Ferari replaced the 308 GT4 2 + 2 I looked at last week with the Mondial model, like the one seen here at Bristol Italian Auto Moto Festibal, in 1980. The Cabriolet was not introduced until 1983.

Pininfarina was chosen to design the replacement for the Bertone designed 308GT4, the Mondial featured a steel body built by Carrozzeria Scaglietti to sit over a steel box section space frame.

The second generation Mondial t was introduced in 1989 with smaller tidier side intakes and bumpers in matching body colours.

The engine and gearbox of the Mondial is mounted, for ease of maintenance, on a subframe which makes taking the engine out to change the spark plugs a much easier process, this innovation has transferred to all subsequent V8 Ferrari’s.

Originally the Mondial 8 was powered by a 4 cam 2 valve per cylinder 3 litre 183 cui V8, in 1982 QV Quattrovalvole, four valve per cylinder heads were fitted to the 3 litre / 183 cui motors. In 1985 these motors were increased in bore and stroke to give 3185 cc / 194 cui for the 3.2 Mondial models with 280 hp up from 240 hp on the original Mondial motor. 1989 saw the introduction of 3.4 litre / 207 cui motors which produced 300 hp.

The T designation introduced in 1989, seen on today’s featured 1990 car, denotes a change in the power train layout from transversely mounted engine and gearbox of all models up to 1989 to a longitudinally mounted engine and transverse gearbox that allowed the engine to be mounted lower in the chassis which consequently improved the handling. This engine gearbox layout was also carried over to future Ferrari V8 models.

Thanks for joining me on this drop top edition of ‘Gettin’ a li’l psycho on tyres’ I hope you will join me again tomorrow. Don’t forget to come back now !