The Mondial (as the ‘Mondial 8’) made its entrance at the 1980 Geneva Show. It replaced the angular 208/308 GT4 series of mid-engined 2+2s and was a Pininfarina design, executed in sheet steel by Scaglietti. Power came from a transverse-mounted, two-valve, fuel-injected, 3.0-litre V8 producing a modest 214bhp.

That said, it WAS a Ferrari, and the new car offered reasonable space for children in the back. It also (at last…) offered some semblance of practicality on the servicing front, as the entire engine could be dropped in the workshop, so the belts/plugs could be changed or the cylinder heads worked on.

In 1982, a Quattrovalvole or ‘QV’ engine was introduced with four-valve heads. Power was now 240bhp. In later years the capacity rose to 3.2 litres (266bhp) and then 3.4 litres for the final ‘Mondial t’, a radically re-engineered model with longitudinal-mounted engine and a transverse gearbox. With optional semi-automatic transmission, electronically switchable suspension and power steering, this final evolution of the Mondial was quite different from the car that had made its debut at Geneva eight years before.

But back to the attractive car you see here. A Cabriolet version had been introduced in 1983, still with the characteristic ‘flying buttress’ sail panels. It proved a popular model, offering totally open-air motoring, 2+2 seating and the famous V8 Ferrari ‘wail’ when exploring the upper segment of the rev-counter.

They weren’t all produced in red, and this white-with-red-hide example was built in 1984 and would make a striking addition to any holiday home garage.

Text: Classic Driver
Photos: Retrolegends BV