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 Daniel Vaughan | Apr 2020