clothed a lightweight steel box-section space frame. The Mondial was the first Ferrari where the entire engine/gearbox/rear suspension assembly was mounted on a detachable steel sub-frame. This allowed for easier removal of the engine for a major rebuild or cylinder head removal.

Styling features included a rather short nose, a long rear section, and hidden headlights. There were full-width groves that traversed the grill section and grilled air intakes stood to the rear of the doors.

The quartet of carburetors was replaced with Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection in 1981, and a year later, the Mondial received a new engine and model designation, 'Quattrovalvole,' or 'Qv.' With the substitution of four-valves per head, the 'Qv' produced 230 horsepower. Displacement grew to 3.2 liters for 1985, and further enlarged in 1989, this time to 3.4 liters, with the 300 horsepower transmitted to the road via a transversal (transverse) five-speed gearbox developed using experience of this transmission arrangement gained in Formula 1. The revised engine/gearbox layout lowered the drivetrain by five inches which improved handling and eased servicing since the twin-disc clutch was now mounted at the rear of the car. The Mondial 't' featured two other Ferrari 'firsts' including the cockpit-adjustable ride quality control (soft, hard, or medium) and the power-assisted rack-and-pinion steering. Both air conditioning and anti-lock brakes were standard equipment, with the A.C. system offering separate adjustments for the driver and passenger. The instrument panel was redesigned with five round gauges positioned in front of the driver.

The Mondial t had a top speed of 158 miles per hour and a zero-to-sixty mph time of about 6.5 seconds. The new Bosch Motronic 2.2 fuel injection took advantage of the 10.4:1 engine compression and 95 octane no-lead fuel. The front fenders were no longer flared and the bodyside air intakes had a less diagonal shape at the rear. The sloping nose retained the horizontal vents and pop-up rectangular headlights, and the rear continued to carry four round tail lamps and four exhaust pipes. The flush door handles were now body-colored.

Ferrari built 703 examples of the Mondial 8 from 1980 through 1982, followed by 1,774 examples of the QV built from 1983 to 1985 (including 629 cabriolets and 1,145 coupes). The Mondial 3.2 was built from 1986 to 1988 with 987 coupes and 810 cabriolets built. Mondial t production began in 1988 and continued through 1993, with 858 coupes and 1,017 cabriolets produced.

by Dan Vaughan

Cabriolet

This is the only Ferrari to have hosted a Pope (Pope John Paul II) and the only original Classiche-Certified Ferrari Mondial T Cabriolet to be exhibited at the Casa Ferrari 2018 Tribute to Ferrari Spiders at the Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach. This was the first Ferrari to have an electronically controlled suspension, the first to have standard ABS braking, and the first to utilize the T configuration of the engine and transmission, similar to Formula 1 Ferraris. To date, this is the last iteration of a mid-engine, four-passenger convertible Ferrari ever made.

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