Russ, I couldn't have said it better myself. The thing about Mondials is you either get it or you don't.
Holy chit that might be THE best looking Mondial I've ever seen! Wheels, paint, coupe trim (no offense, cabs), WOW....just wow.
Aw, shucks...thanks. I think it is the singularly best Mondial on the planet without exception...at least for me (and it's paid for!).
"One point to be made about Mondials is that where they shine is not on a racetrack... Disagree. While the Mondial is not "race-bred," the longer wheelbase over the two-seaters makes for a very forgiving platform that you can hang way out without too much trouble, unlike the two-seater cars. I've owned and tracked a GT4, a Mondial QV coupe and run a brand new Mondial t Coupe (that I now own and drive every day) at the 1990 FCA Annual Meet at the Glen in the Red run group. I was able to blow off two 250 LM's, a couple comp Daytona's, nearly every other V-8 car there except for Tom Williamson's Michelotto-prepared 288 GTO and Artie Wiener's Michelotto-prepared 308, and they were both on slicks and I was on 550-mile old Goodyear Gatorbacks! Now, with the plethora of track events today and with a lot more practice for everyone, that scenario might not be repeatable, but the car was in the top third of the run group at that time and people were amazed! They didn't know the secrets of the t! There is no question that the GT4 is quicker than the 8 on track (I've got thousands of track miles at Road Atlanta, Charlotte, Rockingham and Summit in Mary Whitton's GT Award-winning Mondial 8), and the QV only restored what juice had been lost going from the GT4 to the 8, with the 3.2 only marginally better, but the t is really pretty good. I cannot tell you all how thrilling it is to drive the t Coupe after five years of driving the QV coupe. It's like a different car, and no longer do I take a back seat to nearly anyone on the road... -Peter
Amen Peter. When I take the t coupe to a driving event, it is always at the top of the charts, and often FTD. Great cars, good thread.
I love my 86 3.2 cabrio. Its easy to work on, has unique styling, plenty quick and lots of fun! Oh and the sound............gotta love the sound!
Mondial Brethren, I read this thread earlier in the week...gave it some thought. I must say I enjoyed all of the postings and all of the different views. What hit me is than not only is the Mondial a great car, it is a great Ferrari. What makes it appeal to so many people is that there are a lot of "types" of Mondials to choose from. Unlike some of the other Ferrari models there are actually quite a lot of differences ranging from power to design. While I am no expert, it appears that by Ferrari standards the Mondial was produced for a long time and really evolved. For me, I wanted flared fenders, not fender flares...I wanted power and power steering. Also I have been told that the 3.4 with the engine running north/south sat lower and gave the car a better balance. Red and a convert. with seating for up to 4 was just icing on the cake! Therefore a "t" was right for me. Add all of that, Italian styling and low production numbers and you have a really good value at almost any price. In a day and age where disposable cars run $ 35k (+) a Mondial cannot be beat! They are a blast to drive and will turn heads all day long. Funny thing is, when I think of what I paid-what I could sell it for, it is probably one of the cheapest cars I have ever owned. (remembering that my Dodge minivan lost 25k in value in just a few short years). And how can you place a value on the smiles and thumbs up that you get everywhere you drive? Don't get that in my Honda! Put all of that together and you have one happy Mondial owner! Fyrrari