Vacation was in 1983 and Vegas Vacation was in 1997 but which Mondial is Christie Brinkley driving? I can't tell in that clip, but did she "trade up" to the Mondial? (LOL!) I knew she was both smart and beautiful.
Look at the front grill, and then the steering wheel, dashboard, and then the rear bumper when the vehicle is pulling away. She is driving a Mondial 3.2 Cab. WHAT IS THIS AMATEUR HOUR
I agree with the grill and dash and bumper, but is there the "3.2" on the back facade? I'm not sure I see it. Does that make me smart to be driving the same car as Christie Brinkley? I guess so..... (Amateur comedy hour)
You're all wrong. It's a Mondial T. You can tell by the rear scripting, and by the slightly different fender lines..... Image Unavailable, Please Login
Badge engineering for the movie. It's a mondial 3.2. Look at the dashboard!!!! If its rectangular, its a 3.2. Also, the steering wheel is from a 3.2, not a T (which is smaller). C'mon guys WORK WITH ME HERE!!!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Yup, you might be right Joe - interior does indeed look more like a 3.2 than a T - however, I doubt they changed the fender lines for the movie (although maybe they changed the badging as you suggest). Those are definitely T fender lines....
I don't have my 3.2 here to look at the rear, but is that the bottom of the clutch housing showing below the rear grill? That would indicate a T. But it wouldn't be past Hollywood to have several cars over a production that were different models. Now to find the proof.
Great thread and have often wondered about the bad rap. Some sites I visit about Ferraris when asking for which Ferrari model you are inquiring aboout they don't even list the Mondial!! I bought mine 19 years ago and still look at it and think it is one great looking car. I opted for the coupe for its tightness and great handling. I've often wondered if any of the naysayers have ever driven one? Granted when the 80 -82 came out they were severly underpowed but with the 83 QV vesrion that was fixed quickly. My 83 rips right along, its a Euro version with no cats so its a little faster than the USA versions. The gated shifter, still sweet smelling leather interior and the sound of my Ansa exaust make for a wonderful driving experience. The steering is precise ( a little tough parking) but it goes where you point it. Its a mid engine car for Petes sake, handling doesn't get much better! I've always thought the Mondial was better looking than the 308, less do dads and cleaner lines. The top is a little out of proportion (too high) for my eyes but at least I can wear a helmet for track days. this is a car you have to see in person to appreciate. Funny how opinions differ, I've always thought the grey, black cars did not bring out the best in the cars because you couldn't see the vents, front side and rear, the very distinctive parts that help make the car look so great IMHO. But I see others disagree. Regardless, when I've entered my 83 red QV in a couple of car shows this summer for the first time it had more admirers than the mostly muscle cars to its flanks. And the final answer is that its a basically hand built Ferrari, how bad could that be!!! Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
Guys, Everyone is partially right - - and partially wrong. The two camera angles of both the approach and the final pull away, clearly show a "t". The car used in parallel angle is not the same car. I didn't see the little angle on the corner of the dash binnacle - so I'll guess it was not even a 3.2. It's just normal movie driving shot procedures - a bit of "the leads" and the "doubles". They may have easily had three or four different Mondials standing by. Happy New Year, Hank
I have an acquaintance that has a Mondial-T Cabrio that he may be looking to sell. Originally a Florida car it is a little tatty overall with somewhat hard leather though not very discolored. Top will need replacement and not sure of the mileage. The car has been repainted, though not to a concours standard it is acceptable. The engine probably has less than 5k miles on a dealer rebuild. If someone is interested let me know and I will try to get additional details.
Hi At a first glance taken by a newbie, a 3.2, from the rear doesn't look all that different from a "t". Then the newbie graduates to a higher level of knowledge - all of a sudden, the "I ain't no stinkin' newbie" sees the difference in the number of slats in the rear grill from one model to the other. Then, of course, is the sight of the pumpkin, which is only related to the "t" family, the 348 and the 355. As for movie making, as I alluded to before, a scene can be shot on a sound stage on Mars, using a seat, a floor, a door, a steering wheel and the actor. - - No Problemo There were multiple cars used in that movie. Christie knows all this stuff. Cheers, Hank
I felt compelled to write a few words on what I've seen all over the web with this much maligned vehicle. Ive been thinking about this a lot and believe much of the derision is multifaceted. I wanted to break down how I see it. 4 Seats One of the reasons for crying foul of course is the 4 seats we see much of the same criticism today with cars such as the Porsche Panamera and FF. Ferrari is equated to uncompromising performance hence any dilution so to speak can be frowned upon. I think this is an invalid criticism since the value one places on extra space (albeit for small ones or short people) is mainly based on the individuals current aims. I can no more criticize validly if somebody prefers a 911 turbo or a Panamera Turbo. Sure, if one were forced to pick one to race on the track, the answer is obvious. but I have yet to be on a track. To be sure magazine racers will point at the 0-60 and ¼ mile times and emphasize the superiority of one car to another but if one seeks a 4 seat, open top, mid-engine vehicle there is only 1 car in the world that meets your needs. I'm a very social, outgoing, extroverted type. Enjoying my passions with family and friends is huge on my list. Being able to have a drive with my *whole* family...in a Ferrari is simply a priceless option for me. Style This is the one area that is literally based on the individual opinion. Many say it is ugly they are all entitled to that opinion I think Mondials are gorgeous. That being said, a large contingent of folks do not think to highly of the design. I fully concede I may be in the minority. That being said I argue I have the greatest advantage on my side .that is time. Every car, no matter how great has a dip in value (exception to hyper limited production models) That cool car you drool after starts losing is freshness the moment it is showcased in this months car magazine. Especially in the exotic world the race to make ever more radical, eye catching, head turning models is the lifeblood of the industry. Every new car begins its journey to insignificance the moment it is driven off the lot .until it hits the bottom. At that point given enough time, my argument is no matter how goofy ,' strange ,' ugly car was starts to displace these sentiments purely on the rarity factor. Case in point some 60s and 70s cars are plain ugly but when I see one no matter how tainted it is that is in good condition today I say cool man. The Mondial is 34 years now. Give another 10 years most people that see it would not even have been born when the design first came out. Performance The Mondial often had performance that was lower than their stable mates, especially the earlier 8 model they were heavier and had average performance. To be fair, I think this was valid criticisms in the 80s. As time goes on, however, nobody buys a vintage Ferrari to beat all class A cars on the track. If that were the goal, one would simply buy a Corvette/Lotus Exige and be done with it. These cars by no means will beat most sports cars of today, that is true that is assuming one is interested in stop light engagements. To some street racing is a way of life to the father of two young girls I argue it is ignorance. To be fair, as the Mondial evolved - the performance has grown and in its final version - 300HP is my no means a slogger. I do not mind that a modern day Accord/Camry V6 can probably beat me 0-60 - that's not why I bought the car, I bought it to feel the spine tingling (and really feel) V8 howl when running to redline, I bought it because I do not need to race somebody at the stoplight I bought it because nobody stops and says "Awesome Car" regularly in the parking lot in a 911. Or points and whispers to their mates 'Ferrari....' Maintenance Another huge criticism is they were very EXPENSIVE in terms of what you got back in performance relative to what you can do with Porshe/Americana Muscle/Etc at the time - combine that with the exorbitant dealer maintenance cost, and you get a bunch of detractors. This is mostly true. However, this is true for any exotic so it does not make it any different than the Mondials counterparts. A huge plus about the relatively low price is I am fortunate that the price of entry allowed me to fulfill a dream (the closest car that would have meet most my wants was the California, which I am not prepared at this stage in my life to invest in), But even that car was not mid-engined something that was part of my dream so to speak. Image Unavailable, Please Login
Paul, you're a good man to "defend" the Mondial, but no need to do so. Most of the criticism comes from non-owners and folks who never even stepped into an Fcar. This whole thread is all conjecture and b.s. Those of us who are fortunate enough to hop in our Mondials each day, know we have something unique and special.
+1 The design is actually well thought. Try to put a set of golf clubs in your 911 or any other exotic (without damaging your interior) let alone 2 sets if you were with a friend.. not even the 308/328 can beat that The Mondial outsmarts every exotic and it is as strong as its popular 308/328 sister.
Yes, I think most would say there's no need to defend the Mondi - it has it's place. The Cab-T is probably the one to go for in terms of cool. 400's were ugly a few years ago, now they are cool. The 80's cars are the ones to start buying/collecting now as they represent a definite era in style and will be desirable. It does bug me when people have opinions about a make or model without having owned one. I play devil's advocate a little across the various forums as I am fortunate to have a Ferrari, Lambo and Porsche right now and see no reason to favour a particular marque. I just enjoy each for what they are Lee
Paul I agree with most of what you say. 4 seats. The longer wheelbase actually makes the car much more stable and better handling on the street or track. It is easier to control. What detracts a little is the extra weight. It shows up in handling and pure acceleration. However, once moving, even the extra weight over the 3x8 is negligible. No one disses the 911 for back seats, which admittedly are smaller than ours, but the Mondial has nowhere near the legroom of a Panny. Style. These cars look much better in person. The proportions are a little different to accommodate those rear seats. But it has 2 trunks (beats the boxster by at least 10 years) along with those 4 seats. Dare we utter the word "practical" and "Ferrari V8" in the same sentence? Performance. As you note, the later cars were anything but "slouches". A 348 was about 1/2 second quicker to 60 and about the same in the 1/4 mile. The 944 turbo was about 1/2 second quicker with the S configuration in 1989; in 1988 it was a lot closer to the "t". No one referred to any 944t as "slow". The bad rap came from the very early Mondials. Since you only get one chance to make a good first impression, the image stuck. Maintenance. Here is where we part a little company. I get some of the "neediness" of the car. I am prepared to put up with that, like timing belts every 5 years instead of every 90,000 miles. But some of the parts prices are simply outrageous. And when I do some digging and get a cross reference for 1/10 the price, I feel violated!!! An "ignition module" I needed was priced about $1000. I found an equivalent for under $100 (yes, I bought a spare! and the other is still running fine 6 months later). An expansion valve is in the $100's of dollars, one on fleabay right now for $240. It will cross reference to a Ford for under $30. A mirror switch right out of BMW stock (if you know what to look for). Or find a similar part, but have to swap an electrical plug to make it fit. Much cheaper. I understand supply and demand, but our cars make the parts cost of servicing Porsches, AMG's or BMW M cars downright cheap! Cost of admission. I agree, purchase price is relatively cheap. You get a lot of car for the money. But you do have to add in running costs to see the true cost of ownership. The cheaper the car to buy, the more needy it is going to be. As many of said on here, if you can't afford a Ferrari, you really can't afford a "cheap" Ferrari!!LOL Regards, Jerry
Reading all the comments from my post, I forgot another huge thing I love: The passionate community of brothers that share my hobby!” Thank you gentlemen for your words, I could not agree more. The bulk of criticism actually is not from everyday life (everybody that I’ve encountered in the person love the car) – it comes from journalists needing to fill their quota for the “worst car lists” …. I see on the web. I simply hope these journalists are reminded that the “Dino” was once considered not a ‘real’ Ferrari as well…we all know how that turned out…. Source: Ferrari Magazine Dino 206 GT (1967) » Ferrari Magazine - For Ferrari cars owners and fans History is our side gentlemen! I rest my case.  P.S. I also wanted to give context to the photo I posted. It is from a skit from one of my favorite comedians: Dave Chapelle – the skit was making fun of “Haters” – Folks that like to tear down other people to make themselves feel better Great hilarious skit.
