Why the change in engine positioning

If you are talking about the Mondial t, then I guess the response is that the engines changed from the 3.2 to the 3.4 (348 motor), and in the process, so did the gearbox, etc. Since the 348 had a dry sump, the engine position changed, got lowered, and it didn't sit sideways in the chassis.

The net effect of those changes was that the car was faster, and handled a bunch better.

Art

 

Sorta right.

Actually the Mondial t was the first car to implement the 3.4, therefore the 348 actually got the Mondial t engine- not the other way around.

The change in the direction of the new V8 in 1989 was (as Art mentions) that Ferrari adopted the transverse transaxle from their successful experiences in F1 when they found that by turning the transmission as such they gained an advantage by using the forces from the rotating mass within. Neat. BTW: the "t" in Mondial t represents "transverse" for the transmission. Its an important aspect of the Mondial t.

Additionally the 3.4 was designed as a dry sump (no oil pan) so that Enzo could have the engine as low as he had specified for the gains found in lowing the center of gravity.

The T was a clean slate machine that was close to Enzos heart. He poured a lot of personal requests into its engineering.

 

Yes, the simple explanation is that it was not possible to put the transverse engine lower due to transmission position. The t lowers the center of gravity for better handling by putting the transmission behind the engine instead of under the rear bank of cylinders.

Or you could just say that it looks much more sexy

 

Hi Micheal,

I like what you wrote about the t. I am very proud to own a t, I spent a while trying to decide what I would buy and though it was more to maintain I decided on the t. I really like the part of its F1 roots and that Enzo had a lot to do with the design. Do you know where I can read about Enzo and the Mondial t?

Lino

 

After years & years of ownership & research I have read nearly everything on the Mondial series. A lot of it I have tucked away, and a lot I have read on the net. The Ferrari website is a plethora of information and waxes quite eloquently about the Mondial on both the public side and the owners side.

Many books have been written that include the Mondi, and many more written about Enzo include his affection for it (and the 400i & several other vintage four seaters).

My best suggestion is that we all amass a collection of media while enjoying ownership benefits. There is nothing like knowing the details. Enjoy!

 

I like it and I'm making this up as I go but I can see Enzo building race cars for racing and street cars for the street. He was getting on in years so I could see his desire for street cars to be grand GTs, not street racers. He'd probably have no use for a tight two seater at that point. I like the idea that a "real" street Ferrari is a 4 seat GT car just as the man intended. I do refer to my Mondial as the gentlemens touring car from time to time. It was top of the line for the V8 in it's day.