Ferrari Mondial

The Mondial uses a rear mid-engine, in 2+2 2-door coupé or 2+2 convertible bodystyles. It was marketed concurrently with Ferrari's two-seater 308 GTB/GTS, 328, and 348 sports cars, sharing the major mechanical systems with the two-seater model Ferrari marketed concurrently. Unlike its 308 GT4 predecessor which was styled by the Italian Gruppo Bertone, the original Mondial 8 was designed by Pierangelo Andreani who just started working at Pininfarina with subsequent iterations redesigned by Leonardo Fioravanti, the designer with whom Ferrari had worked closely since 1951. Suspension and running gear Although based on the two-seater vehicle designs, Mondials are slightly larger overall including having appreciably wider front and rear track dimensions. Suspension systems are fully independent all-round, comprising unequal-length upper and lower wishbones, coil-over damper units and anti-roll bars at each end of the vehicle. Mondial t vehicles include a driver-adjustable selector to set the electronically controlled damper units, providing three choices of ride-stiffness adjustment. Steering is a rack-and-pinion mechanism sitting ahead of the front wheels, unpowered on all 8, QV and 3.2 models. Hydraulic power-assistance was standard on the subsequent Mondial t model. Braking is via four-wheel ventilated disks with split-circuit vacuum assistance on all vehicles. Anti-lock braking (ABS) was available as an option in 1987, and it was fitted as standard from 1988. Wheels on all vehicles are of a five-spoke alloy design in a clear-lacquered finish. Two distinct patterns were used: the Mondial 8 and QV models have wheels with a flat centre and pronounced edges to the five spokes, whereas the 3.2 and t models' wheels have a convex centre and smoother, angled spokes. All wheels feature a yellow circular centre cap bearing Ferrari's black Cavallino Rampante rearing-horse logo. Mondials until the late 1980s, including all 8 and QV models and many 3.2s, were originally fitted with Michelin TRX tyres of size 220/55 VR 390 front and 240/55 VR390 rear. TRX tyres require wheels with the proprietary TRX rim profile, meaning all vehicles fitted with such wheels could only utilise TRX-style tyres. Later 3.2 vehicles and the Mondial t reverted to industry-standard wheel designs of size 7x16 front and 8x16 rear, enabling a far wider range of tyre choices to suit the 205/55 VR16 front and 225/55 VR16 rear tyre specifications. Interior The seats and interior of all Mondial variants are fully trimmed in Connolly hide with the exception of the use of black vinyl for the dashboard top and upper door linings. Paint, upholstery and carpet colours generally match those available on Ferrari's concurrent two-seater models, with the commonest choices being Rosso Corsa or Rosso Dino (reds), Azzurro (blue) and Nero (black), in combination with beige, tan or black leather. All seats including those in the rear are strongly bucket-shaped, and fitted with inertia-reel seatbelts. A central tunnel for the chassis structure is prominent in both front and rear footwells, and is straddled by a large front centre console with a polished open-gated gear selector and electronic warning-light panel. Electric windows (the front panes only are opening) and air-conditioning are standard fitments, with their controls on the central console. The handbrake is located outside the driver's seat beside the inner sill, and is a "drop-down" design to assist ingress and egress. A three-spoked leather steering wheel is mounted to a steering column adjustable for reach and rake, behind which is a "pod-style" instrument binnacle holding six gauges: speedometer, tachometer, fuel level, water temperature, oil pressure and oil temperature. The Mondial instrumentation is completed with a comprehensive set of warning lights and electronic check panels. ==History==

The Mondial was, at the time, one of Ferrari's most commercially successful models, with over 6,000 examples produced over its thirteen-year run. The Mondial underwent many updates throughout its production with four distinct variants produced: the Mondial 8, Mondial QV, Mondial 3.2, and Mondial t. All but the Mondial 8 were released in both coupé and cabriolet (convertible) body form. It was the first Ferrari to depart from the company's simple 3-digit naming scheme, and some reviews found it relatively mild, compared to other Ferraris, regarding performance, drawing criticism from some in the motoring press. It used a mid/rear-mounted Bosch K-Jetronic fuel injection V8, shared with the 308 GTBi/GTSi, mounted transversely. The engine used in the 1973 Dino 308 GT4. The K-Jetronic system is mechanical, with a high-pressure pump which streams fuel continuously to the injectors; it does not have a computer, just a few relays to handle the cold start sequence etc. The chassis was also based on the 308 GT4, but with a wheelbase at . The suspension was the classic layout of unequal-length double wishbones and Koni dampers all around. ==Mondial Quattrovalvole== The first Mondial engine, although a DOHC design, used just two valves per cylinder. The 1982 Quattrovalvole or QV introduced a new four-valve head; the combustion chamber design purportedly based on the early eighties Formula 1 engine. Again, the engine was shared with the contemporary 308 GTB/GTS QV, and produced . Appearance was largely as per the Mondial 8, although with red engine heads and prominent "Quattrovalvole" script at the rear. 1,145 coupés built between 1982 and 1985. Mondial QV Cabriolet A new Cabriolet convertible model was added for 1983. The body styling remained the same as the coupé variant, with the roof maintaining the 'buttress' design, though the Cabriolet required the rear seats to be mounted closer together laterally. The introduction of the Cabriolet saw the popularity of the Mondial rise, particularly in the American market, where a convertible option was highly desirable. The Cabriolet has the added distinction of being the only four-seat, mid-rear engine, convertible automobile ever manufactured in regular production. 629 units were produced between 1983 and 1985, making this the rarest version of the Mondial. ==Mondial 3.2==

Like the new Ferrari 328, the Mondial's engine grew in both bore and stroke to 3.2 L (3,185 cc) in 1985. Output was now . The Mondial 3.2 was first presented at the 1985 Frankfurt Auto Show in September that year. Available in both Coupé and Cabriolet forms, styling refreshed with restyled and body-coloured bumpers, similar to the 328 with more integrated indicators and driving lamps, and new alloy wheels with a more rounded face. The 3.2 also boasted a major interior update, with a more ergonomic layout and a more rounded instrument binnacle. Later cars, from 1987 onwards, also sported ABS brakes. Fuel injection remained the primarily mechanical Bosch K-Jetronic (CIS) with an O2 sensor in the exhaust providing feedback to a simple computer for mixture trimming via a pulse modulated frequency valve that regulated control fuel pressure. The ignition system was Marelli Microplex, with electronic advance control and one distributor per bank of the V8. The 1988 Mondial 3.2 would be the final model year that retained the relatively low maintenance costs of the 308/328 drivetrain, allowing major service items like timing belt and clutch replacement performed with the engine/transmission package still in the car. File:1988 Ferrari Mondial interior.jpg|1988 Mondial 3.2 Coupe interior File:1988 Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet in Red, rear right.jpg|Ferrari Mondial 3.2 Cabriolet, rear view ==Mondial t==

The final Mondial evolution was 1989's Mondial t (Coupé and Cabriolet). It was a substantially changed model, "spearhead of a new generation of V8 Ferraris", according to Road & Track magazine. It was visually different from preceding Mondial models, the most recognizable being the redesign of the air intakes to a smaller rectangular shape. Additionally, the door handles were of a visually different design, as were the front and rear bumpers which became body-colored. New front and rear wings cover wider tracks and are re-profiled to a fuller shape compared to previous models, which feature a rolled lip. The 't' called attention to the car's new engine/transmission layout: the previously transverse engine mounted longitudinally while the gearbox remained transverse, thus forming a 't'. The 't' suffix was also homage to the first use of a transverse transmission by Ferrari in the highly successful Ferrari 312T, driven by F1 World Champion Niki Lauda. By adopting this layout, a longer engine could be mounted lower in the chassis, improving handling dramatically. The 't' configuration was used by Ferrari's Formula One cars of the 1980s, and would be the standard for the marque's future mid-engine V8 cars, beginning with the 348, introduced later in the year. The transverse manual gearbox fitted with a limited-slip differential with a twin-plate clutch design with bevel gears driving the wheels. Later in production, an electromechanical-actuated clutchless manual transmission, termed Valeo, was available as an option; where the driver would change gear using a traditional H-pattern gearshift, but the clutch was automatically actuated through electronic equipment, eliminating the need for a manually operated clutch pedal. The new layout saw the engine and transmission mounted on a removable subframe; the assembly removed from the underside of the vehicle for maintenance. This process is necessary for timing belt replacement, making this a costly procedure for the owner who does not have a lift. On the other hand, the clutch was now located at the very rear of the drive train. This arrangement makes clutch replacement and service a simple, inexpensive, and readily owner-doable proposition. The engine was up to 3.4 L (3405 cc) and . The engine was controlled by Bosch Motronic DME 2.5 (later DME 2.7) electronic engine management that integrated EFI and ignition control into a single computer unit. Two of these were used in the car: one for each bank of the engine. Engine lubrication upgraded to a dry-sump system. The "t" was home to other Ferrari firsts: It used power-assisted steering for the first time and had a 3-position electronically controlled suspension for a variable tradeoff between ride quality and road holding. It also had a standard anti-lock braking system. The Mondial t represented the most substantial upgrade to the Mondial model line in performance and handling since its introduction in 1980. The "t" offered greater performance while retaining a mid-engine layout and a practical packaging layout, and was once again, favorably received. The Mondial's chassis would underpin a new generation of two-seater Ferraris, right up to the Ferrari 360, but the 2+2 Mondial would end production just four and a half years later in 1993. However, the "t" layout of the engine and transaxle, adapted from Ferrari's Formula One cars, continues to be used in mid-engine V8 model Ferraris to date, albeit with a more sophisticated chassis. The company has not produced a mid-engine 2+2 car since then, leaving the 2+2 configuration to the more classic front-engine design starting with the 456 in 1992. Since then, the GTC4Lusso, Portofino, Roma have been additional four-seat vehicle offerings – but all of these are front-engined, leaving the Mondial t as the most recent four-seat, mid-engine, Ferrari produced. PPG Indy Pace Car A Mondial t was manufactured exclusively by Ferrari for PPG Industries to use as a pace car for the PPG Indy Car World Series. Built under the design of Ercole Spada at I.DE.A Institute at a cost of approximately $1 million, it was introduced at the 1989 Champion Spark Plugs 300 in Laguna Seca. ==Legacy==

The Mondial has historically been a target of derision from Ferrari enthusiasts, with many calling it one of the worst Ferraris ever made due its styling, performance and weight. Some enthusiasts, however, consider the car a future classic due to its low price relative to other classic Ferraris. == Production numbers ==